Songkran 2008

[Bagwan]

most of the complaints come from older farangs not people who still know how to enjoy themselves. not a dig, its the truth.

I suggest that you engage your brain before posting. To follow your contention to its logical end one might well assume that you still play hopscotch or bowl a hoop. Tastes and pleasureable pasttimes change with the passing of time and the attainment of maturity.

During the mayhem of what used to be a pleasant Thai custom my wife has to wear full raingear to go to work and then change into her uniform when she gets there. It seems to me that even the BiB go into hiding during the Pattaya Songkran week. Dousing anybody in cold,dirty water adds up to assault in my book. It is enjoyed by many who are nothing less than juvenile bullies who enjoy the discomfort of others.

Your perception is not necessarily the truth.

Edited January 5, 2008 by Bagwan

[Tarqin]

1. The water used is generally fetid. They general don't use Evian you know. Remember that 88% of all diseases are water borne. As noted above two years ago I ended up with an eye infection that dam_n near cost me my eye. As I am a rich falang I had it diagnosed and treated. A poor Thai would have merely lost the eye.

2. They throw buckets of water over moped riders as they ride along, amongst other absurdities. The already sky high death rate on Thai roads rockets upwards.

You have 'fun'. I will be in Cambo.

[sweetchariot]

most of the complaints come from older farangs not people who still know how to enjoy themselves. not a dig, its the truth.

I suggest that you engage your brain before posting. To follow your contention to its logical end one might well assume that you still play hopscotch or bowl a hoop. Tastes and pleasureable pasttimes change with the passing of time and the attainment of maturity.

During the mayhem of what used to be a pleasant Thai custom my wife has to wear full raingear to go to work and then change into her uniform when she gets there. It seems to me that even the BiB go into hiding during the Pattaya Songkran week. Dousing anybody in cold,dirty water adds up to assault in my book. It is enjoyed by many who are nothing less than juvenile bullies who enjoy the discomfort of others.

Your perception is not necessarily the truth.

Nor is yours. How old are you btw?

I look forwrd to 'assaulting' you in April

[MisterFingers]

Dousing anybody in cold,dirty water adds up to assault in my book. It is enjoyed by many who are nothing less than juvenile bullies who enjoy the discomfort of others.

Your perception is not necessarily the truth.

Hey!! It's Tom Cruise's long lost brother!

But seriously, you need to chill out, guy.

I've been there, everybody's smiling, people enjoying fun and enjoying having it with other people.

Seriously, you need to change your outlook or you'll suffer from hypertension or high-blood pressure, or both.

Maybe the last thing you'd ever do should be your first.

Get out there. Throw some water. Have fun for once in your life.

[MisterFingers]

As noted above two years ago I ended up with an eye infection that dam_n near cost me my eye. As I am a rich falang I had it diagnosed and treated. A poor Thai would have merely lost the eye.

I'm calling BS in the corner pocket.

What a convenient coincidence that someone with your point of view has a story like this.

BS!

Some guy who makes a point of leaving town is the same guy who got contaminated water in the eye, causing a blinding infection had it not been treated.

Yeah, I'll believe that one right after pigeon outside craps me a gold egg.

BS!

[operator]

Some pictures of Songkran.

[phukethovercraft]

1. The water used is generally fetid. They general don't use Evian you know. Remember that 88% of all diseases are water borne. As noted above two years ago I ended up with an eye infection that dam_n near cost me my eye. As I am a rich falang I had it diagnosed and treated. A poor Thai would have merely lost the eye.

2. They throw buckets of water over moped riders as they ride along, amongst other absurdities. The already sky high death rate on Thai roads rockets upwards.

You have 'fun'. I will be in Cambo.

Don’t go to Cambo, buy yourself a pair of swimming goggles and have some fun.

[kopite]

I suggest that you engage your brain before posting

moi?

To follow your contention to its logical end one might well assume that you still play hopscotch or bowl a hoop. Tastes and pleasureable pasttimes change with the passing of time and the attainment of maturity.

i play tag and bulldog. hopscotch is for girls

During the mayhem of what used to be a pleasant Thai custom my wife has to wear full raingear to go to work and then change into her uniform when she gets there. It seems to me that even the BiB go into hiding during the Pattaya Songkran week. Dousing anybody in cold,dirty water adds up to assault in my book. It is enjoyed by many who are nothing less than juvenile bullies who enjoy the discomfort of others.

Your perception is not necessarily the truth.

or we could be full of life and living it instead of juvenile?

[Bagwan]

most of the complaints come from older farangs not people who still know how to enjoy themselves. not a dig, its the truth.

I suggest that you engage your brain before posting. To follow your contention to its logical end one might well assume that you still play hopscotch or bowl a hoop. Tastes and pleasureable pasttimes change with the passing of time and the attainment of maturity.

During the mayhem of what used to be a pleasant Thai custom my wife has to wear full raingear to go to work and then change into her uniform when she gets there. It seems to me that even the BiB go into hiding during the Pattaya Songkran week. Dousing anybody in cold,dirty water adds up to assault in my book. It is enjoyed by many who are nothing less than juvenile bullies who enjoy the discomfort of others.

Your perception is not necessarily the truth.

Nor is yours. How old are you btw?

I look forwrd to 'assaulting' you in April

Much older and mature than you sonny - and your father come to that. One of the things that brings me some amusement - and often a measure of disgust - is watching the antics of the younger generation making total asses of themselves while guests in LoS.

I shall be in Petchabun during the 'festivities' avoiding the mayhem and hooligan behaviour. You do know where Petchabun is, don't you? I'll give you a clue. It's nowhere near Beach Road.

[sweetchariot]

most of the complaints come from older farangs not people who still know how to enjoy themselves. not a dig, its the truth.

I suggest that you engage your brain before posting. To follow your contention to its logical end one might well assume that you still play hopscotch or bowl a hoop. Tastes and pleasureable pasttimes change with the passing of time and the attainment of maturity.

During the mayhem of what used to be a pleasant Thai custom my wife has to wear full raingear to go to work and then change into her uniform when she gets there. It seems to me that even the BiB go into hiding during the Pattaya Songkran week. Dousing anybody in cold,dirty water adds up to assault in my book. It is enjoyed by many who are nothing less than juvenile bullies who enjoy the discomfort of others.

Your perception is not necessarily the truth.

Nor is yours. How old are you btw?

I look forwrd to 'assaulting' you in April

Much older and mature than you sonny - and your father come to that. One of the things that brings me some amusement - and often a measure of disgust - is watching the antics of the younger generation making total asses of themselves while guests in LoS.

I shall be in Petchabun during the 'festivities' avoiding the mayhem and hooligan behaviour. You do know where Petchabun is, don't you? I'll give you a clue. It's nowhere near Beach Road.

If more mature = more miserable, then you are definitely much more mature than me.

[stevemiddie]

most of the complaints come from older farangs not people who still know how to enjoy themselves. not a dig, its the truth.

I suggest that you engage your brain before posting. To follow your contention to its logical end one might well assume that you still play hopscotch or bowl a hoop. Tastes and pleasureable pasttimes change with the passing of time and the attainment of maturity.

During the mayhem of what used to be a pleasant Thai custom my wife has to wear full raingear to go to work and then change into her uniform when she gets there. It seems to me that even the BiB go into hiding during the Pattaya Songkran week. Dousing anybody in cold,dirty water adds up to assault in my book. It is enjoyed by many who are nothing less than juvenile bullies who enjoy the discomfort of others.

Your perception is not necessarily the truth.

Nor is yours. How old are you btw?

I look forwrd to 'assaulting' you in April

Much older and mature than you sonny - and your father come to that. One of the things that brings me some amusement - and often a measure of disgust - is watching the antics of the younger generation making total asses of themselves while guests in LoS.

I shall be in Petchabun during the 'festivities' avoiding the mayhem and hooligan behaviour. You do know where Petchabun is, don't you? I'll give you a clue. It's nowhere near Beach Road.

Get a life.

I for one am glad I,m not old and decrepit and have the money to live here AND have fun. ..................gramps.

Edited January 8, 2008 by stevemiddie

[Tarqin]

Believe what you wish Mr Fingers. I have the bills from BIH to prove what I say, not that I feel the need to prove anything to you, and I believe, my memory not being what it was that I posted of the incident at the time when home off the booze due to the antibiotics and with a face like a basketball.

Watch the <deleted> load up their supersoakers. I saw one for example use the toilet bowl at the back of the Soi 8 bar complex. Ask yourself would you drink from that source? And then ask yourself if you want that water blasted in your face in force and then in future try not to make such stupid posts. You'll find it gets easier with practice.

[begsaresponse]

When it comes to Songkran there will always be a mixed views!!

Personally after last years I have already booked to be out of Thailand. And probably every year after that!

And yes I will also have a great time drinking etc etc whilst I'm not here in Patters.

I wish all of you who enjoy wet on the outside as well as wet on the inside a great time.

begs

[edwardandtubs]

Me too. I'll be be living it up with ladies in Sihanoukville, while you boys are squirting in each other's faces. One man's meat is another man's poison as they say. I hope you boys have as much fun as me.

[Tammi]

A beautiful festival has been ruined. I will be out of the country or at home - well away from the very good chance of filthy water, ice cubes, being hosed off my moto by brainless farangs.

[mrbojangles]

I'm organising my trip back to LOS to avoid Songkran. Been there, seen it, don't like it and neither does MrsBoJ. Each to their own i guess.

[mamanoodle]

Some pictures of Songkran.

5 minute timespan on day one of seven or eight!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[MisterFingers]

Believe what you wish Mr Fingers. I have the bills from BIH to prove what I say, not that I feel the need to prove anything to you, and I believe, my memory not being what it was that I posted of the incident at the time when home off the booze due to the antibiotics and with a face like a basketball.

Watch the <deleted> load up their supersoakers. I saw one for example use the toilet bowl at the back of the Soi 8 bar complex. Ask yourself would you drink from that source? And then ask yourself if you want that water blasted in your face in force and then in future try not to make such stupid posts. You'll find it gets easier with practice.

Oh great!!

So now you got an infected eye from Songkran water AND you saw someone loading a supersoaker in the toilet?

So one in a billion has just become one in a quadrillion.

(For those of you not familiar with probability theory, you multiply the odds of one extremely unlikely event to the odds of another extremely unlikely event to get the odds of both events occuring.)

I'm not saying that these two events have such long odds against them.

But to be experienced by the same guy who just happens to be voicing his anti-Songkran sentiment in this thread, the same guy who claims to aviod Songkran like the plague.

(And now the same guy with a new toilet story in an old thread. Umm, yeah, he just didn't feel like mentioning this part before.)

Thanks for this post Tarqin. You just proved that you're a liar with almost astronomical certainty.

[edwardandtubs]

Tarqin's stories seem perfectly credible to me. I've seen all sorts of moronic behaviour during Songkran. Maybe you're too busy squirting all over other men's faces to notice? You know very little about probability if you think these are one in a billion events.

[Lilawadee]

Watch the <deleted> load up their supersoakers. I saw one for example use the toilet bowl at the back of the Soi 8 bar complex.

Impossible. You can't load a super soaker from a toilet bowl. You could load it from the tap inside a toilet, or you could use the plastic scoop and load from the water basin.

You could in theory load one of those PVC tubes from a toilet bowl but that wouldn't be very convenient because you'd have to walk back there after every shot.

But granted, one of the main issues with Songkran in Pattaya is that there just isn't a big, good & available water supply nearby. If the city council was serious about Songkran they'd get big pumps and large basins installed all along the beach side of Beach road for people to easily access sea water. But no.

Ask yourself would you drink from that source?

No, but ultimately it's tap water. Probably one of the cleaner sources all around.

I'm not saying that these two events have such long odds against them. But to be experienced by the same guy who just happens to be voicing his anti-Songkran sentiment in this thread, the same guy who claims to aviod Songkran like the plague.

... though I have to disagree here. People will use just about any water source, as the stuff is so scarce in Pattaya. And a good eye/ear infection is a small price to pay for a couple days of Songkran fun; it's kind of like the Bull Run in Pamplona: Yes it's nuts, but if you chose to be there: Strictly No Whining.

[MisterFingers]

Tarqin's stories seem perfectly credible to me. I've seen all sorts of moronic behaviour during Songkran. Maybe you're too busy squirting all over other men's faces to notice? You know very little about probability if you think these are one in a billion events.

I know more about probability than you can possibly imagine.

And if you believe him, then I have some sound advice for you.

Never give your money or invest anything because some guy is a smooth talker.

Judging by how gullible you are, you might lose everything on a promise of "triple your money back in a month".

[begsaresponse]

Oh I think anyone has the right to voice concerns about some irresponsible behaviour during Songkran. Last year I witness a drunk foreigner on second road stood outside wonderful bar throwing buckets of water over passing baht buses.

However he got his just rewards cause he threw one too many. The baht bus stopped a man who was a passenger got off with his wife (I assume) and very young baby they had all been soaked. The dad proceeded to punch sh-it out of the thower of water.

I guess there could be more of it about and if you are around you should report and let us all know.

If people want to behave like that they should go to the water park for the day.

[Tarqin]

'I know more about probability than you can possibly imagine.'

Oh great. Now along with all the ex Secret Service and ex-SAS dudes we have in Pattaya we now have Mr. Fingers Nobel prize winning mathematician.

Where do these clowns all come from?

Tarqin.

MA (Oxon) PPE since you ask...

[MisterFingers]

Where do these clowns all come from?

For someone claiming to be so mature, you should realize that name-calling and personal insults prove that you're on the losing side of the debate, in addition to damaging others' perception of your character.

(i.e., In addition to losing an argument, you've shown that you're less mature than your opponent.)

Resorting to insults is an act of desperation that the loser of the argument turns to when there's no other option (and he lacks the maturity to refrain from doing so).

MA (Oxon) PPE since you ask...

Then you must be able to appreciate my logic in calling out your bullshit.

Not that I believe you. Your credibility is already long gone out the window.

Anyone can claim to have this degree or that car or this hospital bill on an internet forum of anonymous postings.

Heck, we can make a game out of it.

[sweetchariot]

Tarqin.

MA (Oxon) PPE since you ask...

Who asked? I didn't know you could get an MA in mathematics these days, our education system is going downhill. Or is this one of those fancy new MA courses in surfing, or leisure management, brought in by the government to increase the numbers.

Having a MA degree these days stands for nothing, university degrees used to be for the gifted minority but now they are handed out to all and sundry like confetti.

And boasting about it on a forum such as this shows that you may have learned how to grow organic potatoes, but they obviously didn't teach you any common sense.

[MeaMaximaCulpa]

Ignorance, arrogance and agression are just a few words that comes to mind when I read this thread. Very sad indeed.

Does fun have to mean that one does harm to someone else, someone that does not want to play?

Please have your fun, but respect others who might not want to be part of providing you with it. Picture yourself on the other side, would you then still find it fun?

Honestly?

[Tarqin]

Logic in your argument Mr. Fingers? There was no logic in your argument except to claim that something that is entirely probable was in fact entirely in-probable and when called upon it by others as well as me you sought to shut down the argument by stating and I quote:

'I know more about probability than you can possibly imagine.'

Where is the logic that? In fact scrap logic just explain to me what:

'I know more about probability than you can possibly imagine.'

actually means.

Unless you are in fact a Nobel laureate in mathematics (as well no doubt as ex-SAS and a retired spy like the rest of the fantasists) I doubt very much that you do:

'know more about probability than you can possibly imagine.'

But your attempt at an explanation might amuse me.

[MisterFingers]

Blah, blah, blah.... except to claim that something that is entirely probable was in fact entirely in-probable blah, blah, blah....

Actually, the word is improbable.

Now try to convince me again that you have a masters degree in philosophy at a prestigious school.

The phrase more than you can possibly imagine is a commonly used phrase of exaggeration in English to emphasize a point.

For example, one might say, "I'm hungrier than you can possibly imagine" to emphasize that he/she simply feels very hungry.

This is not to be taken literally, and it isn't, by people intelligent enough to realize that it shouldn't be.

For example, I could say to a ten year old on the phone, "It's hotter here than you can possibly imagine."

That ten year old would quickly realize that this is a figure of speech not to be taken literally.

However, it doesn't surprise me that I have to explain this to someone who thinks in-probable is a word.

Yes, hang that masters degree up high so everyone can see it.

[Kerryd]

Back to the subject at hand (Songkran).

Most everybody, especially those that live here, and those that come here a lot, know when Songkran is, and what happens during that period. It's not a surprise that you're most likely going to get soaked during Songkran.

What I find amusing is certain people who think, for some reason, that they should be exempted from the frivolities, and that everyone around them should somehow, magically, know that these few individuals shouldn't be doused, soaked or powdered.

Dressing up in fancy clothes and heading downtown for a dinner date is an invitation to get extra special treatment from those around you, not a Get Away Dry Pass !

When I go out, I know what to expect. Everything gets sealed in zip-locks, and I wear stuff thats suitable to getting wet.

Some tourists may not know what is happening until it's too late, but I'd say most have been informed in one way or another. Some do get carried out of hand, and we hear stories now and then of those types getting their just rewards.

Away from the major tourist zones, it's a lot more mellow. Lots of water, but a lot more respect as well. Could be to do with fewer tourists and more locals ? Probably. I have a blast, but rarely venture into the high tourist areas.

Got to run. Only 3 months to go !

[MeaMaximaCulpa]

This may come as a surprise to some posters, but there are actually people in this city that are gainfully employed, and need to dress up to go to work.

Last year at Songkran, I witnessed some foreigners totally ruining two Thai womens' beautiful silk dresses, as they were about to go to work at the Marriott Hotel, before 8 in the morning. The morons had probably slept on the sidewalk. The ladies were in tears, and had to go home to change.

You still think it is funny, and your right to perform your fun acts?

Edit for typo

Edited January 17, 2008 by MeaMaximaCulpa