Visit During Songkran?

[Two Roads]

I want to visit Phuket but can only dates I can manage overlap with Songkran??

Are the bars, clubs, shops opne or are many shut down because staff retrun to visit their families??

Don't want to show up and have everything closed.

[LivinginKata]

Everything will be open, and very busy.

[Kimera]

I want to visit Phuket but can only dates I can manage overlap with Songkran??

Are the bars, clubs, shops opne or are many shut down because staff retrun to visit their families??

Don't want to show up and have everything closed.

Open yes, pack your waterproofs

[huggybear]

I want to visit Phuket but can only dates I can manage overlap with Songkran??

Are the bars, clubs, shops opne or are many shut down because staff retrun to visit their families??

Don't want to show up and have everything closed.

Exactly opposite, it will be big party-time.

[Super Hans]

It will be a complete pain in the arse. Two days good, 4 days bad. Why do Thais milk every last ounce of pleasure out of every thing? Is there such a thing as "subtlety" in the country?

[hp8000]

It will be a complete pain in the arse. Two days good, 4 days bad. Why do Thais milk every last ounce of pleasure out of every thing? Is there such a thing as "subtlety" in the country?

I second. I just like the authentic style of celebrating songkran that whe have in my remote village.

[Zpete]

It will be a complete pain in the arse. Two days good, 4 days bad. Why do Thais milk every last ounce of pleasure out of every thing? Is there such a thing as "subtlety" in the country?

Gettalife, mate

Thais enjoy life, even if it seems over the top to you.

LOS is also LOF.......

Land Of Fun.

[LivinginKata]

Gettalife, mate

Thais enjoy life, even if it seems over the top to you.

LOS is also LOF.......

Land Of Fun.

Depends whether you think having dyed water (that inflames the eyes), ice cold water (ice cubes are painful projectiles), and unknown powders in the face, is all considered 'fun'. The traditional Songkran greeting is a slight wetting of the head, and a dawb of powder on the face. That's fine by me, but the mayhem we now have in Patong is way over the top for me, and I stay home... my choice... Not complaining, just informing the OP.

[hp8000]

Gettalife, mate

Thais enjoy life, even if it seems over the top to you.

LOS is also LOF.......

Land Of Fun.

You could be surprised, when talking with thais who don't live in tourist areas, that most of them if not all think that the songkran you're talking about is a complete mess and dangerous as hel_l. You have to remind that THIS IS NOT SONGKRAN .

[donna]

relax fellas. last year it only went for a day in patong. its easy to stay away for just a day - considering that many of you dont go near the place on a 'normal' day.

yes, it can be dangerous.

yes, people do stupid things.

but is it fun?

hel_l yeah!

[LivinginKata]

No Donna, it's not one day anymore. Last year (2007) it lasted at least 3 days down Bangla.

[hp8000]

relax fellas. last year it only went for a day in patong. its easy to stay away for just a day - considering that many of you dont go near the place on a 'normal' day.

yes, it can be dangerous.

yes, people do stupid things.

but is it fun?

hel_l yeah!

So I'm asking you. Should any tradition have to be dangerous and people allowed to do stupid things ? Should I, as a person not be allowed to go for a nice dinner in dry clothes to allow morons to have fun ? Should we accept these stupid nobrain people sending you to hospital at your own expense coz it's fun to throw full buckets of water on motorcycle drivers ? And so on. NO, I don't accept it and I'll not relax, it's a f****g annoying time, period.

Oh and I forgot, tell me just another one "party time" where it's allowed to abuse others, tell me.

Edited March 3, 2008 by hp8000

[Super Hans]

No Donna, it's not one day anymore. Last year (2007) it lasted at least 3 days down Bangla.

Actually it was 4, and that was all over, not just bangla.

One day could be considered traditional - the rest is just for drunken farang gratification - it would be on every day if it pulled in the punters.

[donna]

well i was working in patong last year over songkran, and i saw perhaps a little bit one afternoon and the next full day. other than that, driving down the beach road was fine.

perhaps down bangla it was 3 days, but i dont go to that area often as i find it a bit gross to be honest. i didnt see (and i do remember it clearly as i drove down Rat-U-Thit and the beach road every day) much more than what i mentioned above.

hp8000, if we compare the vegetarian festival to songkran, which one would you consider more dangerous? people throwing buckets of water, or people impaling themselves with goodness knows what?

no, i dont think its funny when people squirt me in the face with a high powered gun. yes, its happened to me.

no, i dont think its funny to get an eyeful of powder paste. yes, its happened to me.

no, i dont think its funny when people throw buckets of water at force at motorcyclists. yes, its happened to me.

and if the festivities are in bangla, i dont really think that there are any 'nice' places to go for dinner anyway. depends on what floats your boat, and perhaps not the point.

i had many songkrans in thailand and towards the end, i just stayed away, or went into the fracas for just one day. i didnt get a sudden urge to go out all dressed up to an area that i knew would be full of drunken idiots who wanted to ruin my clothes. there are plenty of other places in phuket other than patong that would not be so rough on those days. i found that during my last year in bangkok, i could walk to my office which was close to khao san road, without getting all dirty. the reason for this was that the footpath was a relatively safe haven, and the roads were open slather. this system seemed to work, but i doubt that this would work in phuket.

for one 'partytime' where people abuse others, try la tomatina in spain:

Don't wear your holiday best and beware that anything white won't stay clean and bright for very long. It¹s usually boys versus girls, and it rapidly becomes something of a wet t-short contest. People wearing baseball caps or carrying cameras are considered prime targets for everyone, so if you¹re determined to take pictures bring a see-though waterproof bag.

There aren't many rules to tomato warfare, but those that do exist are in the interests of safety and public decency:

l) You can throw tomatoes and tomatoes only.

2) They must be squashed before you throw them, otherwise they can cause a nasty bruise.

3) Although the locals tend to rip each other's clothing, it is officially forbidden and as a visitor, you will be expected to behave.

im sure there are many other rough and dangerous festivals.

[Cicinho]

What dates is Songkran hitting Phuket? I am off for a month here in April doing a bit of traveling around the place and only hitting Phuket for a week.

[LivinginKata]

According to my calander, 13 - 15 April 2008 are the water throwing days.