What Are You Planning To Do During Songkran?

[aussimike]

Splashing a bit of water around can be fun but it just gets taken to far, particularly in Bangkok. The fact that 300 to 400 Thais will be dead when it is all over sort of takes the gloss off the whole thing. It is a shame that it just gets taken way too far. It would be fun if people didn't go stupid. This will be my 14th. since coming here and this one I think I will give a miss. Not getting old just getting annoyed at the idiots.

same here Ozman -- I was starting to think it was the old age = but in hindsight - its not - I just i cant stand the stupidity and how there is no respect for for the way your dressed - people do have to work over this period - what do u have to do - wear a raincoat to be safe till u get to the office --- and why extend the killing period -- i would have thought it would have been wiser to cut down the holiday period in an effort to reduce the road toll --- but oh well TIT -- CHEERS AND HAPPY SONGKRAN

[jdinasia]

geeze

Most of the working class Thai folks I know, get to go home only twice a year. Songkran is the big event for them. yes more education needs to go into the no drink driving campaign, but other than that let people have what fun they can!

I wonder if the percentage increase in traffic fatalities in the country increases more or less percentage wise compared to that of other countries during their worst drinking weekends annually? Not a fair comparison because if you compare it to NYE in America. Most people do not drive to another state and it only really lasts 12 hours!

[tijnebijn]

I am staying at home and only will go out in the evening .

Full of those water wars like most of us .

[thaigene2]

Oh, well, OKAY -- I will go looking for young girls (18 or 19 ish) in 'spaghetti tops' that I can subvert into a tryst so as to prove that the virtue of Thai women is a myth. Well then, there's a tough objective! White skinned too - just to p+ss off the local Bangkokians! Then I'll paint on her lovely flat stomach (in powder of course) - 'I want more sex with farang guys who go the distance'. Howz about that?

Edited April 11, 2008 by thaigene2

[oevna]

I don't live in Thailand (at the moment), but I will be celebrating at the local Thai temple near where I live in the US.

[hullmonkey1]

Oh, well, OKAY -- I will go looking for young girls (18 or 19 ish) in 'spaghetti tops' that I can subvert into a tryst so as to prove that the virtue of Thai women is a myth. Well then, there's a tough objective! White skinned too - just to p+ss off the local Bangkokians! Then I'll paint on her lovely flat stomach (in powder of course) - 'I want more sex with farang guys who go the distance'. Howz about that?

A commendable and worthy objective

[FBN]

Missing yet another Songkran but thankfully out of Libya tomorrow. Will be in Nice for the week; wonder if there are any Thais there?

The French would probably not appreciate the initiation...

[dee123]

...i'll be playing subbuteo ,......happy songkran

[MISTERBONK]

Pop down to the local pub in the safety of my car. If I can't park outside come back home.

Originally in Pattaya the water part was only on the 19th. Then along came PM Chatichai Choonhavan who in 1988 or 1989 declared Songkran a 3 day holiday. This meant hordes of Bangkokians descending upon Pattaya, with their own water festival over the 3 official Songkran days and since then it has extended itself to 9/10 days.

But everywhere in Thailand, the youngsters cannot wait for Songkran to arrive and it is quite normal to get soaked everytime you venture outside from 8th/9th April onwards.

One day was great -fun for everyone, but day after day after day being unable to go to work, for a meal, for a drink or even to the market without ending up soaked and smeared in powder is just no fun at all.

[meelousee]

My 17th Sonkran

It used to be alot of fun and it had a meaning to pour water on someones hands head and shoulders. A light touch of wet scented powder and a sweet smile.

Now it is buckets of klong water or a bucket full of ice cubes or worse prickly heat power in water that will blind you. Some even used a high pressure sprayer that would take your skin off.

Drunks dashing down the road at break neck speeds trying to out do one another and wind up in a tangled mass of twisted metal.

Any way be careful and happy Songkran it realy was a lot of fun 10 years ago.

I will play it safe and stay home.

[bdenner]

As I do every year --- Stock the fridge and stay put.

Very few farang up here so as I was doing some shopping in the food markets yesterday I was threatened a number of times, I don't mind the traditional splash of water and a bit of powder but they go ballistic. Then there's the pissed up youths on bikes who have been running rampet for days now.

Happy and safe holiday to all.

[slapout]

I am going to borrow the local fire truck, with the water cannon mounted right above the driver cab. Fill a 100 liter tank with beer and ice, pick up willing participants from their house, drive around the moat in Chiang Mai, start the water cannon and water sweep all the rif raf into the moat. I have a dream as a man said.

[jayenram]

Other - I'll go t'pub!

[bottleymike]

I have seen about 15 Sonkrans, first as a holiday maker, and now as a resident of Pattaya. I used to enjoy the water fight when on holiday, but now the idea of risking getting soaked for a week or more whenever going out does not appeal to me.The delights of sitting with water running off me whilst eating in a resteraunt have passed me by.

So like others I have stocked the fridge and the larder, and shall man the baricades on the property line until its over.

[jdinasia]

My 17th Sonkran

It used to be alot of fun and it had a meaning to pour water on someones hands head and shoulders. A light touch of wet scented powder and a sweet smile.

Now it is buckets of klong water or a bucket full of ice cubes or worse prickly heat power in water that will blind you. Some even used a high pressure sprayer that would take your skin off.

Drunks dashing down the road at break neck speeds trying to out do one another and wind up in a tangled mass of twisted metal.

Any way be careful and happy Songkran it realy was a lot of fun 10 years ago.

I will play it safe and stay home.

You were 10 years younger, 10 years ago!

I find Songkran about the same as during my first trip 11 years ago.

[Maigo6]

In Tokyo now, back in Thailand on the 15th.

I will miss Songkran at my house but will head to Pattaya for the water fights instead.

[gunnyd]

Went to Tesco Lotus and Villa Supermarket and am fully stocked up. I am not going anywhere. I'll watch from the balcony of the apartment.

It looks great and fun on the Discovery Channel, but real life is a totally different story. I'm not much for a soak unless it's a bath or the swimming pool.

Cheers, GunnyD

[garro]

This will be my 6th Songkran here. I really enjoyed the first two, but for some strange reason the next four Songkrans were spent sick in bed - this was not due to alcohol (at least not with the last two anyway as I gave up alcohol).

I am sort of looking upon this years Songkran as a bit of an inconvenience. We have recently moved house so my wife's family are not here to liven things up. My son has also been sick the last couple of days and anyway he is too young to enjoy it.

I hope that those that want to celebrate it have a great time. I will never forget my first one. I will be keeping out of the way though.

[scotbeve]

You can always tell those that are old at heart or just dam_n old .... stay at home? run away?

This is the most fun holiday of the year here! (and my second favorite holiday! -- I enjoy Loy Krathong a bit more .. for the beauty of it!)

When one has "done" Songkran en force for over 18 FULL BLOWN times (re:years), then yes, the very un-Thai / unSongkran "water wars" aren't on this "old ones" agenda. What I do really enjoy is staying "upcountry", and when repulsivesly hot, hop on a putt-putt motorcyie and driving around mid-day or a little after and have the younger kids (the most heat resistant) throw SMALL quantities of water on my legs and / or the most prolific section of my old(ish) body,... my mid-section!!!!!!

Happy New Year to all..

Sawasdee Songkran Khrap

[scotbeve]

Dear gdhm,

Excerpts of your reply...

Is today Songkran NO it is Friday 11th April

So please can someone explain to me why there are so many kid and a few adults chucking water at motorcyclists and everybody who moves in Khon Kaen.

I went out today before my enforced stay at home thinking I would be safe today - but NO.

I was water pistolled as I entered Fairy Plaza shopping Mall (ONLY the farang was targeted).

I detoured my motorbike on 3 occasion due to obvious water attacks I could see ahead. However, when my wife, 4½ stepson and I were returning home from my wife's aunt on my motorbike I was taken by surprise by an unexpected bucket of water thrown at us by a young child in a small soi (with adults in attendance)

I instinctively braked but (with hindsight) obviously too hard on the wet road (having been dry for days) my bike immediately slipped over sideways and on top of us. My stepson and wife were not crushed because being a fat 145 kilo man I am well padded and took the brunt of the weight of my Yamaha Nouvo (not a tiny or light motorbike for its class).

Luckily we were all wearing helmets (very fortunate for me because the side of my head hammered against the road and my helmet came off with the impact. I now have a slight head ache as I write having just got home (but I am certain I have no concussion).

My stepson was crying and has a big graze on his knee, my wife a small cut on her leg and I have a long graze on my left arm and a small one on my leg. My motorbike unscratched in 1½ years of driving is damaged down the left front side.

Sure the family of the water thrower raced to help and were very, very sorry. I intimated that today is not the start of the festival and left it at that.

As we drove away they patted me and said "Happeee Songkran". Obviously thankful we took it all so well

Many here may feel it was an accident (which it was BUT there are accidents and accidents. This one should never have happened. For a start today is not part of ther Songkran holiday and it is about time people controlled themselves with a little responsibility. This incident proves what the festival has become when children (with adults in attendance) are allowed to throw buckets of water at motorcyclists with women and children passengers.

You have no idea how controlled I am being not saying the words that came to my mind as we crashed over.

Can I do anything. NO they are too poor to pay for the bike to be repaired and the cuts, grazes and shock will quickly heal.

1 -0 to the fun lovers (three innocent persons minding their own business the day before the Songkran week starts are shaken up with very minor injuries and I have a damaged bike in need of repair.

I am NOT a "Happee Hector"

HAPPY SONGKRAN and PLEASE be sensible with your targeting if you intend to participate in the water throwing festivities".

I'm sorry that something soooo mindless had to happen to AND your family. Thank goodness that nobody was seriously hurt. I AM A COMPLETE AND UTTER PROPONENT of respect of elders and property... Kuwam lap lak sa leh kuwam lap rabieup. Let's please go back 20 - 30 years ago... It was soooo nice!!!

[Jewelz]

Boxing myself at home only to come out for food. Will be enjoying the silliness from the bacony, however. Maybe pour some water over the local karaoke "singers" that seem to have started drinking from 10am today. Might come out after dark after they have shut off the water at my favorite club.

[polehawk]

Wife wants to go out to the village on last day of Songkran when they do the splashing of water on hands of the elders and I will be happy to drop her off and pick her up later. Otherwise, I'm staying home with a beer in hand while my pit bull and ridgeback patrol the property. Some protection, they bark and wag their tails at the same time.

I haven't been through as many Songkrans as some of you in this thread but my experience does go back farther than most. I was working in Udorn in 1967-68. Came back to Thailand to work/live from 1971-74 in Udorn and Pattaya (U-Tapao). More recently, have spent the last two years in Udon (retired). Have Songkran celebrations changed over the years? I think so. Things are a lot crazier now with the water brigades along the highways, general drunkenness, mayhem on the highways, etc. We used to think that the GIs stationed in Thailand were responsible for escalating the pouring of a glass of water on someone to riding up and down the streets in town with fire hoses and pumps on the backs of their trucks but just an opinion. Thais may have been doing the same long before the American GIs came here. I do remember that it was relatively safe to ride my motorcycle to/from work during those years with no problems but sure wouldn't try that nowadays. On the plus side, it is great that so many Thais travel from all over the country (and the globe) to be with their families for Songkran holiday(s).

Enjoy, everybody.

[Soph]

Already on my third change of clothes, but thats just fine by me!!!

[lazeeboy]

get drunk and enjoy

[markcnx]

My wife & I just finished a 10 day roadtrip starting in Chiang Mai. I got saturated by a group of kids outside of Khon Kaen when dealing with the tire that exploded on the 10th. They waited till there were about 12 of them to get me. Oh well, they will always remember the farang they soaked in 2551. Despite the fun we had, we made sure to be back in Chiang Mai on the 12th, even though it meant missing the Kratae concert in Si Sashanalai. Stops at Big C, Kasem store and Talaat Payom mean we will not leave the house till after the festivities are over. But at least CM is not Burma, where the water they throw is filthy. Songkran is best enjoyed from a distance after the third time.

[uptou]

I personally feel that a grown adult has to be completely pi$$ed (very drunk) to enjoy throwing water over somebody all day,so i may be using this an excuse......or hide.

[scotbeve]

I personally feel that a grown adult has to be completely pi$ed (very drunk) to enjoy throwing water over somebody all day,so i may be using this an excuse......or hide.

It is indeed a fallible excuse....

[riverhigh]

Here in Pattaya with our 10 day Songkran, you might just call it another amazing case of killing the goose that laid the golden egg. It could be a great tourist attraction and even fun for the locals if it was limited to one day.

Couldn't agree more. Limiting Sonkrang to 1 to 2 days or even 3 days in Pattaya would be ideal. But 10 days non-stop is ballshit. Last year they were suppose to stop after 7 p.m. for safety reasons ... but not enforced .... saw 3 motorcycle accidents. Lack of respect for people's safety and for the festive holiday itself. Puts Thailand in a bad light.

[stattointhailand]

As an "oldie" ......... well over 50 ........ I can still remember doing things as a kid/youth that in today's world would be seen to be "idiotic", "stupid", "insane" etc; etc; .......... Visiting the family at Christmas and all going down the pub (before the pubs had to shut at Christmas) and then driving home !!......... Going to see my fav footie team play on Boxing Day (before they stopped all the trains running on Boxing Day). Going "Up the Strand" on New Years Eve, where you could play in Trafalgar Square in Sub Zero temps, jumping in the fountains (of dirty water polluted by Pidgeon droppings), and then walk the length of the Strand wishing all a happy New Year with kisses and hugs through the wound down windows of their stationary cars (before they banned people going near the fountains and closed the streets to traffic). What do the kids in London do now? Sit at home, fed up, bored, and waiting for Christmas to finish. All the progs on TV are years old as there is no way the staff can go to work at the TV stations. THAT's PROGRESS FOLKS ............ Let the Thai kids/Youth/Familys enjoy their festival, It won't be long before the "PARTYPOOPERS" here manage to Kill Songkran in the same way that they killed Christmas/New Year in the UK.

Before you say "It wont happen in Thailand", how many of us would have thought 10 years ago that we would be banned from Smoking in the bars, and banned from drinking in the bars if there was any type of election (5 weekends in the last 4 months in Udon !!)

[BlackArtemis]

This is my 4th and last Songkran for quite a bit (moving back before next year :/ ) I love it, I will be out for the next few days in Chiang Mai. However, my wife hates it, she went out with my last year and a bunch of drunk guys grabbed her... I held my camera up and said if they don't let go of her I was going to smash their skulls in... I added a few interesting adjectives as well... It's a fun holiday, but is being ruined by a bunch of losers...