Ukraine ... Enlighten yourself

[ricklev]

I got hit in the eyes today by a thick stream of water as I was going about 40 on a Honda Wave on Canal Road followed almost immediatly by someone passing me going about 120 only an inch or so from my mirror.

My fault I know for venturing out into the bizarro world.

[Maejo Man]

..........................on Canal Road followed almost immediatly by someone passing me going about 120 only an inch or so from my mirror.

That must have been the guy they scraped off the tarmac this evening I heard a screech and a thud followed by sirens shortly after. Still cleaning up the mess as I write..

Edited April 15, 2008 by Maejo Man

[Flatouthruthefog]

I got hit in the eyes today by a thick stream of water as I was going about 40 on a Honda Wave on Canal Road followed almost immediatly by someone passing me going about 120 only an inch or so from my mirror.

My fault I know for venturing out into the bizarro world.

"Bizarro" is right - and let's hope the mayhem ends at the end of tomorrow. Don't forget that 'our' supreme new government of caring intellectuals actually EXTENDED the mayhem to include the 16th.......!

I came out of my rural bunker late afternoon today to do some brief but essential rural shopping. Four pleasantly drunk farm workers were quietly celebrating at a roadside shop/bar.

All seemed innocuous enough until one vanished down a side soi for a moment, then re-appeared with a 2in bore fire hose spouting water at full pressure and simply laid it across the narrow tarmac road, 15m from a deceptive bend. Then went back to drinking.

As and When and If I can ever understand this sort of nonsense I MIGHT just tolerate Songkran, but until that far off day I will just hunker in the bunker. And PLEASE don't tell me to go home. This IS home. It's just that wherever we go, no place is perfect, and some of us feel constrained to highlight ludicrous danger in the faint hope that someday it might be addressed.

[swain]

I had a blast.... wonderfully wet girls... very hot days... and slightly toasted (me) evenings. BUT I too am glad its almost over...

[lazeeboy]

only 364 days and we can do it again

[mcgriffith]

Hey, no risk, no reward, they say!

I will admit that I almost got my neck snapped by a very harshly thrown dipper of ice water thrown by a shirtless farang yobbo this afternoon on Huay Kaew Rd.

If I hadn't been wearing a helmet, with the visor down....I probably would have gone down. Couldn't avoid; was passing a huge mess of stopped traffic and had to go by him.

Oh well, in a day or so it will just be a fond memory....

[iainiain101]

Once again a class Songkran. Looking forward to next year already.

Varied this year with one day open Tuk Tuk, one on the moat, one driving car with familly and ice water in the back, and finally today on Loi Kroch. Great to see how 99.999 percent of people stop at 7pm too.

Think I will top it off by ordering a Le Spice curry!

[mcgriffith]

Once again a class Songkran. Looking forward to next year already.

Varied this year with one day open Tuk Tuk, one on the moat, one driving car with familly and ice water in the back, and finally today on Loi Kroch. Great to see how 99.999 percent of people stop at 7pm too.

Think I will top it off by ordering a Le Spice curry!

I think this is termed a Freudian Slip....

[ThaiPauly]

Once again a class Songkran. Looking forward to next year already.

Varied this year with one day open Tuk Tuk, one on the moat, one driving car with familly and ice water in the back, and finally today on Loi Kroch. Great to see how 99.999 percent of people stop at 7pm too.

Think I will top it off by ordering a Le Spice curry!

I think this is termed a Freudian Slip....

Well spotted that man

Yes Loi Kroch may well be a more apt name for it.

[Jefferson]

Sigh... 4 days straight.. Indeed sad it's over, but enough is enough I guess.

BTW, you NEED several days because if it was only one day then the person driving a truck wouldn't get to join in much. With several days you can celebrate in several different ways, driving for a day, venture out to small villages on anohter, and just walking the moat/bars on another..

Can't wait for next year. I'll try to get around to properly storing the Songkran hardware with some oil and keep them dust/sand free. The good stuff is getting expensive/hard to find!

[Jefferson]

Better let the visuals speak for themselves..

[Mapguy]

only 364 days and we can do it again

Well, I had fun. This is the first Song Kran that I have actually been able to venture out and about by myself and with family. I hope it is now over, but wonder since there was a "comp" day added this year because of Sunday.

There are, I think, definitely very fundamental problems. The fringe of young Thais drinking too much too early, plus "innocent" Thais along the roadside aiming blasts of water at motorbikes, and ignorant half-naked, generally tattooed farang on holiday in their shorts and see-through bras. The latter have probably been long barred from the terraces of football matches in Europe. I suppose that I should add another group: police trying to keep their uniforms dry by staying off the streets. Not all police by far! Many police in the city did remarkable service, as I witnessed, with unflinching patience --- even under stealth water assault! My hat is off to them. Would you like to try to control a crowd of thousands around Kad Suan Kaew?

I said fringe. That means that for 95+% of the crowd --- and it is an enormous crowd --- people are lovely if, from time to time, a little bit overenthusiastic, but not in a dangerous way. I got mine back, thank you, from time to time. I am not defenseless. But the best defense generally is no more than common caution and anticipation, and a "wave off."

Nobody needs all this for more than an hour or so at a time, but everyone should enjoy it. Are you a little shakey on your feet? Then, pick a quieter spot, but don't stay home locked up with your aircon. And, DON'T ever drive or ride on anything with only two wheels. Anywhere!

And, for some well-meaning TV posters, I suggest you not talk about Song Kran as a "pissup" with "super water blasters" and nubile cuties gyrating on your tables at your favorite tap. It misleads Internet-adept but errant testosterone-driven males banned from football matches into hazardous country!

Footnote: The reference above to hormonal problems does not include Rugby players (especially those from south of the Equator) who generally suffer from memory lapses, celebral hemorages, or general genetic defects which lead them to playing that game in the first place --- if, indeed they have somehow, no doubt with assistance, figured out how to turn on a computer and, with help, been able to navigate the Internet to TV. They should be in hospital or in efective 12 step programs in another country, hopefully, with national service!

[geriatrickid]

Great to see how 99.999 percent of people stop at 7pm too.

jeeeeez, I must live near the 0.001% because I was hit @ 7:48, then again @ 8:05 and then 8:20 on way to night bazaar. Mutha fuccas is all I can say.I hope and pray one day I have the pleasure of having some of these mutants crawling on their hands and knees begging for a miracle cue so I can unzip and give 'em a lovely western songkran as practiced in Germany (or at least that's what all those spam adds to my hotmail addy suggest.) I have nothing but anger in me now and I'm the 1st to make excuses for Thailand's special needs.

[Jefferson]

Hm. I dressed up nicely for the evening, went out I guess around 9pm and no issues whatsoever.. And that includes *walking* all the way from the moat to the Night Bazar, and back to Thapae.