Songkran

[sparrow]

I keep reading about everones dismay over songkran being a big piss-up and wanting to ban booze and enforce traditional dress and polite sprinkling only (ok bit far but you know the jist). Basically I think this is completely out of order and would like to offer a vioce against all the grumballing in the media. I expect people to disagree but here are my points:

1) What with the much publicised lack of tourists and general slowing economy no booze and know party will hurt many business not only for those 3 days but for the surrounding weeks in what will otherwise be full on low season.

2) They give a reason for ban as all the traffic accidents, but simple inforcing of the laws could greatly reduce this problem. They should do this and sort out some kind of park and ride scheem or half decent public transport anyway as people fall off their motorbikes drunk all year round.

3) Another reason they give is its no longer cultural enough. I disagree, most people visit the temple and familly over this holiday and realise the cultural significance, but then also like to go out with friends and enjoy. People are mostly polite and avoid head shots.

4) "This is one of the most important festivals of the year and its lost its meaning", every festival is described as one of the most important of the year and as above i don't think its lost its meaning.

5) I think really the reason people get up in arms about it is it disrupts their quite little lives. After a couple of days yes i'd rather not get wet going to buy some milk but get over it let people have thier fun, another day and it'll be back to normal.

6) Saying this not thai or cultural is rubbish, this is an expression of thai-ness.

I always thought of thailand as a country of great freedom but since Thaksin its been one clamdown or regulation after another. Maybe this is a big reason for why less tourists also. sure people come for culture but people love to party too, why not?

[justcruisin]

I keep reading about everones dismay over songkran being a big piss-up and wanting to ban booze and enforce traditional dress and polite sprinkling only (ok bit far but you know the jist). Basically I think this is completely out of order and would like to offer a vioce against all the grumballing in the media. I expect people to disagree but here are my points:

1) What with the much publicised lack of tourists and general slowing economy no booze and know party will hurt many business not only for those 3 days but for the surrounding weeks in what will otherwise be full on low season.

2) They give a reason for ban as all the traffic accidents, but simple inforcing of the laws could greatly reduce this problem. They should do this and sort out some kind of park and ride scheem or half decent public transport anyway as people fall off their motorbikes drunk all year round.

3) Another reason they give is its no longer cultural enough. I disagree, most people visit the temple and familly over this holiday and realise the cultural significance, but then also like to go out with friends and enjoy. People are mostly polite and avoid head shots.

4) "This is one of the most important festivals of the year and its lost its meaning", every festival is described as one of the most important of the year and as above i don't think its lost its meaning.

5) I think really the reason people get up in arms about it is it disrupts their quite little lives. After a couple of days yes i'd rather not get wet going to buy some milk but get over it let people have thier fun, another day and it'll be back to normal.

6) Saying this not thai or cultural is rubbish, this is an expression of thai-ness.

I always thought of thailand as a country of great freedom but since Thaksin its been one clamdown or regulation after another. Maybe this is a big reason for why less tourists also. sure people come for culture but people love to party too, why not?

On the mark sparrow,

If "they" decide to drop songran and or loy kratong festivals,it will mean a further drop in tourist numbers.

A lot of people who plan holidays around this time will simply go somewhere else.We all know the demeaning attitude to farang from this goverment,oh and probably for time imemorial.

If it is a no booze songkran,what is the point of having it,thai ppl are entrenched in a seemingly "drinking culture" at most of their festivals.Yes I know they can revert to its simple origins but I think it is just moving with the times.

Proper Enforcement of drink driving/riding rules,to date that has never happened,but if they did at least during songkran would be a step in the right direction.D.D. is the main reason for the high mortality rate in Thai.

Living here entails a lot of things,like it or hate,the inconvience for 4 or 5 days certainly does not justify the number of deaths...

but bring it on next year,I will be there with bells on !!!

Edited June 15, 2008 by justcruisin

[sparrow]

On the mark sparrow,

If "they" decide to drop songran

"they" being the mayor and CM mail editorial, the latter seemingly written by or for some minority age-ed falang hi-society who dine out at 2000bht charity dinners every week, still read every issue mind, that Hillary (or more the people writing in) give me bare jokes

[Maejo Man]

"they" being the mayor and CM mail editorial, the latter seemingly written by or for some minority age-ed falang hi-society who dine out at 2000bht charity dinners every week, still read every issue mind, that Hillary (or more the people writing in) give me bare jokes

Looks like this 1.00 am was fueled by Songkram leftovers

[tigerbeer]

didn't we just have songkran about 2 months ago? and have another 9 months to go?

[Priceless]

didn't we just have songkran about 2 months ago? and have another 9 months to go?

Well, 10 actually

/ Priceless

[tigerbeer]

didn't we just have songkran about 2 months ago? and have another 9 months to go?

Well, 10 actually

/ Priceless

Thanks Priceless. 10+2= 12

[Priceless]

didn't we just have songkran about 2 months ago? and have another 9 months to go?

Well, 10 actually

/ Priceless

Thanks Priceless. 10+2= 12

You're welcome

[PhilHarries]

Thai politicos and, to an extent the Thai people, just love to blame all their troubles on something simple like alcohol, or farangs. That way they can absolve themselves of all blame and propose simple solutions like banning the advertising and the sale of the stuff. But these bans do absolutely nothing to address the actual problem. All that happens is that farang drinking establishments are forced to comply with the law and close as are large supermarkets like Tesco-Lotus. All the little mom'n'pop stores and all the Thai drinking dens carry on as normal. This means that the only people affected are the visitting tourists and long term ex-pats and the Thai owners and staff of the closed down places. So the people who really want to get p1ssed just get on with it as normal, how often has anyone seen Thai people drinking in a beer bar anyway. The other thing that totally escapes these clueless morons is that a stockpile in the fridge at home is always an option during a ban.

Anyway I guess we'll soon have the ThaiVisa "why do you need alcohol to enjoy yourself" prohibition brigade thumping their tub and railing against the demon drink. If these people really hate alcohol in all it's forms they should go to Saudi Arabia where they will meet up with some real alcoholics and see how a real ban works.

[Ulysses G.]

I'm not a big drinker, but I find all this copying the farang stuff annoying. None of these bans gets rid of anything and they make life a lot more difficult than it needs to be.