Songkran 2009

[GreenGoblin]

Hi all,

Juz wondering when Songkran will be celebrated this year? If I'm not wrong, 13th to 15th April... But which weekend?

Thanx in advance.

[G54]

You are right on the dates. Monday being 13th you would expect the previous weekend to be the big one with Saturday and Sunday falling on the 11/12 th.

[GreenGoblin]

Thanx, mate...

[allane]

The Songkran Statutory Holiday is always April 13, 14 and 15. Day of the week is irrelevant.

[Moonrakers]

Ah Songkran, the Thai new year.

The time of year when I stock up on beer and sundries and stay behind a locked door until the whole thing is over and done with, whilst swearing profusely at anybody who comes near me with so much as a water pistol..........

I can't wait.

[Lite Beer]

Ah Songkran, the Thai new year.

The time of year when I stock up on beer and sundries and stay behind a locked door until the whole thing is over and done with, whilst swearing profusely at anybody who comes near me with so much as a water pistol..........

I can't wait.

Couldn't agree more. Stay home and stay safe.

[aussiechick]

And in Pattaya it is 19 April - so for 1 week we are doused with water by the f**kwits on holidays who think it is their right!!!!

[davyboy]

Ah Songkran, the Thai new year.

The time of year when I stock up on beer and sundries and stay behind a locked door until the whole thing is over and done with, whilst swearing profusely at anybody who comes near me with so much as a water pistol..........

I can't wait.

Couldn't agree more. Stay home and stay safe.

Me too,can,t stand it.

[wasabi]

Why are some Thai's already heading home to the village if it's not for another 2 weeks? Most importantly is April 15th definitely the last day?

[JetsetBkk]

Ah Songkran, the Thai new year.

The time of year when I stock up on beer and sundries and stay behind a locked door until the whole thing is over and done with, whilst swearing profusely at anybody who comes near me with so much as a water pistol..........

I can't wait.

Couldn't agree more. Stay home and stay safe.

Me too,can,t stand it.

Ditto - 'fridge stocked, drawbridge up.

(Rumour has it that some tourists actually come here specifically for Songkran. Amazing. )

[ourmanflint]

My girlfriend is "forcing" me to go to Chiang Mai for Songkran, because she thinks it will be amazing. Then we have to do it all again in her hometown 2 days later. Seems it's not just the tourists who get excited about Songkran, the Thais do too.... must be the heat!

[Rainmon]

Why are some Thai's already heading home to the village if it's not for another 2 weeks? Most importantly is April 15th definitely the last day?

I think many Thai's travel home starting the first week of April and it seems the holiday is spread out over the first 3 weeks of the month for visiting family. As I recall, the actual official dates are different for each area, not sure, I can't seem to locate an official website explaining it. When I lived in Pattaya the crazyness seemed to last for a week and I never want to be there during this time of year every again. I hope Bangkok is more civilized...

[C4Chilli]

Wow, what a boring bunch I'll bet you lot would be a bundle of fun to go for a beer with...not.

Get out and enjoy yourselves sometime , you'll be surprised how much fun life can be .

Hey. I thought a Moonies boy would be up for the crack?

[Rainmon]

Wow, what a boring bunch I'll bet you lot would be a bundle of fun to go for a beer with...not.

Get out and enjoy yourselves sometime , you'll be surprised how much fun life can be .

Hey. I thought a Moonies boy would be up for the crack?

After living in Thailand for over 3 years, 1 or 2 days of this party is plenty, being shot in the face by drunk crazy tourists in Pattaya with water cannons (not water pistols, water cannons; long tubes that shoot extremely powerful blasts of water) sitting in a baht bus stuck in traffic just trying to come back from the grocery store doing my daily errands, 2 days of this insanity is enough. But it goes on for a week in Pattaya because it's "good" for tourism. This is the kind of stupid behavior that I will not put up with and why people that have lived here for a while get fed up with it and hide out. I learned my lesson and will never go to Pattaya during this time of year again, the typical crazed Pattaya tourist is even more nuts with Songkran. Plus just watch how many people die on the roads in Thailand in drunk driving accidents during this "party", the stats sky rocket. I avoid on any major road in a vehicle or god forbid a motor bike during the major Songkran nights. Yeah, have fun dude...

from the Nation Newspaper March 17, 2009:

from April 11 to 17 last year, a total of 32,327 people were killed and injured during the week-long festival. The most dangerous time was on April 12 from 3pm until 7pm when 5,376 people were killed or injured.

Big cities and towns were the accident champions. Bangkok saw the highest number of accidents, followed by Nakhon Ratchasima and Chiang Mai.

Every year, the Thai New Year festival is treated with dread in some quarters due to the high toll from accidents. In fact, the three-day festival should always be remembered as a joyous occasion when people soak each other with water in a respectful manner as a symbol of a fresh beginning for the new year. Instead, the festival always ends with reports of deaths, especially on the roads. Many people lose their lives or are severely injured in accidents that could easily have been avoided.

The festival, which often runs longer than the traditional three days, has recently been dubbed the "seven deadly days" due to the carnage. Most of the road accidents occur because drunken revellers get behind the wheel of a car or a motorbike.

Edited March 31, 2009 by Rainmon

[dave2]

rainmon.

100 % aggree with you ..

songkran SUCKS and anyone enjoying icy cold water thown at them ( complete with ice cubes ) needs their head examined

dave2

[WinnieTheKhwai]

I honestly can't wait until party time.. 12 more nights... Feels just like that last two weeks before Christmas when I was five..

Bring on the parTEY!!!!

[Jim's_a_Thai_Fox]

I can appreciate both sides of the coin - guess i'm lucky living in a town where there are just two days of pretty manic drinking and water fights and then things go quiet after dark. Perfick.

The thing I dread the most - having the sh*ts for the next week after getting all that lovely water in my bucket of gin / tonic!

I have no time for fools who soak motorcyclists - but I see most people pretty respectful and if there is an old lady with a young kid etc. they shall refrain from wetting them.... the Bibs however, they are fair game and payback time for 363 days of grief they give out!!!!

[Ulysses G.]

My girlfriend is "forcing" me to go to Chiang Mai for Songkran, because she thinks it will be amazing. Then we have to do it all again in her hometown 2 days later. Seems it's not just the tourists who get excited about Songkran, the Thais do too.... must be the heat!

It IS amazing, if you are not a wet blanket, but I have to admit that there have been far less tourists the last few years.

[Moonrakers]

I'm going to Koh Samet. Usually nice and quiet there, there's not much point of throwing water on the beach.

[dalmatian]

Songkran oh Songkran, that wonderful time of year when all the residents and longstayers hide in their homes or take a welcome trip abroad. For me it will be a trip back to the UK on the 10th and arrival back after the 19th.

Having endured 2 Songkrans in 2003 and 2004 I decided enough was enough. If you stay here you need to immerse yourself right in it or stay locked in your house. I was ill on both occasions I got into it. Doesn't matter how you try to conduct yourself you will end up with talc, paste, water in your gob and ask yourself where does that lot come from. Well the water comes from anywhere and I mean anywhere and you want to swallow that, not for me anymore. That and the usual yobs who hijack the event have made me decide to stay away.

It could be such a good event but it just doesn't turn out that way for most foreigners. I am sure that most Thais have a good time especially in the provinces where there are not so many "farangs" but here in Pattaya it is just an excuse for farang yobs to try to upset every other farang. Don't even consider getting on a motorbike or at least make sure your medical insurance is up to date, you won't stay on that thing for long if you try to attempt to cut down a soi around Beach Road, 2nd road or Soi Bukhao.

Can't wait for Loy Kratong, now that's my style of Thai festival. One I will be fully getting involved in with my better half.

[StevieH]

bunch of misery guts on here. songkran is a laugh a minute and about the most fun i can remember since long hot summers as a kid. you get wet, you drink a beer, you dry off, you get wet again. leave the wallet and the mobile phone at home and everyone's a winner.

[Jingthing]

bunch of misery guts on here. songkran is a laugh a minute and about the most fun i can remember since long hot summers as a kid. you get wet, you drink a beer, you dry off, you get wet again. leave the wallet and the mobile phone at home and everyone's a winner.

Do you even live in Thailand? Or perhaps you live in Nakhon Nowhere where the most lethal weapon is a tiny bucket or water gun.

[StevieH]

bunch of misery guts on here. songkran is a laugh a minute and about the most fun i can remember since long hot summers as a kid. you get wet, you drink a beer, you dry off, you get wet again. leave the wallet and the mobile phone at home and everyone's a winner.

Do you even live in Thailand? Or perhaps you live in Nakhon Nowhere where the most lethal weapon is a tiny bucket or water gun.

i live in chiang mai thanks where songkran is a few days of childlike fun when everyone laughs and is happy. and the weapons aren't 'lethal' by the way. they're water pistols.

[Jingthing]

i live in chiang mai thanks where songkran is a few days of childlike fun when everyone laughs and is happy. and the weapons aren't 'lethal' by the way. they're water pistols.

CM is better than Pattaya, doesn't last as long. I did Songkran there once. Ended up bloody from the large blocks of ice thrown at me and got an infection from the dirty water. Thanks but no thanks. BTW, if that powder isn't carcinogenic, I'll eat my hat.

Edited April 1, 2009 by Jingthing

[Ulysses G.]

I live in Chiang Mai and have enjoyed Songkran for 20 years, but I have to admit that I would hate it in Pattaya. It lasts twice as long as anywhere else, and is full of bald, drunken Englishmen with lots of tatoos trying to start a fight with peaceful types - such as myself - by dumping piss, dog doo and vomit on their heads - at least that is how posters from Pattaya describe it.

It is easy to go to Bangkok and pretty much miss the whole thing, if you use a little common sense.

[StevieH]

i live in chiang mai thanks where songkran is a few days of childlike fun when everyone laughs and is happy. and the weapons aren't 'lethal' by the way. they're water pistols.

CM is better than Pattaya, doesn't last as long. I did Songkran there once. Ended up bloody from the large blocks of ice thrown at me and got an infection from the dirty water. Thanks but no thanks. BTW, if that powder isn't carcinogenic, I'll eat my hat.

yeah the moat water leaves something to be desired and is not a nice thing to have hurled down your throat when you're strolling along from bar to bar. i've not seen ice thrown at people here and it is possible to just have a really fun time if you stick to sensible places. and don't even think about riding your scooter.

[bkkjames]

bunch of misery guts on here. songkran is a laugh a minute and about the most fun i can remember since long hot summers as a kid. you get wet, you drink a beer, you dry off, you get wet again. leave the wallet and the mobile phone at home and everyone's a winner.

after a day or two its enough - but i enjoy my annual bathing ritual on soi cowboy in the company of so many energetic locals - its a constant battle to keep mini me down (althought the ice water down the back helps).

what can i say, i am a dirty old man.

[StevieH]

bunch of misery guts on here. songkran is a laugh a minute and about the most fun i can remember since long hot summers as a kid. you get wet, you drink a beer, you dry off, you get wet again. leave the wallet and the mobile phone at home and everyone's a winner.

after a day or two its enough - but i enjoy my annual bathing ritual on soi cowboy in the company of so many energetic locals - its a constant battle to keep mini me down (althought the ice water down the back helps).

what can i say, i am a dirty old man.

that's a vivid picture you paint right there james.

[G54]

bunch of misery guts on here. songkran is a laugh a minute and about the most fun i can remember since long hot summers as a kid. you get wet, you drink a beer, you dry off, you get wet again. leave the wallet and the mobile phone at home and everyone's a winner.

Do you even live in Thailand? Or perhaps you live in Nakhon Nowhere where the most lethal weapon is a tiny bucket or water gun.

But here in Nakhon Nowhere they also have fire hoses linked up - now that IS a blast!!

Depends on your youthful outlook, I suppose, but it can be great fun.

[Alwaysright]

My girlfriend is "forcing" me to go to Chiang Mai for Songkran, because she thinks it will be amazing. Then we have to do it all again in her hometown 2 days later. Seems it's not just the tourists who get excited about Songkran, the Thais do too.... must be the heat!

It IS amazing, if you are not a wet blanket, but I have to admit that there have been far less tourists the last few years.

Bangkok is the place to be,no traffic,smog or people.