Godolphin Posted March 2, 2009 Posted March 2, 2009 Greetings from Melbourne, Oz. I am weighing up whether to holiday in Pattaya during my next work break. I can fly in on April 6 and have to leave before April 18. I'm a regular visitor and have lived in Thailand for two extended periods. Songkran is not my idea of fun and I really don't want to be in Pattaya for any of it. Can someone please help with the start and finish dates for Pattaya this year? I've googled without any clear times indicated. I read where it may actually start on the 18th. I'd appreciate any advice.
sotsira Posted March 2, 2009 Posted March 2, 2009 The official Pattaya dates are 18 & 19 But as the rest of Thailand celebrates Sonkran on the 13, 14 & 15 Pattaya will almost certainly have locals do so too. So expect Pattaya to celebrate from the 13th through to the 19th.
bkkpartyguy Posted March 2, 2009 Posted March 2, 2009 Greetings from Melbourne, Oz.I am weighing up whether to holiday in Pattaya during my next work break. I can fly in on April 6 and have to leave before April 18. I'm a regular visitor and have lived in Thailand for two extended periods. Songkran is not my idea of fun and I really don't want to be in Pattaya for any of it. Can someone please help with the start and finish dates for Pattaya this year? I've googled without any clear times indicated. I read where it may actually start on the 18th. I'd appreciate any advice. Officially its 13-15 April ,, in Bangkok .. but Pattaya is 13-19 April .. with water throwing starting usually on Sat the 11 th of April .. So that kinda rules out your holiday period .... As you say you dont want to be in Pattya for any of it ,, in fact you will catch it all
lilBob Posted March 2, 2009 Posted March 2, 2009 STAY AWAY!!!!! The traditional Songkran is great, and done in good spirit, lasts one day elsewhere, a small amount of water, a bit of powder on the cheek a smile and the wish of good luck for you. Not so Pattaya thats why I have changed my vacation time to May. Be careful of what you say cos someone may wish Cancer upon you. See Previous thread. lilbob
NormanW Posted March 2, 2009 Posted March 2, 2009 I stay indoors for all of it and order food in from door to door etc. The good news is my condo is gleaming by the end of Songkran! Regards
The Philosopher Posted March 2, 2009 Posted March 2, 2009 Greetings from Melbourne, Oz.I am weighing up whether to holiday in Pattaya during my next work break. I can fly in on April 6 and have to leave before April 18. I'm a regular visitor and have lived in Thailand for two extended periods. Songkran is not my idea of fun and I really don't want to be in Pattaya for any of it. Can someone please help with the start and finish dates for Pattaya this year? I've googled without any clear times indicated. I read where it may actually start on the 18th. I'd appreciate any advice. Come to Pattaya on the 6th until about the 15th then go to Bangkok for a couple of days and you should miss most of the madness at both places
Godolphin Posted March 3, 2009 Author Posted March 3, 2009 Thanks for all the helpful tips. I think you guys have helped me make my decision: don't go. The Philosopher's suggestion makes sense though. Much as I love the place I think it may be better to save the bucks and have more in the bank for my next break in late June. I'm sure that there are many like me who will just stay away. Another little nail in the Thailand tourism coffin! Thanks again friends.
WinnieTheKhwai Posted March 3, 2009 Posted March 3, 2009 I am a person who absolutely LOVES Songkran. Very much including the water fights, the fun, the music, the drunken and wet dancing in the streets, the lot of it. However I will say that I think Pattaya is the worst place in the country for it. I strongly recommend to pick a town of any size in the North, or in the North East. Chiang Mai would be a prime contender.
Pdavies99 Posted March 3, 2009 Posted March 3, 2009 I quite agree, Songkran for one day can be enjoyable in any town except pattaya. Foreigners are encouraged to join in, but foremost it is meant to be a celebration of Thai religion, not to injure anyone. Good luck!!
Tarqin Posted March 3, 2009 Posted March 3, 2009 Since I nearly lost an eye in the 'fun'. Hit full in the face with dirty water at force leading to an infection. I avoid Songkran like the plague. Going to Tokyo on the 10th for a fortnight. Cherry blossom time. Ah. If you enjoy Songkran good for you. Not for me.
Chaimai Posted March 3, 2009 Posted March 3, 2009 I have to agree that most of Pattaya becomes a battleground for 5 days. Great fun when you first experience it. Tiresome after a while and you quickly realise that it has nothing to do with the principles of Songkran. It is even a bad time for the girls as many bars are still 'playing' Songkran into the evening.
dave2 Posted March 3, 2009 Posted March 3, 2009 Winni the kwai Chiang Mai would be a prime contender. you have got to be joking ? songkran in pattaya , pouhcket or chiang mao SUCKS ! Angelees city here i come thailand looses LOTS of Bahat .... bye bye for two weeks of your craziness never again ...... dave2
HOOD Robin Posted March 22, 2009 Posted March 22, 2009 I am a person who absolutely LOVES Songkran. Very much including the water fights, the fun, the music, the drunken and wet dancing in the streets, the lot of it.However I will say that I think Pattaya is the worst place in the country for it. I strongly recommend to pick a town of any size in the North, or in the North East. Chiang Mai would be a prime contender. Farangs who "LOVE" this madness need a check up in their brains !!! Every year more and more crazy guys and gals die ! HOW can you "LOVE" such a thing ????? Sick people all over the place ! And this is not only in the"big places", this madness can also be seen up country ! Even similar events during other months really show the M-A-D-N-E-S-S of the locals !!!!
barrybike Posted March 22, 2009 Posted March 22, 2009 pattaya is the worst place ever for water during songkran 13 to 19 ..avoid small sois between beach road and second road they are the worst ,soi 7 soi 8....usually stops at 6 pm....stay in a hotel on second road and avoid most of it ,some where like the royal palace......
begsaresponse Posted March 23, 2009 Posted March 23, 2009 In my experience the water guns are out for a practice on the 12th. And the next dry day in Pattaya ( so to speak) will be the 20th. So we will probably hybernate because there is No gaurantee that the water stops flowing at 6pm at night..oh no! Or we might just go somewhere 'dry'. If you don't like it wet here don't come......you have been warned.
Jingthing Posted March 23, 2009 Posted March 23, 2009 I am a night owl and I don't go out before 9 PM during the Songkran hel_l week. Even then, I have been sprayed as late as 11 PM by drunken farangs.
JimmyConway Posted March 23, 2009 Posted March 23, 2009 I am a night owl and I don't go out before 9 PM during the Songkran hel_l week. Even then, I have been sprayed as late as 11 PM by drunken farangs. I would of thought being sprayed by young topless men with their large pistols would of been right up your street.
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