S.W.A.T.

[Cuban]

Enroute home from a small family dinner/meeting last night we stopped at a Tesco Lotus - there was a rush for the store as I stopped our car...

But earlier in the evening:

The subject under discussion during dinner was who was travelling upcountry for Songkran in who's car/pickup, with the logistics of different work finish dates and who would be able to travel up country early next week rather than suffer the long traffic delays expected as the weekend draws near. Even as I finished my second bowl of ice cream and much of the debating had quitened I was still unsure as to who will be with my wife and I for the trip 'up north', it'll probably be some of the kids and a few dogs, they are already out of school and able to travel ASAP, so that's easy, those particular kids are on the 'good list'.

A friend of mine has been telling me about a supply of red wine he has found so toward to the top of my Songkran shopping list is to buy a couple of bottles (5Lt.) to ensure a mild buzz while getting wet in 10(?) days time. I'll sort out other 'drinks' when we get to Issan which is otherwise a (drinkable) wine free zone.

I happened to have the advertising pages from last/this (?) week's 'Tesco Promotions' in the car, and someone happened to see the pictures of the water pistols on offer, some very cheap, which is why we diverted to Tesco.

....the wheels had barely come to a halt as there was an en-mass passenger dash through the store's doors and on to the wealth of Songkran Small Arms suitable for small hands and Weaponized Water Pistols for those that are probably old enough not to eat second portions of ice cream!

In short we now have a small selection of Songkran Infantry Weapons that are currently under test, from my first impressions I think we'll buy more of the 8 Baht small pistols for small hands as they are easy use 'keep the young kids quiet' tools. The 'Buy two for 45 Baht' range offer a few good models, early tests suggest that the fancy looking one with an extention tank is too fussy to re-fill quickly but the sleek 1950s Orange 'Flash Gordon' Ray Gun is likely to be Cuban's weapon of choice. It offers a central attachment point so I'm considering carrying it across my chest on a suitable sling for rapid combat response situations.

Talking over some of the detail with my wife this morning we were deciding who amoung the kids (other people's) would be bought the larger firearms. (Consider the scene from Men In Black where Will Smith is disappointed with the pip-squeek pistol.) for the youngest girl who is something of a tom-boy, I'm thinking the biggest power soaker we can find, but only after offering her the 8 Baht pip-squeek.

This year the BIL from BKK will be providing the Mobile Songkran Assault vehicle; A low running two door Izusu pickup fitted with a hard load space cover with open side bars (Baht Bus style without the seats.) ready to be fitted with splash protection matting sheets for defence during slow drive-bys, and big enough to have a large barrel of icy cold water tied to the bulkhead providing chilly ammo for those that encounter the Cuban Clan on the street.

I think I'm getting into the Songkran spirit are you prepared?

[daoyai]

Real men use a small plastic bucket

[Birdman]

Real men use a small plastic bucket

they use a ladder and a balloon as well

[JetsetBkk]

... a large barrel of icy cold water tied to the bulkhead providing chilly ammo for those that encounter the Cuban Clan on the street.

I think I'm getting into the Songkran spirit ...

I don't.