I've Been Songkran'd

[dfc]

I've just got back from my first experience of Songkran and for me it was an enjoyable and unique experience.

I arrived in Pattaya on the 9^th April and was quickly persuaded by the g/f to go to Korat so that she could celebrate Songkran with her family for the first time in 3 years.

I had asked for advice on this board about driving during the festivities before I left and received mixed responses, but I thought what the hel_l and hired a car for Sunday the 12^th.

We set off at 10.30 am and 5 hours later, including a stop off, we were driving through Korat. The only incident on the journey up was when we were stuck behind a pick-up on a single track road and they were throwing water off the back of it, but this was nothing compared to the mini storm we drove through 20 minutes later.

On the 13^th we had to be at the village for 06.00 am for the ceremonies at the Wat. This is a half hour drive and again we had no problems on the journey.

Once at the village I was taken to the Wat and given a front row position for the proceedings. I can't recall how long this all took but it consisted of a lot of praying/chanting by the village leader, the Head Monk and the rest of us. When this finished I was asked to put some money in a central pot and then given a small pot of rice and a spoon by the family, joined the line and scooped the rice into each of the 4 or 5 large bowls at the front. When everyone had finished there was a little more praying and then we all went outside.

Outside I was given a bowl of water, which was mixed with some kind of white liquid and a small, hand sized, branch with leaves on it. I joined another line and proceeded to walk around, what looked to me like 3 sandcastles, sprinkling them with the water solution using the small branch. I was then taken to a Buddha image and again walked around it sprinkling it from my bowl. This was repeated on 3 or 4 other Buddha images and then after the final one the face smearing and dancing started, there was no music only a couple of hand held drums/bongos.

This was the end of it so we started to make our way back to the house. I noticed that everyone was keeping a distance from me and had a feeling something was going to happen. I was right. It was time for the young ones to try and drown a Farang and they made a Bloody good attempt at it.

Back at the house the pig I had ordered was delivered, the water guns and beverages were unloaded from my boot/trunk, the women of the village making sure the Thai Whiskey was put out of sight until the evening and the party began.

In the afternoon we went to a large Wat in a neighbouring village where there was dancing, music, kids games and food. Again the favourite sport seemed to be drown the Farang but it was all done in good humour. The only other thing to note here was two other villages ended up in a mass brawl at one end of the grounds. I kept my distance and was told those two villages have a history of rivalry. The security teams moved in and we made our way back to our village.

We went back to Korat in the early evening, I had refrained from the beer. It was a slow drive through the neighbouring villages to the main road as every man and his dog was out throwing water and chalk/talc at passing traffic. Several times I was asked to wind the window down to have my face smeared and when I made it clear that I would as long as no water was thrown into the car they agreed and I obliged their request. Once on the main road there was no problem with the traffic or other drivers.

Back in Korat we went to see the 'Lady Buddha' for luck and an outside concert which seemed to have all the current young Thai pop stars doing a few numbers each. The Tuk Tuk drive to this area was an eye opener. Considering it had been a blisteringly hot day all the roads looked like there had just been a 6 hour monsoon. By the time we got there, normally a 10 minute ride but this took nearly an hour, I was again thoroughly soaked but loving every second of it.

The next day was a pretty average soaking back in the village and a further soaking in the evening in Korat.

We set off back on the 15^th at about 01.00 pm and apart from a couple of 15 minute tail backs the traffic was not a problem. I picked up the motorway near Pattaya and it was running fine, no tolls during Songkran either. The journey back was 5 hours including a stop off.

Back in Pattaya I got my first soaking on the 16^th at Ryan's Bar on the Naklua road but this was the only one I saw around that area until the 18th. At midnight on the 17^th my local on the Naklua road started their celebrations and the water, smearing and dancing was all in good fun.

On the 18^th I set off down the Naklua road and it was party time. I was wet and covered in talc/chalk from dawn 'till dusk and again absolutely loved it. I tell you that ice cold water down the back sure sobers you up.

On the 19^th I was dry until I got near the roundabout at the end of the Naklua road, I went a fair up beach road and back along 2^nd road, via Big C for some munchies, and more than a few bars for sustenance and had no problems what so ever with over eager revellers.

On the 20^th I was ready for a dry day so stayed on the Naklua road where 98% of the water activities had finished and the remaining 2% were easy to avoid.

All in all one of the best and certainly different weeks of the year I've had in a long time.

Edited April 27, 2009 by dfc

[Boater]

nice to see someone had fun

4 th year for me

doesnt feel the same as the first one those

boater

[OxfordWill]

nice account