Songkran Tips

[dazdaz]

So I hope this year I can get organised and get a flight and hotel in plenty of time.

Does anyone have tips for the traveller visiting Thailand for Songkran other than

"you'll get wet, very wet" :-)

I can't wait to re-visit, such an amazing country.

Thanks

[Gfunk]

Hi daz, my advice would be to book your ticket and hotel about one week after songkran is over, but i cant stand it anymore, but if you like fair play and have fun, always best to book anything as early as possible, where abouts will you be for songkran???

[Mig15]

Go to Chiang Mai for Songkran if you like getting wet and having fun. It’s crazy up there for about a week!

[The_Moog]

I do have a cultural tip actually:-

In that you can't go ballistic if you get drenched - and punch someone.

Even if i'm wearing my favourite backless chiffon number and it is rendered see-through.

So, like, don't wear one - think ahead. You just can't go bonkers - you have to grin and bear it.

[Kan Win]

Songkran starts officially on Tuesday 13th April 2004. Unofficially in some areas earlier (since kids are off school for their summer holidays) and goes on for 2 weeks after said date in other areas i.e. Pattaya, Kanchanaburi, Samut Prakan Papadang that I know of. This year it clashes with Easter, as Easter Sunday is on 11th April 2004. This means that flights in and out of Thailand will be very busy – so I suggest that you either book now your flight or forget Songkran and arrive later as the weather should be a little bit (not much) cooler.

Happy Thai New Year.

http://www.pbase.com/win13/songkran

Welcome to Thailand

Kan Win

P.S. The longest Wet “T” shirt competition in the World – lasts 4 days or more.

[hardhhhat]

I spent songkrahn in Thailand last year in Nong Khai. It was fantastic and I ended up on the float with the Buddha on that everyone was following. Everyone treated me so well - and yes I got soaked in water, flowers, some strange yellow purfume and talc - they come up to you and wipe it all over your face. One tip is to watch out for the guys with a bucket of water full of ice cubes - they hurt but in 40 degree temps it isn't all that bad. What I founf amazing is how enthusiastic people were in doing this even after 4 days they love it... in England it would fizzle out on the first day in the afternoon but in Thailand 4 days strong. Even the police get it all their radios I noticed are in plastic bags. We didn't have an issue with hotels either people said to book early but we turned up and got a 4* for the week at 1000baht a night (Normally 2000). One other thing if your driving be careful as kids and drunks are all over the roads throwing water at you and they could be looking the wrong way - tooting just encourages them...

ENJOY THE PARTY as the THAIS do....

HH - would be back for more if it wasn't for my back maybe next year

[KevinN]

I think it is just great,all the water flyin around,getting all your passports and other important paper wet and destroyed.

A very new tradition I must think,as motorcycles and pickups have not been in Thailand that long,and water thrown from the back of a pickup going 70 kilometers an hour at a motorcycle going the other direction is a very dangerous tradition,I saw a bucket of water hit a child on a motorcycle in the face and knock the motorcycle down and injure the child and the mother,

And the police seem to be to busy to try to stop it,altho from what I read in a report from the minister of health in which he stated how many people were injured or killed as the result of the water thrown at passing vehicles.,He can not get the police to enforce the law,altho there is a law again such behavior,,I have nothing again throwing water in certain areas and everyone that wishes can participate,but not everyone can just shut down the things that need to be done and stay off of the public roads and streets.

But as Thailand is soon to achieve superpower status,they will have to grow up a little and start to pay attn. to matters that pertain to a superpower and economic giant,instead of shutting down all business's for a week.

[Guest ka1234]

I do have a cultural tip actually:-

In that you can't go ballistic if you get drenched - and punch someone.

Even if i'm wearing my favourite backless chiffon number and it is rendered see-through.

So, like, don't wear one - think ahead. You just can't go bonkers - you have to grin and bear it.

When I was attacked by a drunk farang with a water gun on Sukhumvit a few days before Songkhran, while carrying my son (9 months old at the time), I went ballistic. There are situations when I think you can go ballistic, that was one of them.

[singa-traz]

I think it is just great,all the water flyin around,getting all your passports and other important paper wet and destroyed.

Grumpy in Thailand !

[andy50]

i read somewhere that sonkran was a gentle affair ,years ago, people used to gently ,flick water at each other ,but then it got out of hand and it escalated to the way it is nowdays, with hunderds of people killed and injured on m/cycles on the wet roads each sonkran ,also children falling from the back of pickup trucks -still all good fun for us farang !NOT !(prepares for a flaming )

[KevinN]

Andy; I can see no need for flaming you, I am an old man and came here because of the layed back easy lifestyle,the warm weather sure beats 20 feet of snow, not to party and see how drunk I could stay.

I have a step daughter that will be 15 years old and will not want her riding her motorcycle around up and down the hyway to school during the water fight on the roads,or to the store.

But I think that the way things are now it is a fine place for the likes of "RED",that come here for 2 weeks a year and get drunk and act like an idiot and think what a fine person they are and make like they are in a zoo and then go home and leave the mess to us to clean up.Not all Thai's like the way things are now either.

[maerim]

Grumpy in Thailand.

The dwarves were in bed feeling happy till he got out so they all started feeling Grumpy.

[p1p]

Songkran in Chiang Mai- Stock up well. Lock doors and windows. Padlock front gate. Hibernate with good library, well stocked fridge and air-conditioning. On No account answer phone or doorbell.

[dazdaz]

Hmmmm, do all the bars close ?

[Axel]

Hmmmm, do all the bars close ?

Not really, the problem is to get there, or to get home without getting too wet.

Otherwise, try some pool-bars in the bigger hotels.

[maerim]

Hmmmm, do all the bars close ?

Eventually.

[KevinN]

p1p; Very good advise,,Thats exactly what I did the first year I was here after trying to go to immigration to get my visa renewed,got my passport and all the papers that I had to make a special trip to BKK to get from the embassy and translations and everything I had with me ruined by water.

So now I live in Phetchabun and it is almost as bad as CM, and we only go out in case something has to be done in town and we go in the pickup,no more motorcycles for me during that week.

[don]

The_Moog Posted: Wed 2004-01-07, 15:03:16

Senior Member

Group: Members

Posts: 128

Member No.: 4,780

Joined: 2003-10-03

I do have a cultural tip actually:-

In that you can't go ballistic if you get drenched - and punch someone.

Even if i'm wearing my favourite backless chiffon number and it is rendered see-through.

So, like, don't wear one - think ahead. You just can't go bonkers - you have to grin and bear it.

have to agree there

[maerim]

Even if i'm wearing my favourite backless chiffon number and it is rendered see-through.

I don't know about grin and bear it more like grin and bare it.

[Roger13]

I read that Songkran was to honour ones elders

by gently sprinkling them with Water.

If you MUST join in the "FUN" then

in Bangkok - Khao San Road seems popular.

I remember seeing a picture in the

Bangkok Post of a Police Officer on duty

there getting a drenching.

Choc Chai 4 - Soi off Ladprao Road is another

concentrated centre - I was taken through there

in a Taxi a few years ago (Windows & DOORS LOCKED !!)

to view the Sports

Thank good ness the Gvt Banned the Chinese Water Guns

- although the Ban was not 100% effective.

For me I now buy my Air Tickets early - OUT of Thailand

for the Asian New Year.

Watch out for Buckets of foul Klong Water

Roger

[chonabot]

Ahh I still remember my first Songkran , in the sleepy fishing village known as Pattaya , I was toodling along on my rot-pop 100cc , dreaming the day dreams of a 21 year old idiot , when the silence was shattered by a bucket of ice being hurled into my face.

Apart from that, yeah it was a nice day.

17 years later in my wifes home village of Ban Mai Chai Mongkol, me on the back of a pick up , with 200 or so relatives , a few chickens in tow, ( the rest of them were at a party, chickens, not relatives.. ) , we were heading towards Kalasin for more hijinks, we slowed down to dowse some local scallywags, hot and bothered they were , as a motorcycled sped past, with about 5 youths armed to the teeth with water cannons, the driver of the bike lost control, under our wheels they went....

We stopped, fell off etc , they got back up, one had a large hole in his head, but off they went, laughing, or was it screaming?

But we had a rum old time , oh yes.

cynical it sounds , but as a rule I do enjoy the 3 or more days of festivities

[dr_Pat_Pong]

Chon....I suspect that you aren't enjoyng the chilly UK night. Kid teung Muang Thai mai na ?

[chonabot]

Mahk Mahk Krap!

Well , Coronation street makes it worthwhile.......wifey thinks so.....

[dr_Pat_Pong]

Does she watch re-runs of Lassie too ? Ya gotta do something to keep warm...hey there's an idea.

[chonabot]

You may mock me , but I will be settling over there one day sir...... ( reaches for Domesday book )

Dr. do you never sleep? Or are you an early riser ? ( fnaar fnaar)

Here's a conspiracy theory , yesterday a Salvation Army Lesbian Granny knocked on the door, selling her " Warcry" tabloid, something about the way she farted, as she left gracelessly, reminded me of Mr Vietnam200.5 's mannerisms.

Another movie idea? Hmmm or have I shafted this thread?

Chon

btw drinkng a nice Aussie Red - Brown Brothers " Something Unpronounceable"

somehow 3 bottles are never enough...hic

Happy Belated New Year to Admins and Whippet boy!

[dr_Pat_Pong]

Thanks and same to you Chon. Fellows like you and I aren't alkies...we don't go to the meetings

[plachon]

Ah yes, Songkhran looming again - what a magical time of year. The flower-scented water poured delicately down one's back, after a sweet young thing has politely wished you lots of luck for the new year. Then off down the temple to water the phalli and a good sermon on the importance of traditional culture preservation. Then back home for some home-baked khanom and a good family get together. What absolute bliss. Can't wait.

BTW, don't think you'll get any respite from the Songkhran antics if you escape to Burma for the holiday. It's even more mayhem over there, at least in Rangoon and Mandalay, where they set up communal stands along the road side to drench every passer-by from above. travel tip for Songhran : when traveling on trains, you have a slightly better chance of staying dry by sitting in the seats facing the direction of movement. NB. this rule of thumb breaks down completely when the train enters stations, so be ready to slide the window up below 20kph!