Thae Pae Gate New Year Celebrations

[philw]

One wonders what's the next event the Bangkok SAS will converge on Chiang Mai for?

Almost as predictable as Christmas: about two weeks before Songkran they'll be back for a "cleanup" and "clampdown" on anything vaguely disreputable or fun. AKA collecting for the BIB holiday fund .

Do you have to drink alcohol to have fun? Just wondering.

Almost always yes, no problem.

[ludditeman]

Do you have to drink alcohol to have fun? Just wondering.

Almost always yes, no problem.

I agree, alcohol almost always leads to fun.

I can have fun without alcohol, but I would never have met the girl I was having fun with, if alcohol hadn't been originally present.

[MESmith]

I agree, alcohol almost always leads to fun.

I can have fun without alcohol, but I would never have met the girl I was having fun with, if alcohol hadn't been originally present.

And I probably wouldn't have 2 wonderful sons ;-)

[hellodolly]

One wonders what's the next event the Bangkok SAS will converge on Chiang Mai for?

Almost as predictable as Christmas: about two weeks before Songkran they'll be back for a "cleanup" and "clampdown" on anything vaguely disreputable or fun. AKA collecting for the BIB holiday fund .

Do you have to drink alcohol to have fun? Just wondering.

The thought had crossed my mind also.

[moe666]

I avoid such gatherings to crazy and by the way how many pick pockets. But the owner of the Apartment I stay at put on a nice feed for the residence.appy New Year to all

[siouxzen]

Your not far wrong there, I noticed security guards sitting out on the street where the ladyboys normally congregate so it was a poor high season for them I've just woken up so I'll drag myself downstairs and get a crime report from my BKK undercover police lady.

By the way, the concept of being undercover is so that people don't know your there.

Did you reconnect with the officer and find out if anything happened? In my opinion the area RIGHT at Tapae Gate was too crowded, but right on the other side of the canal there were still plenty of bars, vendors, and tasty bites around. Everyone seemed pretty well-behaved. I kept on thinking about how different the crowd would have been with that much freedom in my hometown...

[theblether]

Your not far wrong there, I noticed security guards sitting out on the street where the ladyboys normally congregate so it was a poor high season for them I've just woken up so I'll drag myself downstairs and get a crime report from my BKK undercover police lady.

By the way, the concept of being undercover is so that people don't know your there.

Did you reconnect with the officer and find out if anything happened? In my opinion the area RIGHT at Tapae Gate was too crowded, but right on the other side of the canal there were still plenty of bars, vendors, and tasty bites around. Everyone seemed pretty well-behaved. I kept on thinking about how different the crowd would have been with that much freedom in my hometown...

Hi, sorry for my late reply, Ive not been well since New Years Eve, I overdid it plus some. The answer is yes I have, I was with her this evening, as far as she knows there were four arrests within the alcohol free zone, but she admits that she doesnt know what for, what the outcome was or even if the figure is correct. She did say that the police were very worried about the size of the crowd. I thought the evening was excellent, I mentioned earlier I would have liked to have seen the stage show go on a bit longer, I think that may have helped with the crowd dispersal a little bit. The only two annoyances I saw were a foreign guy feeling the need to shout and bawl at the top of his voice all the way from Thae Pae Gate to Spotlight, I dont know why he felt the need plus another foreign guy driving through the crowd when it was at its peak in the same area. Risky and stupid, he could have waited 10 minutes.

.

[SamSipEt]

.. thai pae was an absolute cluster frack... one one side there was only ONE 3 ft. wide opening next to the TV van to enter and exit the square... i tried not to imagine anything happening to start a panic in the crowd.

Whats a cluster frack and was it fun ?

[uptheos]

Hi, sorry for my late reply, Ive not been well since New Years Eve, I overdid it plus some. The answer is yes I have, I was with her this evening, as far as she knows there were four arrests within the alcohol free zone, but she admits that she doesnt know what for, what the outcome was or even if the figure is correct. She did say that the police were very worried about the size of the crowd. I thought the evening was excellent, I mentioned earlier I would have liked to have seen the stage show go on a bit longer, I think that may have helped with the crowd dispersal a little bit. The only two annoyances I saw were a foreign guy feeling the need to shout and bawl at the top of his voice all the way from Thae Pae Gate to Spotlight, I dont know why he felt the need plus another foreign guy driving through the crowd when it was at its peak in the same area. Risky and stupid, he could have waited 10 minutes.

Glad you had a good time and hope you're feeling better.

The two annoyances you saw, considering the size of the crowd was merely a blip on the landscape.

I can't think of one city I've spent New Year in that there weren't myriads of people acting far, far sillier.

Sounds like there wasn't much trouble according to your friend, which means very few Xmas presents for the SAS,

So I guess the Bangkok Seals will be dropping in before too long to make up the shortfall.

[theblether]

Hi, sorry for my late reply, Ive not been well since New Years Eve, I overdid it plus some. The answer is yes I have, I was with her this evening, as far as she knows there were four arrests within the alcohol free zone, but she admits that she doesnt know what for, what the outcome was or even if the figure is correct. She did say that the police were very worried about the size of the crowd. I thought the evening was excellent, I mentioned earlier I would have liked to have seen the stage show go on a bit longer, I think that may have helped with the crowd dispersal a little bit. The only two annoyances I saw were a foreign guy feeling the need to shout and bawl at the top of his voice all the way from Thae Pae Gate to Spotlight, I dont know why he felt the need plus another foreign guy driving through the crowd when it was at its peak in the same area. Risky and stupid, he could have waited 10 minutes.

Glad you had a good time and hope you're feeling better.

The two annoyances you saw, considering the size of the crowd was merely a blip on the landscape.

I can't think of one city I've spent New Year in that there weren't myriads of people acting far, far sillier.

Sounds like there wasn't much trouble according to your friend, which means very few Xmas presents for the SAS,

So I guess the Bangkok Seals will be dropping in before too long to make up the shortfall.

Thanks very much and I agree re people acting sillier. In my home city there would be guaranteed fights and various other bad behaviours at an event like this. Thats why I love Thae Pae Gate on New Years Eve, its an excellent experience.