I live in Chiang Mai and tried Songkran last year. I was sanook for the first day. After that, well ... not so sanook.

I've been looking at places to go during that time this year. Looked at KL, Cambodia, even Tokyo but decided I would just as soon stay in Thailand, if possible.

Any suggestions on where to head to that don't take Songkran seriously, or even better, just ignore it? And no, the deep south is out. They may not throw water but they have been known to throw other things.

Thanks for any input.

David

Go south, they still do Songkran but it's all over in one day. Phang nga Ranong and Phuket are good bets.

Thanks mrjohn. Will definitely check that out.

David

What about Chantaburi? Ban Phe south? Where I live, just south of Jomtien, we have very few problems with Songkran. And as you know, Pattaya proper is a mess. We go shopping locally and have never had a problem. We do avoid Pattaya.

I like this link for exploring the area:

http://www.sunrisepropertythailand.com/

Go to bed and don't get up until it's all over.

Another choice might me Ao Khanom? Very quite place. Only a few hotels. There's one on the north part of the beach that's all by itself. Doubt you'd get harassed there!

Or maybe Sichon?

Go to bed and don't get up until it's all over.

The only guaranteed "in Thailand" solution. I'll be making a DVD run before it starts.

Go to Nan. I was there in March and the city seemed totally dead. Hotels that could hold 500 guests had no more than a dozen. There are some fabulous rides or drives in the mountains to the north east. Nan is in the north east not far from Laos. Check on the bikers forum if you want to know what the countryside is like.

If you want to see the beaches in the south then I would stay away from the popular beach scene areas. There are great beaches about 30 kim south of Pattaya, or north of the Patong beach scene in Phuket. Just stay away from the popular areas and you should be okay.

ditto the south.

in Koh Phangan it lasts one day, and if you dont go into town, you might not even realize it is songkran after about 2 or 3 pm.

ditto the south.

in Koh Phangan it lasts one day, and if you dont go into town, you might not even realize it is songkran after about 2 or 3 pm.

Last time I went to Phangan on Songkran, people stood on the side of the road and threw water in the passing songtheaws- no respect of people's luggage or of the sick child in the truck. Why do people lose their brains then?

I have no problem with throwing water on people that are obviously out for fun, but throwing water into moving vehicles, and at motorcycle drivers is beyond stupid, and one more reason I no longer participate.

Go to bed and don't get up until it's all over.

Hmm, what about bedsores?

Go to bed and don't get up until it's all over.

Hmm, what about bedsores?

Tongue in cheek methinks!

A normal and active person should never get bedsores, as one needs to be completely motionless for 2 to 4 hours, and how many people other than the seriously ill would do that.

Go to bed and don't get up until it's all over.

Hmm, what about bedsores?

, as one needs to be completely motionless for 2 to 4 hours, and how many people other than the seriously ill would do that.

Isn't that typical of most wives... everywhere?

Go to bed and don't get up until it's all over.

Hmm, what about bedsores?

Tongue in cheek methinks!

A normal and active person should never get bedsores, as one needs to be completely motionless for 2 to 4 hours, and how many people other than the seriously ill would do that.

Yes, but the mayhem will not be over in 2-4 hours. More likely a week.

Go to bed and don't get up until it's all over.

Hmm, what about bedsores?

Tongue in cheek methinks!

A normal and active person should never get bedsores, as one needs to be completely motionless for 2 to 4 hours, and how many people other than the seriously ill would do that.

Yes, but the mayhem will not be over in 2-4 hours. More likely a week.

Yes, and you can't stock up on women beforehand like you can with booze and packaged food.

Come to Bangkok, it's great during Songkran. Almost no traffic, free tables in all restaurants, parking in shoppings centers... Most people go home, i.e. their home province and those who remain, well, like you, don't really like to indulge in water games, except perhaps at Khao San road.

I know you're keen to stay in thailand but I used to go to phnom penh every year on the same dates for khmer new year, I highly recommend it, very relaxed family event, a little water but very polite, hope this helps

Songkran in Pattaya is held about a week after up country venues so at the first sign of the annual insanity breaking out, it's load up the truck time and sod off to Lomsak. I think that when Pattaya has had enough, then Rayong kicks off.

Go to bed and don't get up until it's all over.

Stock up, buy some flicks, stay inside.

Works for me.

Quote from Ian Forbes:

"Go to Nan. I was there in March and the city seemed totally dead. Hotels that could hold 500 guests had no more than a dozen. There are some fabulous rides or drives in the mountains to the north east."

Actually this is very good advice. I was forgetting the first Songkran I spent in Thailand some years ago I was living in Chiang Mai and I hired a car. Drove round most of the surrounding provinces on my own. Nan, Phrae and Lampang. Songkran was good fun, mostly just the kids playing with water. The “grown ups” were at home on the booze!

And the main festivities seemed to be in the temples. Having said that I did come back to Chiang Mai for the last day and it was astonishing....total anarchy. And tremendous fun!

If you are in Chiang Mai already, then Songkran is not to be missed, but one day is probably enough.

Funny, but it seems to me that most of the madness is often in the tourist ghettos. I wonder why that is?

Driving around was no problem too. Most of the well publicised mayhem on the roads is on the main arteries up to Chiang Mai and Isaan.

Try any isolated village in the far Northeast of Isaan.

Stay in your own village, community; everyone in my neighbourhood knows I do not like idiots throwing water at me; as for the children I make an exception, they can spray the palms of my hands with their water guns.

Muslim Deep South.

They seem to have the same attitude to a fun & Thai culture as the Farang Vinegar Brigade.

Muslim Deep South.

They seem to have the same attitude to a fun & Thai culture as the Farang Vinegar Brigade.

Winnie, if you like vinegar and other irritating fluids launched into your face with power hoses, come on down to Pattaya!

Best Place To Go In Thailand To Avoid Songkran?

I find my living room work pretty well.

--

Come to Bangkok, it's great during Songkran. Almost no traffic, free tables in all restaurants, parking in shoppings centers... Most people go home, i.e. their home province and those who remain, well, like you, don't really like to indulge in water games, except perhaps at Khao San road.

Nonsense. The problem with Songkran is that it only takes one idiot to annoy an entire neighbourhood and no one does anything to stop it. Everywhere in Bangkok you'll get annoying idiots out to soak you.

Go to Nan. I was there in March and the city seemed totally dead. Hotels that could hold 500 guests had no more than a dozen. There are some fabulous rides or drives in the mountains to the north east. Nan is in the north east not far from Laos. Check on the bikers forum if you want to know what the countryside is like.

If you want to see the beaches in the south then I would stay away from the popular beach scene areas. There are great beaches about 30 kim south of Pattaya, or north of the Patong beach scene in Phuket. Just stay away from the popular areas and you should be okay.

No need to go far away from the popular areas. In Samui it's a one day affair and only on the main roads so if you stay in your beach resort you won't even notice it.

Go to bed and don't get up until it's all over.

Hmm, what about bedsores?

You have to turn your body once in a while.

Stay safe and dry.

Thanks all for some great suggestions. I should have it figured out by this weekend.

David