Songkran Terror Watch -- Dates And Reports

[NormanW]

Got back here an hour ago, took the 304-311-SCC route anyway since road #2 after Korat towards BKK showed a bit of traffic. Sukhumvit was totally deserted, it's quite seldom I see so few cars driving there. Explanation from missus was that the Isaan people are still back at home for the Songkran visit and will return later with a vengeance for the main event. Only saw three groups of kids throwing water with small buckets along SCC.

Yeh I think your missus is correct.

It will all kick off from 2mora when 'they' all return for fun and frolics!!

My usual run round Pratumnak Park this evening was quite quiet maybe for the same reason?

Prepare for battle - well. I have, I've been to Friendship and the fridge is stocked to bursting point.

Condo almost fully painted, saved on petrol for the bike and spent less gannin doon the toon - great stuff.

Every cloud has a silver lining.

[Phil Conners]

Full on mayhem in the SSCC. / Nongprue road area today probable all dark side.

[NormanW]

Thappraya road clear but probably the calm before the storm

Going to nip out at 7am in the morning to top up provisions then in solid until the morning of the 20th.

I sound like an undercover soldier 55555555

[Whyowhy]

Today was my 2'nd day participating in Songkran festivities, and to be honest after what I witnessed today, I doubt I'll want to get involved on the big day...

I was on Beach Rd Soi 8 area, next to the BiB HQ @6pm enjoying myself with the water and 'mud', there was a commotion and a Thai attacking a Thai with a piece of wood. Suddenly another young Thai followed them with a gun, people started to scatter but he'll broke loose a few moments later when the gunman fired down one of the alleys between Soi 8 & 9. An elderly Falang sitting at a beer bar with his GF/wife was shot in the right forehead. The police took a surprisingly long time to show up (about 5 min) considering they were 200m from the shooting. The Falang (I don't think he was a tourist judging by the Thai woman he was with) was helped onto a motorbike and was sandwiched between the driver and another Thai. Almost immediately after they drove away another chase/assault with a Thai and young Falang turned into a mob attack but by now the police were arriving in large numbers so the scene ended quickly.

I hope the Falang is OK, there was some blood but he was able to walk fairly unaided, perhaps a graze or small caliber gun. Anyways, my flight home is on Saturday after 9 months here, and especially after today, I couldn't be more happy to leave with no plans on returning.

[tropo]

, I couldn't be more happy to leave with no plans on returning.

Good luck finding your utopia. Bad shte can happen everywhere - you were just in the wrong place at the wrong time.

[Jingthing]

Whyowhy I think just directly answered anyone who might have questioned WHY a thread about the Pattaya Songkran TERROR watch. Thank you and happy trails ...

[Markland]

Whyowhy I think just directly answered anyone who might have questioned WHY a thread about the Pattaya Songkran TERROR watch. Thank you and happy trails ...

what part of pattaya your from jing ?

[Whyowhy]

, I couldn't be more happy to leave with no plans on returning.

Good luck finding your utopia. Bad shte can happen everywhere - you were just in the wrong place at the wrong time.

For me there is no better utopia than home, especially after my Thai spouse finally got his Visa to come with me.

[Markland]

, I couldn't be more happy to leave with no plans on returning.

Good luck finding your utopia. Bad shte can happen everywhere - you were just in the wrong place at the wrong time.

For me there is no better utopia than home, especially after my Thai spouse finally got his Visa to come with me.

ha ha

[WyattEarp]

Whyowhy - if I'm not mistaken you used to be FOR songkran? Were you not laughing at those of us who think it is out of control earlier in this topic? (now apparently deleted)

[NormanW]

I did it!

Just got back from Friendship without a soaking, all roads clear as of 8am - 3rd road, Pattaya Tai and Thappraya.

That's it now, I'm not going over the doorstep until the 20th (Friday).

And relax

[tvaddict]

norman- so yee ain't gooiing doon the toon then- etc will be missing ya :-)

[morphious]

Its Nakluas big party today but it always ends up flowing down in to Pattaya so keep ya slash macs on !

[NormanW]

norman- so yee ain't gooiing doon the toon then- etc will be missing ya :-)

why no man!

Friday nee bother oki doki?

[timekeeper]

I did it!

Just got back from Friendship without a soaking, all roads clear as of 8am - 3rd road, Pattaya Tai and Thappraya.

That's it now, I'm not going over the doorstep until the 20th (Friday).

And relax

i too was at friendship for rope drop at 7-30 am

did some shopping,went to tops, closed until 9am, moved on to big C extra, closed but finished at reliable 24 hour opening foodland

roads quiet, no problems, raced back to the Lake

except for local jaunts to 7-11 i am indoors now until Saturday

job done!

[tvaddict]

norman- so yee ain't gooiing doon the toon then- etc will be missing ya :-)

why no man!

Friday nee bother oki doki?

better get that painting finished then- c u Friday hopefully

[rinteln]

Today was my 2'nd day participating in Songkran festivities, and to be honest after what I witnessed today, I doubt I'll want to get involved on the big day...

I was on Beach Rd Soi 8 area, next to the BiB HQ @6pm enjoying myself with the water and 'mud', there was a commotion and a Thai attacking a Thai with a piece of wood. Suddenly another young Thai followed them with a gun, people started to scatter but he'll broke loose a few moments later when the gunman fired down one of the alleys between Soi 8 & 9. An elderly Falang sitting at a beer bar with his GF/wife was shot in the right forehead. The police took a surprisingly long time to show up (about 5 min) considering they were 200m from the shooting. The Falang (I don't think he was a tourist judging by the Thai woman he was with) was helped onto a motorbike and was sandwiched between the driver and another Thai. Almost immediately after they drove away another chase/assault with a Thai and young Falang turned into a mob attack but by now the police were arriving in large numbers so the scene ended quickly.

I hope the Falang is OK, there was some blood but he was able to walk fairly unaided, perhaps a graze or small caliber gun. Anyways, my flight home is on Saturday after 9 months here, and especially after today, I couldn't be more happy to leave with no plans on returning.

Hope that farang guy is ok.

Your experience there is going to play right into the hands of the Songkran moaners. When in truth that sort of thing happens all the time in Pattaya. Just unlucky timing and location.

Hope it doesn't put you off coming to Pattaya again.

[jcw]

Today is the best day of the year in Pattaya

[NormanW]

Today is the best day of the year in Pattaya

Don't you mean tomorrow 19th?

Which is the MAIN day kap

[samsiam]

Maybe he means the last day before the last day...so you can plan and enjoy the best day with still one day left to enjoy.....makes sense.

[craig]

I live south of Pattaya in a semi-rural area. A Thai man came home yesterday with a broken nose. Seems he was with friends throwing water on folks. He says a farang with his wife on the back of a pick-up taxi waved their hands to say don't throw water on us. He did anyway. The farang jumped off the taxi & walked toward him. He thought the farang wanted to join in on the fun. The farang hit him once breaking his nose. HIs friends jumped the farang...the wife got between the warring parties & the farang got back into the taxi..

True? Don't know. I do know the local here has a broken nose.

[NormanW]

I live south of Pattaya in a semi-rural area. A Thai man came home yesterday with a broken nose. Seems he was with friends throwing water on folks. He says a farang with his wife on the back of a pick-up taxi waved their hands to say don't throw water on us. He did anyway. The farang jumped off the taxi & walked toward him. He thought the farang wanted to join in on the fun. The farang hit him once breaking his nose. HIs friends jumped the farang...the wife got between the warring parties & the farang got back into the taxi..

True? Don't know. I do know the local here has a broken nose.

The farang can't expect NOT to get wet on these dates and his response was inappropriate in my view without knowing the full details.

[Whyowhy]

Whyowhy - if I'm not mistaken you used to be FOR songkran? Were you not laughing at those of us who think it is out of control earlier in this topic? (now apparently deleted)

Actually, my first/deleted post was more about questioning some over-generalizations about Pattaya Songkran. Everybody keeps talking about 10 terrible days... What are the dates of these terrible days? I could only find about 5 days where there would be any water throwing of note (April 15-19), and rather isolated. Another fallacy was sewer water being thrown, it's just the same water we all shower with.

A warning about extreme violence was never mentioned previously. For me it's a toss of a coin if Thailand gets better or worse for Falangs, but it's these male false Buddhists, all bravado and no brains that will make the tourists flock to Myammar in the next couple of years, leaving Pattaya (& Patong) a Ghost-town.

[MJCM]

Whyowhy - if I'm not mistaken you used to be FOR songkran? Were you not laughing at those of us who think it is out of control earlier in this topic? (now apparently deleted)

............

Another fallacy was sewer water being thrown, it's just the same water we all shower with.

............

People shower in sewer water ?? I doubt that sincerely.

Edited April 18, 2012 by MJCM

[rinteln]

Whyowhy - if I'm not mistaken you used to be FOR songkran? Were you not laughing at those of us who think it is out of control earlier in this topic? (now apparently deleted)

Actually, my first/deleted post was more about questioning some over-generalizations about Pattaya Songkran. Everybody keeps talking about 10 terrible days... What are the dates of these terrible days? I could only find about 5 days where there would be any water throwing of note (April 15-19), and rather isolated. Another fallacy was sewer water being thrown, it's just the same water we all shower with.

A warning about extreme violence was never mentioned previously. For me it's a toss of a coin if Thailand gets better or worse for Falangs, but it's these male false Buddhists, all bravado and no brains that will make the tourists flock to Myammar in the next couple of years, leaving Pattaya (& Patong) a Ghost-town.

They call it the 10 terrible days because its 10 days when their lives are a little inconvenienced than normal. Even if Songkran was shortened to 3 days they would still complain. They try and cleverly disguise it by pretending its about morals and being getting hurt but really its about the day to day routine being changed.

Extreme violence and pretty horrific things happen all the time in Pattaya. Does Songkran make someone act violent towards someone else just because of the event and practice or is it more likely that the person concerned is not a nice person and shouldnt of done it. I doubt the person concerned will get away with saying to the judge "oh it was Songkran"......lol

As you say the extreme water throwing is quite isolated to areas mainly 2nd road and below. Who the hell lives in those areas as an Expat....not many !! Anyone who lives outside of 2nd road has options. There are 7/11's everywhere, there are laundrettes, internet shops, printing shops, markets..........everywhere. There is not much you cant find in your local area. Plus on top of this Expats have full knowledge 365 days in advance to prepare. Every other area is no where near as intense apart from maybe 1/2 days maximum. In other words the extreme areas are highly avoidable.

I think the general message surely has to be, man up, get organised, you know its coming. It will keep on coming for a very long time, its not our country. Deal with it !!

Edited April 18, 2012 by rinteln

[craig]

I live south of Pattaya in a semi-rural area. A Thai man came home yesterday with a broken nose. Seems he was with friends throwing water on folks. He says a farang with his wife on the back of a pick-up taxi waved their hands to say don't throw water on us. He did anyway. The farang jumped off the taxi & walked toward him. He thought the farang wanted to join in on the fun. The farang hit him once breaking his nose. HIs friends jumped the farang...the wife got between the warring parties & the farang got back into the taxi..

True? Don't know. I do know the local here has a broken nose.

The farang can't expect NOT to get wet on these dates and his response was inappropriate in my view without knowing the full details.

I live south of Pattaya in a semi-rural area. A Thai man came home yesterday with a broken nose. Seems he was with friends throwing water on folks. He says a farang with his wife on the back of a pick-up taxi waved their hands to say don't throw water on us. He did anyway. The farang jumped off the taxi & walked toward him. He thought the farang wanted to join in on the fun. The farang hit him once breaking his nose. HIs friends jumped the farang...the wife got between the warring parties & the farang got back into the taxi..

True? Don't know. I do know the local here has a broken nose.

The farang can't expect NOT to get wet on these dates and his response was inappropriate in my view without knowing the full details.

I agree with you. This is about all I know of it...a couple of the locals joked about it this morning saying the farang must be or had been a soldier as he knows how to fight. They seemed impressed he knocked the local down with one punch.

[tropo]

I live south of Pattaya in a semi-rural area. A Thai man came home yesterday with a broken nose. Seems he was with friends throwing water on folks. He says a farang with his wife on the back of a pick-up taxi waved their hands to say don't throw water on us. He did anyway. The farang jumped off the taxi & walked toward him. He thought the farang wanted to join in on the fun. The farang hit him once breaking his nose. HIs friends jumped the farang...the wife got between the warring parties & the farang got back into the taxi..

True? Don't know. I do know the local here has a broken nose.

The farang can't expect NOT to get wet on these dates and his response was inappropriate in my view without knowing the full details.

That all depends where this happened. Sure, if he's in the main bar district where all the drunk yobos are throwing water I'd agree. In other areas, you should respect a gesture not to be wet - even in Pattaya.

[4.real]

16 years ago [had never seen 'songkran'] I drove to Kao San rd in Bangkok.

traffic was terrible and crowds were throwing water and powder at everyone .No ice chunks.

One girl approached my car ,saw a 'farang' and gently fired her small water pistol on my side window.

I had a few buckets of water and some jets fired at my car but nothing to annoy me and mostly if they saw I was not Thai they did not bother with throwing water..

Everyone was enjoying it .

Now it is warfare.no holds barred .Take no prisoners.

[tropo]

Sprayed with water behind The Avenue heading to Soi Buakhao at 12:30 am. They were pretty busy along Pratumnak Road and 2nd Road at 10pm.

My assessment after being out on the motorcycle everyday since April 11 is that it seems more tame this year than in years past.

Edited April 18, 2012 by tropo

[NormanW]

Sprayed with water behind The Avenue heading to Soi Buakhao at 12:30 am. They were pretty busy along Pratumnak Road and 2nd Road at 10pm.

My assessment after being out on the motorcycle everyday since April 11 is that it seems more tame this year than in years past.

I agree tropo.

How quiet is Pattaya now especially Thappraya road and Pratumnak? Unreal compared to previous years.

OK, it will no doubt get worse but certainly significantly quieter.

Roll on 2mora