Pre-Songkran Water War Activity

[Ulysses G.]

I saw two tattooed skinheads with giant squirt guns attacking each other today over near the UN Irish Pub. I did not stick around to see if they were going to drench anyone else, but I am hoping that starting this early is not a trend. Has anyone else seen early activity in town?

[Semper]

Idiots.

[anselpixel]

I certainly hope not, but two small Thai children have been running around in my building dry-firing for days. Only a matter of time. It was already pretty wet in some parts of town three days before the event last year.

[WinnieTheKhwai]

I'm packing a small water gun just in case. (It's tiny, you wouldn't see it.)

[mesquite]

So it may be starting early. Is the consensus that it will end on the 15th?

[mcgriffith]

I'm an old fart of 60. I've lived here full time 6 years, but first visited CM in 1975, coincidentally during Songkran week.

There was lots of water action even back then, but the young crazies (all local) used to fill balloons with water and launch them with inner tube rubber slingshot contraptions. It was a 3 man deal to launch one little water balloon. No mega squirt gun action, as they didn't exist.

No pickup trucks with barrels loaded with ice water- bicycles were pretty much the main transport back then.

Oh, and if you walked down a street of shophouses, maybe someone would playfully dump a small dipper of water on your head from the second floor.

All good fun.

Now Songkran has been adopted by farang soccer hooligans who fly in for short Easter break visits, and for whom violence and shock action is standard (wherever these creatures infest the planet).

And as is usual, the Thai go along with the trend, sanook sanook, one more fun event. Forget the gentle pouring of water over Grandma's wrist in a symbol of respect and cleansing. Hey, the crazy-ass farang like to use water as violent acting out...let's do what they do!

I almost had my neck snapped by one of these farang yobos while riding at slow speed near my apt. passing a line of stopped traffic a few years go.

He had one of the small buckets, that when snapped in just the right way aimed at your head at close range, can eff you up seriously.

I had somewhere to get to, and I didn't want to park, get off the bike, confront him, and then punch his stupid dumb ass clueless lights out.

The whole thing is not sanook family fun anymore, IMO.

It has become water war bullshit, masquerading as some "cultural festival".

Many if not most of my friends, all long timers with 10-20 yrs here, vacate CM during this BS period.

Of course, if you are a 20/30/40 something (maybe with a few small children), it is all nice infantile/juvenile fun.

Grumpy old man rant over.

[hellodolly]

I'm an old fart of 60. I've lived here full time 6 years, but first visited CM in 1975, coincidentally during Songkran week.

There was lots of water action even back then, but the young crazies (all local) used to fill balloons with water and launch them with inner tube rubber slingshot contraptions. It was a 3 man deal to launch one little water balloon. No mega squirt gun action, as they didn't exist.

No pickup trucks with barrels loaded with ice water- bicycles were pretty much the main transport back then.

Oh, and if you walked down a street of shophouses, maybe someone would playfully dump a small dipper of water on your head from the second floor.

All good fun.

Now Songkran has been adopted by farang soccer hooligans who fly in for short Easter break visits, and for whom violence and shock action is standard (wherever these creatures infest the planet).

And as is usual, the Thai go along with the trend, sanook sanook, one more fun event. Forget the gentle pouring of water over Grandma's wrist in a symbol of respect and cleansing. Hey, the crazy-ass farang like to use water as violent acting out...let's do what they do!

I almost had my neck snapped by one of these farang yobos while riding at slow speed near my apt. passing a line of stopped traffic a few years go.

He had one of the small buckets, that when snapped in just the right way aimed at your head at close range, can eff you up seriously.

I had somewhere to get to, and I didn't want to park, get off the bike, confront him, and then punch his stupid dumb ass clueless lights out.

The whole thing is not sanook family fun anymore, IMO.

It has become water war bullshit, masquerading as some "cultural festival".

Many if not most of my friends, all long timers with 10-20 yrs here, vacate CM during this BS period.

Of course, if you are a 20/30/40 something (maybe with a few small children), it is all nice infantile/juvenile fun.

Grumpy old man rant over.

For myself I am 70 and have learned to stay inside until after dark. Never had a problem.

When I first came here 6 years ago I participated and had fun. I believe every one should experience it at least once.

WTK

You don't stand a chance.I did that 4 years ago when we were in Pichet. I knowingly took on two kids with a barrel of water and all I had was a small water gun. Needless to say I lost.

To get close to them I put on the cripple act. Holding my hip bent over and just shuffeling my feet until I got close enough to get my one satong in. Great fun but now I am old.

[WinnieTheKhwai]

So it may be starting early. Is the consensus that it will end on the 15th?

It's not starting early in any meaningful way. 12 is the first big day. Regardless there will be some little kids in the sois & villages, and perhaps the odd Farang idiot, but for all intends and purposes I'm not expecting anything until the late afternoon on the 11th, but really the 12th as the first big day. And 15 is the last day, yes.

You don't stand a chance.I did that 4 years ago when we were in Pichet. I knowingly took on two kids with a barrel of water and all I had was a small water gun. Needless to say I lost.

In a Songkran waterfight I don't think there is such a thing as losing. It's an act of blessing too.

[mcgriffith]

I used to time the traffic flow perfectly, hide behind the songtiews when the bucket brigade unloaded, then swoop in from out of nowhere before they could reload, and hose the mo-fo's in the eyes with my mega-squirter pumped up to 100 psi.

All good fun to see the shock and see them scatter....but nonetheless highly dangerous and silly behaviour on my part.

Riding a Wave on slick streets, one hand controlling the bike, other hand (and eyes and brain) controlling the drilling of water into bucket brigade member's eyes at close range, while moving at ~ 50 kph.

Landing an F/A-15 on a carrier deck at night in a typhoon...pffft.

[Mapguy]

I like fun, but what has happened over the years is no longer fun, so I agree with all but Winnie. It is not fun anymore except for the likes of those UG has encountered and younger Thai sorts. It is simply out of hand. And that is sad; very, very sad.

[heybruce]

In the area along the moat from ThaPae Gate down to Loi Kroh people, mostly western tourists, usually jump the gun by at least two or three days. Thanon Ratvithi near the Irish Pub is usually comparatively quiet, and I hope it stays that way.

[dave2]

re .. there will be some little kids in the sois

there were ... on march the 30 th : (

and this crowd doing a photo shoot at thaphae gate yesterday

but what this water wars posters about ive no idea

but i suspect you might have to pay to join them for some fun.?

dave2

[Tywais]

but what this water wars posters about ive no idea

Rather cryptic, aka weird, facebook page > Bat Blast

[hellodolly]

So it may be starting early. Is the consensus that it will end on the 15th?

It's not starting early in any meaningful way. 12 is the first big day. Regardless there will be some little kids in the sois & villages, and perhaps the odd Farang idiot, but for all intends and purposes I'm not expecting anything until the late afternoon on the 11th, but really the 12th as the first big day. And 15 is the last day, yes.

You don't stand a chance.I did that 4 years ago when we were in Pichet. I knowingly took on two kids with a barrel of water and all I had was a small water gun. Needless to say I lost.

In a Songkran waterfight I don't think there is such a thing as losing. It's an act of blessing too.

[philw]

I used to time the traffic flow perfectly, hide behind the songtiews when the bucket brigade unloaded, then swoop in from out of nowhere before they could reload, and hose the mo-fo's in the eyes with my mega-squirter pumped up to 100 psi.

All good fun to see the shock and see them scatter....but nonetheless highly dangerous and silly behaviour on my part.

Riding a Wave on slick streets, one hand controlling the bike, other hand (and eyes and brain) controlling the drilling of water into bucket brigade member's eyes at close range, while moving at ~ 50 kph.

Landing an F/A-15 on a carrier deck at night in a typhoon...pffft.

"controlling the drilling of water into bucket brigade member's eyes at close range, while moving at ~ 50 kph."

Not exactly nice and seems pretty ugly to me.

[el jefe]

Little kids getting in some early practice is fine. "Adult" farangs, not so much.

It's supposed to be good clean fun and everyone should expect to get soaked for 4 days, but the A-hole farangs that continue the soaking til 9:00, 10:00 and even 11:00 at night are just A-holes and ruin the fun for many. Did I mention that they are A-holes?

I much prefer to spend my time outside of CM, in places like Chiang Dao, where you'll get sprayed with a little water in the villages, soaked in town, but stay completely dry in the evening.

[dave2]

tywais .

re .. Rather cryptic, aka weird, facebook page

they have spent some baht putting up 2 huge posters by loco elvis and the bank

car park at the end of ratwithi road

so someones going to be looking to make a profit out of something that is supposed to be a

tradition of a light sprinkling of water on your shoulder.

not a ######g water cannon in your face : (

dave2

[Thailand]

Participated way back when. Now no longer fun and simply avoid the areas where we know it will be at it's worst or not bother going out at all,no problem for a few days.

And as others have pointed out it is generally the drunken Farang and not just the tourist version that are the biggest pain and that has definitely worsened over the years.

Anybody done a survey or have charts relating to drunken Farang at Songkran being the same Farang that have adopted Thai's ways of driving their motorci with no helmet on the wrong side of the road whilst on their mobiles? I am guessing it would show an upward trend.

[scd]

Yup the early "testing of systems" has begun. The GF is ready to jump the gun and start the activities tomorrow!

D2 - at a guess i'd say it's a gig (DJ's, bands etc) poster.

I can understand the grumps setting in but seriously people, TIT. Time for some sanook .

[masuk]

if you happen to have one of those ghastly water cannon, please note that if you try to enter Malaysia with one, you're in deep doo doos. Banned import!!

looks like we're stuck with 'em here.

[uptheos]

I certainly hope not, but two small Thai children have been running around in my building dry-firing for days.

Maybe you could introduce them to the farang's with small kid brains and they can squirt water at each other for the next week or so.

[hellodolly]

Yup the early "testing of systems" has begun. The GF is ready to jump the gun and start the activities tomorrow!

D2 - at a guess i'd say it's a gig (DJ's, bands etc) poster.

I can understand the grumps setting in but seriously people, TIT. Time for some sanook .

I don't think it will be as big a problem this year with the drunken farongs. O they will be there but not as many. Seems like a lot more Asian tourists and women traveling in groups. Still going to be a lot of water.

[WinnieTheKhwai]

I don't think it will be as big a problem this year with the drunken farongs. O they will be there but not as many. Seems like a lot more Asian tourists and women traveling in groups. Still going to be a lot of water.

Yes, I'm kind of looking forward to Songkranning with cute Korean and Chinese chicks.

If every there is a time to easily meet people and get them drunk then Songkran is it.

Edited April 8, 2012 by WinnieTheKhwai

[elektrified]

I don't think it will be as big a problem this year with the drunken farongs. O they will be there but not as many. Seems like a lot more Asian tourists and women traveling in groups. Still going to be a lot of water.

Yes, I'm kind of looking forward to Songkranning with cute Korean and Chinese chicks.

If every there is a time to easily meet people and get them drunk then Songkran is it.

There are quite a few young, single, Asian girls in town already. I saw quite a few at the Music Festival on Friday and around the Walking Street Market last night. I've seen groups of single Korean, Japanese, and Chinese girls. They are all in town. They were easy to spot at the music festival as they were wearing hats, dancing in the rain while drinking bottles of Federbrau beer, and rocking out and having a great time; not caring at all what other people may be thinking about them.

Edited April 9, 2012 by elektrified

[CMX]

So... the holiday has become a type of wet shirt contest? Hmm. That casts a new light on the event; it's gone from blessing to water war to a mixed blessing, it seems.

[mesquite]

So... the holiday has become a type of wet shirt contest? ...

Hopefully.

[WinnieTheKhwai]

So... the holiday has become a type of wet shirt contest? Hmm. That casts a new light on the event; it's gone from blessing to water war to a mixed blessing, it seems.

Always been that way.

It's a rowdy fertility rite with some Buddhist aspects to it. Not unlike Carnival in that sense, actually.

Edited April 9, 2012 by WinnieTheKhwai

[BlackArtemis]

Been riding around CM a lot the past few days, including all the Farang ghettos of the Moon Muang sois and have seen nothing.

Lets hope that by 9pm it will be safe to ride a bike this year....

[StevieH]

Been riding around CM a lot the past few days, including all the Farang ghettos of the Moon Muang sois and have seen nothing.

Lets hope that by 9pm it will be safe to ride a bike this year....

i think / hope the limit on alcohol sales in the tourist areas due to the funeral / mourning period may prevent the usual annoying early starters from being quite as annoying this year. still needs some signs scattered about the city though, 'in the interests of good manners and courtesy we ask that you stop water fighting at 6pm each day'. and i'm far from a moaning old git, i love songkran. i do though also like being able to go out and have some dinner and a wind-down without getting soaked by selfish / ignorant idiots.

[barefoot1988]

anyone know when does it start in pai and chiangmai? im in pai right now, coming back on 12th april. any possible way to avoid getting wet?