I am not a resident but have visited 13 times and even went out of my way to schedule a trip there during Songkran. I very much did not like it. Just too long. Too inconvenient and uncomfortable to do simple things like walk around the corner to drop off laundry, take a baht bus to the Big C, walk/bus over to Jomtien for the beach, or to just plain go outside for anything. Make it a couple of days. I definitely avoided one other vacation trip to Thailand because my time off coincided with Song Kran. No big deal either way since that time of the year is not the best weather to be visiting anyway.

I am not a resident but have visited 13 times and even went out of my way to schedule a trip there during Songkran. I very much did not like it. Just too long. Too inconvenient and uncomfortable to do simple things like walk around the corner to drop off laundry, take a baht bus to the Big C, walk/bus over to Jomtien for the beach, or to just plain go outside for anything. Make it a couple of days. I definitely avoided one other vacation trip to Thailand because my time off coincided with Song Kran. No big deal either way since that time of the year is not the best weather to be visiting anyway.

You've been here enough times to vote. Please join the Pattaya Songkran Is Too dam_n Long Party!

I'll join any party JT is leading...at least we get polls

I won't join such a party as I like to be on the side that will win - and as much as I dislike the long Songkran period I fear it will remain ....

Great support here for the Pattaya Songkran Is Too dam_n Long Party!

Let's hope the mayor is listening to this overwhelming sentiment the same way he listened and responded to the overwhelming support here for REAL Bangkok style taxi meters and baht bus service on THIRD road.

Anyway, it is now APRIL 19 in Thailand.

The beginning of the end of the Pattaya Songkran Is Too Long Vale of Tears (if tears were high pressure water hoses) 2012.

One more day. After today ...

(At: 2:44 Free At Last, Free At Last, Thank God Almighty, We Are Free At Last!)

I concur. One or two days is enough. So now that we have our poll, what are we going to do about it? Write to the Mayor? No, I'm with the elitist member: leave the country for Songkran.

6 days too long for me, never again will i be in this country on songkran..shoootings,stabbings,fights everywhere....disgusting.

It should be for a month that might permanently push the thickos out once and for all. After all, who retires or plans to move to a city in a part of the world that has this water festival on every year for years and years without knowing about it? only a thicko.

yeah it's way too long. i don't know anyone personally who is happy that it lasts this long, esp. including the working girls, who get their makeup and clothes messed up on the way to work, etc.

It should be for a month that might permanently push the thickos out once and for all. After all, who retires or plans to move to a city in a part of the world that has this water festival on every year for years and years without knowing about it? only a thicko.

Hmmm. Who retires to a city where you can't BREATHE THE AIR for TWO MONTHS every year? Curious.

BTW, based on your theory maybe all the THAI residents should be shaken out of Pattaya too, given that most of them hate Pattaya Songkran being TOO dam_n LONG too!

Had my first taste of action yesterday, to be honest I had been miserable thinking about it after reading everything on here about how people hated it etc. Anyway after a few minutes my mind was quickly changed. Everyone having fun, roasting hot day, playing in the water, drinking beer, men, women and children laughing, playing and having fun.

Really does get on my nerves farangs trying to dictate what should happen in Thailand, when I was in england it would make me livid when you would have immigrants telling us that Christmas was offensive or that I cant do things this way because it offends people etc. If you dont like it go to somewhere that local tradition doesnt wind you up or just simply leave whilst songkran is on and let the thai people and farangs who want to join in the festives get on with it.

Had my first taste of action yesterday, to be honest I had been miserable thinking about it after reading everything on here about how people hated it etc. Anyway after a few minutes my mind was quickly changed. Everyone having fun, roasting hot day, playing in the water, drinking beer, men, women and children laughing, playing and having fun.

Really does get on my nerves farangs trying to dictate what should happen in Thailand, when I was in england it would make me livid when you would have immigrants telling us that Christmas was offensive or that I cant do things this way because it offends people etc. If you dont like it go to somewhere that local tradition doesnt wind you up or just simply leave whilst songkran is on and let the thai people and farangs who want to join in the festives get on with it.

You sound like a TOURIST. Yes? That's cool, but really talk to everyday Thai working people who live here and they agree with most non-Thai residents, it goes on TOO dam_n LONG!

The thing that annoys me the most is when it goes into the night.

There is a shutoff time of 7:00pm I believe but this is ignored.

If it was daytight hours only, this gives the everyone the chance to go out, stay dry & more importantly, spend some money.

The economic damage will be denied by authorities, but just look around at the bars, restaurants & shopping centres, all mainly empty.

That isn't counting the many 1000's of locals who "run away" at Songkran.

I attended Pattaya on 19th because friends wanted to experience it, it really was just the same same as every other day except bigger.

Water & lots of it, chalk, drunks etc

The amount of infrastrucutre & man hours supplied by Pattaya City was unbelievable.

Your taxes at work......

Had my first taste of action yesterday, to be honest I had been miserable thinking about it after reading everything on here about how people hated it etc. Anyway after a few minutes my mind was quickly changed. Everyone having fun, roasting hot day, playing in the water, drinking beer, men, women and children laughing, playing and having fun.

Really does get on my nerves farangs trying to dictate what should happen in Thailand, when I was in england it would make me livid when you would have immigrants telling us that Christmas was offensive or that I cant do things this way because it offends people etc. If you dont like it go to somewhere that local tradition doesnt wind you up or just simply leave whilst songkran is on and let the thai people and farangs who want to join in the festives get on with it.

You sound like a TOURIST. Yes? That's cool, but really talk to everyday Thai working people who live here and they agree with most non-Thai residents, it goes on TOO dam_n LONG!

Lived here for 2 years, I have thai family and I do talk to everyday thai working people who were all excited to have time off work and go party. Not sure why you needed to put TOURIST in big huge capitals? 2 years may not be long for some but its long enough to know most things that go on here. For every 1 thai person you find that doesnt like songkran I can find you 20 more who do. Same in england, I hate new year, you get people finishing work xmas eve and from then until the day after new years day people are out till all hours getting drunk, stabbing, killing, fighting with each other, vandalising things its just the same but at least here in thailand they have some fun in the process not just getting hammered as quickly as possible.

Had my first taste of action yesterday, to be honest I had been miserable thinking about it after reading everything on here about how people hated it etc. Anyway after a few minutes my mind was quickly changed. Everyone having fun, roasting hot day, playing in the water, drinking beer, men, women and children laughing, playing and having fun.

Really does get on my nerves farangs trying to dictate what should happen in Thailand, when I was in england it would make me livid when you would have immigrants telling us that Christmas was offensive or that I cant do things this way because it offends people etc. If you dont like it go to somewhere that local tradition doesnt wind you up or just simply leave whilst songkran is on and let the thai people and farangs who want to join in the festives get on with it.

This is not a thai tradition by a long way,, its some thing that has gotten out of hand in Pattaya, the vast majority of pattaya residents Thai and farang dont want it this long. its a minority that it keep it going so long. Its the usual OTT reaction that comes with every tradition from around the globe. Christmas, New Year as in western, Chinese new year, Thai new year, Loy Kratong, even valentines day. the fun as one prime minister said is a National Embarresment for Thai representatives when they go abroad, and get asked about the massive death toll and injuries. there will be 10s of thousands of people today not smiling or laughing who were last week, because of hundreds of deaths and thousdands seriously injured, many unable to work again. So the minority have their fun at the expense of the majority in Pattaya. 2-3 days is enough. Take the bar girls and totooed up farangs out the equation then it would be a normal Songkran. thankfully both are in rapid decline.

The 19th of April is "Wan Lai" Pattaya dwellers chose this as their day of Songkran - up to them, so it is a Thai tradition ^, quite often misunderstood by the general keyboard warrior army!

The 19th of April is "Wan Lai"

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

This is only the second time during the whole of Songkran, I've seen somebody mentioning Wan Lai in the Pattaya Forum

The first time

http://www.thaivisa....00#entry5233118

Had my first taste of action yesterday, to be honest I had been miserable thinking about it after reading everything on here about how people hated it etc. Anyway after a few minutes my mind was quickly changed. Everyone having fun, roasting hot day, playing in the water, drinking beer, men, women and children laughing, playing and having fun.

Really does get on my nerves farangs trying to dictate what should happen in Thailand, when I was in england it would make me livid when you would have immigrants telling us that Christmas was offensive or that I cant do things this way because it offends people etc. If you dont like it go to somewhere that local tradition doesnt wind you up or just simply leave whilst songkran is on and let the thai people and farangs who want to join in the festives get on with it.

This is not a thai tradition by a long way,, its some thing that has gotten out of hand in Pattaya, the vast majority of pattaya residents Thai and farang dont want it this long. its a minority that it keep it going so long. Its the usual OTT reaction that comes with every tradition from around the globe. Christmas, New Year as in western, Chinese new year, Thai new year, Loy Kratong, even valentines day. the fun as one prime minister said is a National Embarresment for Thai representatives when they go abroad, and get asked about the massive death toll and injuries. there will be 10s of thousands of people today not smiling or laughing who were last week, because of hundreds of deaths and thousdands seriously injured, many unable to work again. So the minority have their fun at the expense of the majority in Pattaya. 2-3 days is enough. Take the bar girls and totooed up farangs out the equation then it would be a normal Songkran. thankfully both are in rapid decline.

didnt look that way yesterday.2nd road was jam packed with thais.Plently of russians without tatoos playing to

Had my first taste of action yesterday, to be honest I had been miserable thinking about it after reading everything on here about how people hated it etc. Anyway after a few minutes my mind was quickly changed. Everyone having fun, roasting hot day, playing in the water, drinking beer, men, women and children laughing, playing and having fun.

Really does get on my nerves farangs trying to dictate what should happen in Thailand, when I was in england it would make me livid when you would have immigrants telling us that Christmas was offensive or that I cant do things this way because it offends people etc. If you dont like it go to somewhere that local tradition doesnt wind you up or just simply leave whilst songkran is on and let the thai people and farangs who want to join in the festives get on with it.

This is not a thai tradition by a long way,, its some thing that has gotten out of hand in Pattaya, the vast majority of pattaya residents Thai and farang dont want it this long. its a minority that it keep it going so long. Its the usual OTT reaction that comes with every tradition from around the globe. Christmas, New Year as in western, Chinese new year, Thai new year, Loy Kratong, even valentines day. the fun as one prime minister said is a National Embarresment for Thai representatives when they go abroad, and get asked about the massive death toll and injuries. there will be 10s of thousands of people today not smiling or laughing who were last week, because of hundreds of deaths and thousdands seriously injured, many unable to work again. So the minority have their fun at the expense of the majority in Pattaya. 2-3 days is enough. Take the bar girls and totooed up farangs out the equation then it would be a normal Songkran. thankfully both are in rapid decline.

Take both of them away and you dont have the pattaya you are living in today which you seem to love so much as you live here. What would pattaya be without the nightlife, good shops, good restaurants, wide variety of different food and cultures.

today as i was buying my doner from the local thai guy, he said "happy songkran finish". i said "it's pretty boring right?". he said "2 day-3 day- ok. but it's too dam_n long!"

today as i was buying my doner from the local thai guy, he said "happy songkran finish". i said "it's pretty boring right?". he said "2 day-3 day- ok. but it's too dam_n long!"

I'm sure he lost a lot of his usual livelihood due to this ridiculousness.

Had my first taste of action yesterday, to be honest I had been miserable thinking about it after reading everything on here about how people hated it etc. Anyway after a few minutes my mind was quickly changed. Everyone having fun, roasting hot day, playing in the water, drinking beer, men, women and children laughing, playing and having fun.

Really does get on my nerves farangs trying to dictate what should happen in Thailand, when I was in england it would make me livid when you would have immigrants telling us that Christmas was offensive or that I cant do things this way because it offends people etc. If you dont like it go to somewhere that local tradition doesnt wind you up or just simply leave whilst songkran is on and let the thai people and farangs who want to join in the festives get on with it.

XMas is on 25 + 26 December and will never be extended to 27, 28 or even 29 December.

Don't compare apples and eggs.

The problem is, that locally Songkran-dates are being adjusted for the sake of tourism although the local authorities have no shimmering clue about what a tourist wants.

I live in Bang Saen at the moment and I witnessed the 'party' over here. Traffic was an absolute standstill and people where throwing water at each other and trying to avoid passers-by like pedestrians and motorcyclists.

Not like Pattaya or other cities, where passers by are easy targets to let go the frustrations.

Had my first taste of action yesterday, to be honest I had been miserable thinking about it after reading everything on here about how people hated it etc. Anyway after a few minutes my mind was quickly changed. Everyone having fun, roasting hot day, playing in the water, drinking beer, men, women and children laughing, playing and having fun.

Really does get on my nerves farangs trying to dictate what should happen in Thailand, when I was in england it would make me livid when you would have immigrants telling us that Christmas was offensive or that I cant do things this way because it offends people etc. If you dont like it go to somewhere that local tradition doesnt wind you up or just simply leave whilst songkran is on and let the thai people and farangs who want to join in the festives get on with it.

What goes on in Pattaya or other farang intensive locations has not a lot to do with tradition. Tradition is when the children pay respect to their elders and is a charming occasion. Rightly or wrongly I blame farangs for turning what was a sensitive and respectful occasion into drunken mayhem - and the locals follow suit. Not a few offices and businesses in town close for a whole week causing disruption to many. As others have pointed out, those who participate in hurling water, which many would like assurances that it is potable, hardly qualify to be considered forming part of the intelligensia - which goes some way to explaining their brutal senselessness..

Had my first taste of action yesterday, to be honest I had been miserable thinking about it after reading everything on here about how people hated it etc. Anyway after a few minutes my mind was quickly changed. Everyone having fun, roasting hot day, playing in the water, drinking beer, men, women and children laughing, playing and having fun.

Really does get on my nerves farangs trying to dictate what should happen in Thailand, when I was in england it would make me livid when you would have immigrants telling us that Christmas was offensive or that I cant do things this way because it offends people etc. If you dont like it go to somewhere that local tradition doesnt wind you up or just simply leave whilst songkran is on and let the thai people and farangs who want to join in the festives get on with it.

What goes on in Pattaya or other farang intensive locations has not a lot to do with tradition. Tradition is when the children pay respect to their elders and is a charming occasion. Rightly or wrongly I blame farangs for turning what was a sensitive and respectful occasion into drunken mayhem - and the locals follow suit. Not a few offices and businesses in town close for a whole week causing disruption to many. As others have pointed out, those who participate in hurling water, which many would like assurances that it is potable, hardly qualify to be considered forming part of the intelligensia - which goes some way to explaining their brutal senselessness..

"As others have pointed out, those who participate in hurling water, which many would like assurances that it is potable, hardly qualify to be considered forming part of the intelligensia"

So just to clarify, does that apply to anyone who throws water ? Just wondering.

"What goes on in Pattaya or other farang intensive locations has not a lot to do with tradition"

Are you saying non traditional Songkran only happens in farang intensive areas ?

Its easy, make a list over the previous few weeks of things to do in your home/apartment etc, get it all together and have the week of Songkran doing it all.

Had my first taste of action yesterday, to be honest I had been miserable thinking about it after reading everything on here about how people hated it etc. Anyway after a few minutes my mind was quickly changed. Everyone having fun, roasting hot day, playing in the water, drinking beer, men, women and children laughing, playing and having fun.

Really does get on my nerves farangs trying to dictate what should happen in Thailand, when I was in england it would make me livid when you would have immigrants telling us that Christmas was offensive or that I cant do things this way because it offends people etc. If you dont like it go to somewhere that local tradition doesnt wind you up or just simply leave whilst songkran is on and let the thai people and farangs who want to join in the festives get on with it.

What goes on in Pattaya or other farang intensive locations has not a lot to do with tradition. Tradition is when the children pay respect to their elders and is a charming occasion. Rightly or wrongly I blame farangs for turning what was a sensitive and respectful occasion into drunken mayhem - and the locals follow suit. Not a few offices and businesses in town close for a whole week causing disruption to many. As others have pointed out, those who participate in hurling water, which many would like assurances that it is potable, hardly qualify to be considered forming part of the intelligensia - which goes some way to explaining their brutal senselessness..

Spot On

Songkran in Pattaya is NOT the Traditional Thai Festival it is an excuse for Drunken Idiots to be more idiotic than ususal. But it's now entrenched