3 Murders As Songkran In Thailand Turns Ugly

[elgato]

Yes, it's sad that anyone gets murdered any time, but to suggest that drunks do stupid things only in Thailand and only during Songkran or that teenagers are sometimes violent in gang related incidents only in Thailand and only during Songkran is either amazingly naive or simply using whatever comes to hand to further the usual Thai bashing agenda.

Well said. Bravo!

[Markaew]

I've no doubt this will become a trend! Next year we won't be counting deaths by wreckless and drunk driving, but the number of murders.

It really is time to clamp down and control the revelling. Limit it to controlled areas, where those who want an official soaking go to meet.

One really does sick and tire of songkran after some lengthy time living here!

-mel.

You are free to leave of living here is no longer enjoyable for you. Some of us are happy to join in with the fun. And don't forget that these are isolated incidents. Millions have enjoyed themselves. You get deaths and major events in almost all countries. Just look at the UK and USA. There are plenty getting shot and knifed every day, not just during festivals. A few isolated incidents, even if really bad, is no reason to ban a popular festival. The solution is to stop the idiots, not spoil the fun for the law-abiding people. It is the idiots that are the problem, not Songkran. Idiots are everywhere. Some of you boring expats would ban almost every activity of you could. If you don't like it here, then just leave instead of constantly complaining.

I haven't posted in quite a while as to do so only infuriates the locals (who cares?) but since this this fellow doesn't have a clue what he is talking about I am forced to add my 2 cents. Yes, there are idiots everywhere at all festivals in all countries. The difference between the West though and here is that the 'idiots' here are the standard not the exception.

For example, I don't go out during Songkran as I do not want the fun of being drenched by moat water full of bacteria. Bu this year I had run out of water so I took off after dark to the local 7-11. Now in front of the 7-11 there was a setup of punks dousing people who were entering the store to shop. And contrary to what one misinformed individual stated all these morone do not leave you alone if you wave them off.

In the West, this would not be allowed to happen. The 7-11 management would not allow it. Here it seems to be encouraged. I have said it before many times. When God gave out brains he had to back order them for Thailand. And last I heard the government put a huge import tax on them so no one has any yet.

You must have been saving up for that one. " When God gave out brains he had to back order them for Thailand. And last I heard the government put a huge import tax on them so no one has any yet." That's a keeper.

[NoshowJones]

Meanwhile, a male transvestite was fined Bt500 yesterday for dancing topless at a party in Ayutthaya, after relatives delivered him to police. Sarawuth Sapharb, 20, was roundly criticised after video clips of him dancing were posted online.

????

A transvestite is a guy that dresses up in women's clothing right?

Once the dress and bra is off, he is still a guy, right?

Why then would a shirtless guy be considered offensive? People are walking around shirtless all the time.

Do they mean a guy with fake boobs? If so that would be a transgender, wouldn't it?

Geriatrickid. I find it very offensive when a shirtless guy with a huge beer belly covered in tattoos comes anywhere near me. I've lost count of the time I have told these fat, ugly, disgusting shameless excuses for human beings to cover up.

[monkeyboots]

Hmmmm, let's forget about the many thousands of people who had a fantastic time and focus on some unfortunate incidents and hopefully we can scrape up an opportunity to shake our heads at moan at what Thai New Year is really about - death and murder. Dear me....

I had a great time and kept wondering how long something like this would last for in the UK. And no, it's not my first time, it's my 12th.

Wake up whingers.

[Doznotdiz]

A lot of valid and worthwhile comments about Songkran. This was my first one, and I fully intend to attend another one. But only for one day!!!! The rest of the time is hell really with most businesses closed and having to get soaked every time you leave the house. The soaking started on Thursday in Chiang Mai and there are still kids on canal road chucking water at motorcyclists today (Monday). I think that foreigners should enjoy the fun along with the Thais - be a kid for a day. But perhaps the Thais should try and understand that we think differently to them and have been brought up (in our ordered Capitalist world) to know when enough is enough. It is also probably in our nature to dangerously swerve while driving to avoid a 3 litre bucket soaking or a hosepipe. 5 DAYS IS TOO LONG, and BUCKETS / HOSES HAVE NO PLACE ON THE ROADSIDE. Or am I "Thinking too much" ???

[oops]

"Meanwhile, a male transvestite was fined Bt500 yesterday for dancing topless at a party in Ayutthaya"

This must raise an interesting legal point. At what point does a man not wearing a shirt constitute a crime even if he has stuck a pair of fake breasts on his chest????

Yeh I have oftened wondered what kind of legal implacation that would surround this type of thing. I still haven't figured out what bathrooms they use and if that would be considered illegal. Then there is the prison factor....while I strongly believe that they are free to do what they want at what point do we hold them accountable for actions that we would considered to be illegal for each gender. So, I would agree with you, this brings an interesting question to the legal issues.

[oops]

"Meanwhile, a male transvestite was fined Bt500 yesterday for dancing topless at a party in Ayutthaya"

This must raise an interesting legal point. At what point does a man not wearing a shirt constitute a crime even if he has stuck a pair of fake breasts on his chest????

Yeh I have oftened wondered what kind of legal implacation that would surround this type of thing. I still haven't figured out what bathrooms they use and if that would be considered illegal. Then there is the prison factor....while I strongly believe that they are free to do what they want at what point do we hold them accountable for actions that we would considered to be illegal for each gender. So, I would agree with you, this brings an interesting question to the legal issues.

[apple69]

Sure I get tired of being soaked but it's a great festival and don't think it should be changed at all. The road accients and very small handful of assults is no doubt sad but I love this country for just taking things to the next level. You know Songkran is going to happen so it's not as if it's a surprise - if you don't like it just batton down your hatches and call 1112. If you do like it then just be grateful that you are living in this crazy whacky country where they like to have fun.

[EyesWideOpen]

I am only surprised there are not more murders. Although it is a bit sad for the drunken reveler to kill the person who did not want the soaking. Should be the other way around.......

I was walking during Songkran a few years ago in Chiang Mai. There was a big group of " revelers" in front of me, and a middle class looking Thai couple walking in front of me. As the couple passed the revelers, they came forward and carefully put a few drops of water on their hands and placed it on the shoulders of the couple. Smiles, wais, and the couple moved on. As I came up to them, they attempted to blast my eyes with a pipe water gun. I stood there for a second fighting the urge to kill the guy, the appropriate action towards someone who had just attempted to blind me, and then decided to move on........

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

I don't want to begrudge anyone, Thai or farang, their reasonable fun...

But those having fun need to show some respect as well... There are times when people, Thai and farang alike, REALLY don't want to get soaked... Like the Thai guy in the OP who was headed for a funeral... Or people working at their jobs... etc etc...

But too often, the water revelers, Thai and farang alike, are drunk off their *****s and don't care what they do to other people. You ask not to get drenched, and invariably in Bangkok, some idiot still drenches you with water.

There are times when I want to go out and play water. There are times I want to stay dry. The revelers really need to respect that, or things are going to get worse and worse.

This year, I stayed at home for Song Kran, because I knew there's no way I'd make it up or down my soi without getting soaked.

[Rainmon]

SONGKRAN: A festival that was originally designed to show respect has been perverted into an excuse for people to act like complete morons for an entire week. What is wrong with people, see this asshol_e spraying a lady driving a motor bike in the face at close range with a water cannon, he should be arrested for assault. But the mentality is, this is all done in "fun", She could have easily wrecked her bike and been seriously hurt. But, nothing will be done about this insanity. I really feel sorry for the 58 year old guy on his way to a funeral, I was once totally soaked about 10pm at night near Nana Plaza by an idiot like the guy who attacked him, he was just looking for a fight, I have never been so angry. He was a big Thai guy with long hair over 6 feet tall and much bigger than me, I calmed down and walked away but wanted to go back and for revenge:

[cutter007]

I believe there are around 3000+ homicides in Thailand per year.

So if there were only 3 over a 2 day span then that's like a 70% drop at least off the average.

Of course there were other homicides during these days, the article was just mentioning ones that had a songkran twist to them.

So for all those bah humbug grumps out there blah blazings about how out of control you think the holiday has become, and using these crimes as a reference.

If they canceled sonkran there would still be the homicides, they would just be the usual run of the mill boring ones, that don't get there own article.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

If you do like it then just be grateful that you are living in this crazy whacky country where they like to have fun.

People chucking buckets of water at motorcycle drivers while they're riding down the road is not fun -- it's dangerous to the driver and anyone else in the vicinity of the crash that's liable to occur.

[Mxcross]

"Meanwhile, a male transvestite was fined Bt500 yesterday for dancing topless at a party in Ayutthaya"

This must raise an interesting legal point. At what point does a man not wearing a shirt constitute a crime even if he has stuck a pair of fake breasts on his chest????

Transvestite Not Transexual.

Totally agree ! I have seen tourists here with bigger MOOBS than most of the lady boys !

Surely fining the man is illegal in itself as he is still a man??? wether he has added breasts or not, just shows the hypocrissy in the Thai legal system.

[hellodolly]

Basically; New Year is an overdone thing in Thailand. First there is the traditional New years Eve celebrations on Dec' 31st, then Chinese New Year in February, and then Songkran in April. It's nuts and just reasons to get pissed and act like uncontrollable dorks. If the Thai's need a reason for an extra holiday in April and a few days off work why not just have a Bank Holiday weekend. No need for all the water throwing and additional drunken lunacy which leads to violent behaviour and multiple road deaths. Most of the Thai's around our way, and in my Wife's old village, just stay indoors until the lunatics are back in the asylum.

Hate to break the news to you but you are in Thailand and Songkran is the traditional new years. They just celebrate the January one for the benefit of the Farongs.

In my country they ignore the traditional Thai new year. What do they do in your homeland for the traditional Thai new year?

Answer probably nothing. Stuck up bunch of snobs with no respect for other cultures.

They come here and still have no respect for other cultures even though they make a conscience choice to live in one.

[xavierr]

Like any festival, it has its good sides and its bad sides. Some people love it and some people hate it. But the fact is that, despite everything, I prefer the degree of unruliness. When I go out to the street it allows me to exercise my good humor and take things in the right spirit.

I know I would find it loathsome to live in a police state where only "safe activities" would be permitted and where the festival would be held in "especially designated areas".

[thaicon]

I'm Thai - Kreng jai, mai bpen rai, wai,

I'm arrogant, selfish, vain, I'm thai,

I'm beautiful, tough, insane, mai cow jai,

I smile all day, and wait for Song Kran, I die...mai bpen

rai, I'm Thai.

[strollling]

In one, a 58-year-old man in Chumphon was clubbed to death by a drunken reveller for objecting to being drenched with water.

Land of smiles.

'Behind every smile is an angry Thai.'

As I remember another poster saying.

Following and then clubbing a 58 yr old to death because he made you lose face for acting stupidly... pure Thai-ness.

Edited April 16, 2012 by strollling

[hellodolly]

You can all vent if you wish but you should know by now you can not change Thais or even slow them down about celebrations. It's like a ballistic missile. It starts, you cannot change direction, and cannot stop it. Anyone dying at anytime is a tragedy but Thais don't see it that way. For them, shit happens, move on.

Agreed and disagree

We as farongs can change it. Start by staying sober and showing a little bit of common sense. As a trend the Farongs tend to make it even worse.

[strollling]

We as farongs can change it. Start by staying sober and showing a little bit of common sense.

Farang mai sanook.

[hellodolly]

I agree with a previous poster, these kind of celebrations need to be confined to designated areas, so as to allow those who wish to go about their normal business to do so in peace-like the man who was on his way to attend a funeral.

For the most part they are the crazy ones that is.

The spots are known as Tourist areas.

Go into the Thai part of town and see if they have the streets lined with people throwing water at truckloads of people who have 50 gallon barrels of water.

We came home from Pichluc one year and had to go through a lot of towns they all had side roads one could take to avoid the bulk of the water throwing or in some cases hosing.

I don't know the specifics of the man on the way to attend a funeral but I would be willing to bet he could have taken another route, But according to the article the man had stopped and had a altercation with the killer who not only shot him but robbed him. Here in Chiang Mai when some one on a motor bike gets hit by water they don't stop and argue they keep going.

And the biker gang related only one killed. Defiantly not a western biker gang.

As for the lad defending his sister that was a shame may she rest in peace,

Did you actually read the OP before jumping on your computer to tell everyone what an expert you are? Unbelievable...........

The guy on the way to the funeral was clubbed, not shot, and the sister didn't die, her brother did.

RIP to all of them, I nearly killed a Russian on beach road in Pattaya yesterday, sadly no knives or clubs were handy at the time. Wearing swimming goggles whilst unloading water cannons into other peoples eyes is just not on, but the rest of the day was great with very little aggression or confrontation.

You are right I have a bad habit and a short memory and often fail to go back and double check the details.

But I take it except for those two mistakes you agreed with the rest of the article. Thank you for pointing them out.

[ThaiTerry]

I agree with a previous poster, these kind of celebrations need to be confined to designated areas, so as to allow those who wish to go about their normal business to do so in peace-like the man who was on his way to attend a funeral.

For wilguy, KireB and Margues hey why don't you three get together and start an action to ban Songkran or get it moved to deligated areas. That should keep you busy for many years and keep your stupid posts off this site.

[hellodolly]

This sort of madness comes and goes, rather like fashions. I can remember the time in England when my local beauty spot would be overrun on bank holidays by warring mobs of Mods and Rockers. The police would just cordon off the area and move in afterwards to remove the carnage.

I suspect Songkran will reach a peak and then be replaced with some new self destructive festival. loy krathong seems to be gently heading that way.

I think that is part of the agenda for the foreign missionaries. Get rid of all these Buddhist festivals and replace them with Christian ones munch as they did to get the Christian celebrations they have today.

[charmonman]

My first Songkran was 25 years ago and I enjoyed it thoroughly. In the years since it has gotten more and more aggressive and ugly. Those who explain this away by saying that murders like this occur during holidays in the US or the UK are missing the point. Those of us who experienced Thai culture in years gone by appreciated it because it was so completely different, and in many ways superior to the aggressive, violent cultures we were escaping. Now, Thailand is much the same as those other places, and people just accept it as normal. It may be normal now, but it definitely wasn't then, and Thailand is a much worse place for it.

[apple69]

I was once totally soaked about 10pm at night near Nana Plaza by an idiot like the guy who attacked him, he was just looking for a fight, I have never been so angry. He was a big Thai guy with long hair over 6 feet tall and much bigger than me, I calmed down and walked away but wanted to go back and for revenge:

I'm not saying it wouldn't possibly be annoying but to be fair, I feel if you are walking near Nana Plaza at any time during Songkran, you should expect that there's a chance you might get wet. I was walking along lower Sukhumvit at 1am last night and was in my jeans and a shirt and yep... I too got soaked (bucket of water) - but screw it, I had dodged a few water bullets throughout the evening and knew that my time had come. Nothing to get angry about... at least not in that area.

[LTGTR]

Really,gangs in LOS?

Is the government aware?

Is TAT aware?

This is so sad and yet it goes on...........

Soak Kran is the worst time to visit LOS,period.

Edited April 16, 2012 by LTGTR

[HerbalEd]

"Meanwhile, a male transvestite was fined Bt500 yesterday for dancing topless at a party in Ayutthaya"

This must raise an interesting legal point. At what point does a man not wearing a shirt constitute a crime even if he has stuck a pair of fake breasts on his chest????

I think you answered your own question.

[anterian]

This sort of madness comes and goes, rather like fashions. I can remember the time in England when my local beauty spot would be overrun on bank holidays by warring mobs of Mods and Rockers. The police would just cordon off the area and move in afterwards to remove the carnage.

I suspect Songkran will reach a peak and then be replaced with some new self destructive festival. loy krathong seems to be gently heading that way.

I think that is part of the agenda for the foreign missionaries. Get rid of all these Buddhist festivals and replace them with Christian ones munch as they did to get the Christian celebrations they have today.

I think you will find that commercial interests are the driving force, not missionaries. Valentine's day, Halloween, Christmas are all fostered and sponsored by big business.

[Gillespie]

Actually, I think this shows Thailand in a good light. OK, the country's got its fair share of drunken, sociopathic morons, but they conduct their homicidal mayhem in the true spirit of sanuk that we all know and love so much. If only insensitive farang would appreciate this before they fall from their Pattaya balconies.

[hellodolly]

Sure I get tired of being soaked but it's a great festival and don't think it should be changed at all. The road accients and very small handful of assults is no doubt sad but I love this country for just taking things to the next level. You know Songkran is going to happen so it's not as if it's a surprise - if you don't like it just batton down your hatches and call 1112. If you do like it then just be grateful that you are living in this crazy whacky country where they like to have fun.

Right on.

Most Thai's unlike farongs are not afraid to live and enjoy it while it lasts.

Edited April 16, 2012 by hellodolly