3 Murders As Songkran In Thailand Turns Ugly

[phuturatica]

This is terrifying to read after I was robbed at knife point for 1,700 baht. I'm just thankful and lucky to be alive I guess. RIP all those who were murdered.

[MyFriend You]

I am sorry I will miss it this year, I don't arrive until the 18th - even though my wife was assaulted by two Katooey's on Sukumvitt near Soi 7 - I was in front of her and heard her yelling - she is a short stout Vietnamese, with some terribly quick feet and hands, she kicked and punched, pulled hair, scratched and by the time I got there a katooey was down with a bloody face and two stall ladies standing on him, the other one no where to be found. The reason??? They wanted to rub 'Bang' in her face and made the mistake of grabbing her to do it. Hell, I wouldn't grab her for any reason, local deaf stall attendants helped her chase them away, but by then the damage was done - it took me six hours to calm her down, all we were doing was what W11GUY said, enjoying the water festival, walking around getting wet.......<deleted> ruined it for her, she would't leave the hotel after that - I am just glad they weren't carrying a knife or a gun.............say what you want about the Deaf stall attendants, yeah they are hawkers, but thats their life, and puts their street, they helped - we always visit them when we are in town and the story is told over & over (with hand signals) and No, she is not a martial artist, she was just one pissed off lady.

[MyFriend You]

"Sawadee bi mai" all in the name of fun, gets better ever year!!

yes indeed, a 15 year old girl lying in a pool of her own blood with a limb hanging off just after crashing into a pick up to avoid some drunks throwing water on a main road...my thoughts were just like yours when I saw it yesterday.."all in the name of fun, gets better every year!!"... and those guys parking on a three lane dual carriageway throwing water across two lanes to the motorbike on the overtaking lane... "all in the name of fun, gets better every year!!"

Been here 10 years . Try and change it! Cuts down the population. Like Late 70's Quatermass.

I've been here more than 10 years and I wouldn't try to change a thing, not that I could if I wanted to. It has nothing to do with changing things to believe that the needless deaths of hundreds of young people is plainly not "good fun" .... it is in fact rather tragic.. no matter what culture you come from. Not that it is down to culture anyway ... it's just the elite protecting the status quo by making sure that the Hoi Poloi have their fun.... after all, when do you see the police actually protecting anyone here?

In Pattaya, the bar I was in asked the customers to help hire guards to keep the revelers from coming in and throwing water on us - we enjoyed 3 lovely afternoons, got wet, but not assaulted - for nothing more than 4,000 baht for 4 guards who were very effective in keeping the rid rat outside, of course we joined in on the revelry, but were able to disconnect and go into a dry bar............fun was had by all........and Yes I agree with this poster, "I would't change a thing" Its only a couple hundred that screw it up for twenty thousand............

[hawker9000]

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 was waiting to see how the Songkran defenders would respond. 'Just amazing. They'd miss not being able to act like jackasses and join in the juvenile mayhem.

[hawker9000]

Songkran has escalated from a fun and relatively respectful event it used to be to the aggressive, no-fun hazard is has become in many parts of the country today. Before the usual crowd retorts that if I don't like it I can leave the country and go back to my own country, may I point out I've probably been here a lot longer (a quarter century) than the vast majority of those that bring up that lame argument. It is possible for a farang to have a legitimate appreciation for what this country's culture has to offer and at the same time to object to how one of it's traditions seems to have gone seriously off the rails. This gives no excuse for a bunch of tourists to tell them to leave. Besides, there are a lot of Thais who don't exactly enjoy being assaulted - you want to tell them to leave too?

I read a piece in the Thai airways inflight magazine. It totally contradicts your statement here. An elderly lady describes her relatives from DingDang attacking war-style their family home in Silom each year. Water fights, fun and lots of aggression ended in injury each year, but they loved it. I too have been here for as long as you. Songkran has not changed, I've celebrated from the north to south, east to west, and now go to Chiangmai every year. Justify your statement! I think it might be you've just got too old to enjoy it like the young do with such aplomb. Everybody to there own, but if you can't deal with it, I have not problem saying you should leave.

Oh my goodness! Thai airways inflight magazine!!?? No, really? Now THERE's an authoritative news source for you!! And I mean after all, what POSSIBLE motive might such a respected publication as the Thai Airways inflight magazine have for downplaying Songkran excesses and hazards? It's GOOD to know that someone is covering that for ThaiVisa. Maybe next time you could report on what 'High Times' has to say about it all for us.

Yes, Pollyanna, it has changed. And I have no problem saying these "love-[all the violence & mayhem]-or-leave-it" comments are pathetic, not to mention a just a bit suspect.

[charmonman]

Songkran has escalated from a fun and relatively respectful event it used to be to the aggressive, no-fun hazard is has become in many parts of the country today. Before the usual crowd retorts that if I don't like it I can leave the country and go back to my own country, may I point out I've probably been here a lot longer (a quarter century) than the vast majority of those that bring up that lame argument. It is possible for a farang to have a legitimate appreciation for what this country's culture has to offer and at the same time to object to how one of it's traditions seems to have gone seriously off the rails. This gives no excuse for a bunch of tourists to tell them to leave. Besides, there are a lot of Thais who don't exactly enjoy being assaulted - you want to tell them to leave too?

I read a piece in the Thai airways inflight magazine. It totally contradicts your statement here. An elderly lady describes her relatives from DingDang attacking war-style their family home in Silom each year. Water fights, fun and lots of aggression ended in injury each year, but they loved it. I too have been here for as long as you. Songkran has not changed, I've celebrated from the north to south, east to west, and now go to Chiangmai every year. Justify your statement! I think it might be you've just got too old to enjoy it like the young do with such aplomb. Everybody to there own, but if you can't deal with it, I have not problem saying you should leave.

Sorry if my memory doesn't correspond exactly to yours or people who write for inflight magazines. I remember it being all water pistols and small pails of water, not the water cannons you see these days. I had a few buckets thrown at me while riding past on my motorbike, but I usually had fair warning of what was coming my way. As for me being too old to enjoy it, I still go to punk rock shows and make my way through seething mosh pits on a regular basis - it still seems less hazardous and more respectful than a Songkran celebration in certain areas of Bangkok these days!

[Ulysses G.]

Sorry if my memory doesn't correspond exactly to yours or people who write for inflight magazines. I remember it being all water pistols and small pails of water, not the water cannons you see these days.

I have been here as long as you and there were plenty of BIG buckets of water and those pvc water cannons being used back then. Songkran has not changed much other than a little calmer as less celebrants than a few years ago.

[timewilltell]

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.

So homicide is fun as long as you have fun doing it. Would that apply to rape too?

[charmonman]

Sorry if my memory doesn't correspond exactly to yours or people who write for inflight magazines. I remember it being all water pistols and small pails of water, not the water cannons you see these days.

I have been here as long as you and there were plenty of BIG buckets of water and those pvc water cannons being used back then. Songkran has not changed much other than a little calmer as less celebrants than a few years ago.

It's interesting that people remember the same events differently. Let's just say that I must have been hanging out in different parts of the country and different parts of Bangkok than you in the late 80s and early 90s because I certainly do not remember it that way.

[Ulysses G.]

Chiang Mai - where I live - has always had the wildest celebration in the country. It is actually much tamer than it was when I first got here.

[coma]

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.

Too funny, taken to the BiB by his relatives.

The BIB may have ordered to Tranny to conduct a re-enactment the crime. Purely for thier investigation of the crime of course.

[geriatrickid]

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.

Too funny, taken to the BiB by his relatives.

The BIB may have ordered to Tranny to conduct a re-enactment the crime. Purely for thier investigation of the crime of course.

Judging from the video, I think a fashion crime also occurred.

[Kilgore Trout]

And the more polite / classy way to say it is "khon dtang prathet"

Thought it's Khon Dtang Tchart....

They are both correct; one means person from a different country, one means person of a different nationality.

Different from "falang" which means white person and has nothing to do with citizenship or nationality.

[GentlemanJim]

Chiang Mai - where I live - has always had the wildest celebration in the country. It is actually much tamer than it was when I first got here.

I, when I were a lad in Chang Mai, us parents used to drown us to death in a bucket of water every year at songkran, then make us swim toot bottom of Mariana Trench just for us supper then muder us to sleep with a broken bottle of Perrier water and dance on our graves singing 'I'm singing in the rain'. You tell the kids that these days and they just don't believe ya. 280 dead ont roads....pa nothing we used to do that in 1 hour when I were a lad.

[Baerboxer]

Bad things happen when savages get a hold of the drink.

Yes - go into any UK city or town centre on a Thursday, Friday or Saturday night and you'll see drink induced savages! Far worse than in anywhere else I've lived in Europe, Middle East and Asia.

[Mosha]

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.

Hundreds of funerals later this week where the families won't be having much fun.

Posted with Thaivisa App http://apps.thaivisa.com

What a idiotic statement.

There are hundreds of funerals every week where the family's might not be having munch fun.

The few funerals have attended here have not been that bad in "sadness" compare to us "farang"....

I mean, a funeral here is just another excuse to get drunk, eat free and gamble.....

Yes they really laugh their heads off, as the body goes into the chamber for burning.

[whistleblower]

Why is the Nation so reluctant to provide us with real figures/death tolls due in entirety to this stupid free for all 'festival' ? Local news in samut Sakhon reported 7 shot dead in the town on 1 day due to rival gangs and also TNN news reported that 2 people were stabbed to death in Khao san road. How many more murders are being kept out of the news to 'protect' this 'fun holiday' from being banned as it should be. Songkran just brings out all the worst qualities in Thais.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

I'm sure there are some of you TV posters that have been here long enough to remember the days of CLEAN scented / flower-laced water GENTLY tossed from VERY SMALL "pahn" .... that was not only extremely enjoyable, it was cooling, and a show of respect to ANYONE older than the person sprinkling the water. Those of you that have "rote nahm " on elders palms whilst wishing them a great new year and health actually have an idea what Songkran means. Or being in your community temple on Songkran morning... etc., etc. So.... yes, I agree that the whole idea of arbitrarily tossing water has gotten WAAAAY out of hand and DANGEROUS. RIP folks that have passed on due to some of this madness....

Yes... I know and have seen that... Lovely, quaint, and very respectful for everyone involved...

Unfortunately, although that still occurs somewhere here I'm sure, the Song Kran most of us encounter is just the opposite -- drunken, disrespecting, buckets of ice water or spray hoses or water rifles, etc etc etc...

And anyone and everyone is a target for a full body drenching, regardless of whether they want it or not.... If ONLY I could just hold out my hands....

[scotbeve]

I'm sure there are some of you TV posters that have been here long enough to remember the days of CLEAN scented / flower-laced water GENTLY tossed from VERY SMALL "pahn" .... that was not only extremely enjoyable, it was cooling, and a show of respect to ANYONE older than the person sprinkling the water. Those of you that have "rote nahm " on elders palms whilst wishing them a great new year and health actually have an idea what Songkran means. Or being in your community temple on Songkran morning... etc., etc. So.... yes, I agree that the whole idea of arbitrarily tossing water has gotten WAAAAY out of hand and DANGEROUS. RIP folks that have passed on due to some of this madness....

Yes... I know and have seen that... Lovely, quaint, and very respectful for everyone involved...

Unfortunately, although that still occurs somewhere here I'm sure, the Song Kran most of us encounter is just the opposite -- drunken, disrespecting, buckets of ice water or spray hoses or water rifles, etc etc etc...

And anyone and everyone is a target for a full body drenching, regardless of whether they want it or not.... If ONLY I could just hold out my hands....

What has been worse yet has been cases (MANY times... ) of "dirty" water... To all - use your own imagination. And yes, I have seen it being done before.

[KKvampire]

Why is the Nation so reluctant to provide us with real figures/death tolls due in entirety to this stupid free for all 'festival' ? Local news in samut Sakhon reported 7 shot dead in the town on 1 day due to rival gangs and also TNN news reported that 2 people were stabbed to death in Khao san road. How many more murders are being kept out of the news to 'protect' this 'fun holiday' from being banned as it should be. Songkran just brings out all the worst qualities in Thais.

absolutely true. You will never get the true figures, like everything else in Thailand - fake. massaged information for public consumption

[TomTao]

You can add another murder to the number, just been told my wife's nephew was killed on Songkran, he was dancing with friends when someone came up from behind and stabbed in his chest, the hospital couldn't do anything for him. It happened just north of Chumphon at Wat Por Ta Hin Chang. Thats right, on the temple grounds.

Posted with Thaivisa App http://apps.thaivisa.com

[Ulysses G.]

This is a nothing news piece. You want to blame this on Songkran, get a life is my comment. This is daily life anywhere.

Exactly.

[SunriseTacos]

Songkram is a great holiday as usual we have the complainers who complain about all things Thai.

Well most of my neighbors, Thais, are hiding in their condos. They are also openly complaining about the number of accidents, dangerously drunk creeps roaming the streets and the fact that there are hardly any taxis available. Shame on those Thai complainers of everything that is Thai!

Songkran could indeed be a great festival, but has turned the last into a 3 day binge drinking idiocracy.

The Thai government would do well to look closely at zoning Songkran if possible. Country wide mass foolishness is not only an inconvenience to people who have better things to do with their time, but its also dangerous. Many good businesses are also forced to close during this time, to give way to drunken idiocy and selfishness. Saw a Thai girl on her way to work at an optical shop, thoroughly drenched by a drunken Thai guy. I mean, what right does he have to obstruct her going to work?? In the name of what holiday? It should be regulated. Alas, this is Thailand. They cant even zone real estate development.

[BostonBilly]

dam_n kids today....GET OFF MY LAWN!

Seriously though, I was in Prachuap I walked down a street that was the main water fight area. I got wet, I got others wet, I got my face painted.

Then at the end of the street I went to the beach washed off and sat in a beach chair and drank a cold beer. All in all I was in a water fight for about an hour tops then took a swim, I had a great time. Its too bad im always hearing about how awful songkran is from people that most of the time have just been here too long. loosen up and have a little fun and be careful and dont drive drunk. Or better yet dont drive at all for the weekend. god knows some people could use the exercise.

Other places in the world most likely have more violence and deaths in an hour then there are in 5 days of the new year here. There will always be bad people anywhere.

Edited April 18, 2012 by BostonBilly

[heiwa]

This was my experience of songkran. My conclusion drugs has ruined songkran. Listen carefully you "may will" become a target. I filed a police report yesterday. tailgated for 15km, bike on bike, every move I made the rider behind mirrored it following 5cm to 10cm. no reason for road rage as wide open road and never cut him off. guess he had been watching my regular movements. thais tell me this road is awash with robbers and drug addicts. thais have warned me not to use this road - but thought i would be ok at 1pm in the afternoon. Forced me to ride very dangerously of speeds up to 140km/hr. Warning farang brothers - do not ride your bike on deserted roads. Crime is on the upswing - talk to any Thai. Its because the drugs are on a big big big upswing. This has nothing to do with Thai culture or Thai people being bad. Its all to do with drugs and mobs and untouchables on the payroll. Drug war? Ring a bell. Farang we are being targeted by drug gang members today. Take care. Where is God? where is mercy? You won't find mercy or God with drugs and mobs. It is a problem in many countries now. This rampant murder of people linked to drugs.

[Thailion]

How many people know that Thailand is ranking FOURTH in the world for number of murders pro capita?...Big surprise isn't it?Truth is there is a huge underneath violence, and when the standard smiles cracks, anything can happen, without any warning.Land of smile, land of murder....May be a good slogan for the next TAT campaing to promote tourisme??!!...

Maybe you CHECK your statistic source again

http://www.nationmas...-100-000-people

Thailand is on 48th Place from more than 100 countries, greetings from the TAT.

Those are 2004 figures you are using.

I had heard they were sixth.

The murder rate was high because the average Thai never learns any coping skills. They just except every thing and at a point over react.

Just what I have been told.

-hellodolly-

So, than bring your statistics if you think the Murder Rate in THAILAND jumped from 9 per 100.000 in 2004,

in 7 years to 37 per 100.000, that is the 6th place 2004 Venezuela.

Thai Murder rate must than got up in last 7 years 400 % ! You believe that?

So bring your LINKS, or shut up!

And, not write here say, what "somebody" told you ! Or are you just unreasonable?

http://chartsbin.com/view/1454 = 5,9 Murders per 100.000 in 2008

http://en.wikipedia....l_homicide_rate = 5,4 in 2009 - 2010

Same everywhere about place 40-50 so midfield !

He may of been referring to "murder with firearms" ?? Thailand figures are quite alarming.

http://www.nationmaster.com/graph/cri_mur_wit_fir-crime-murders-with-firearms

[heiwa]

It's the way they do things around here - their culture - even if it has been perverted from its original intention - if you don't like it - don't come - or stay home - and don't ride a motorbike (is what I have learnt). They are not going to change for you or me and why should they. Should we give up Christmas for the Thais if they don't like it? And foreigners say Thais are silly! I don't mind Songkran as long as I am not driving and in Laos.

[Thaddeus]

It's the way they do things around here - their culture - even if it has been perverted from its original intention - if you don't like it - don't come - or stay home - and don't ride a motorbike (is what I have learnt). They are not going to change for you or me and why should they. Should we give up Christmas for the Thais if they don't like it? And foreigners say Thais are silly! I don't mind Songkran as long as I am not driving and in Laos.

Right, Ok then, so a bunch of drunk morons in the UK start throwing frozen mince pies at passing traffic during the Christmas period, that would be fine would it? it's mince pies, a fine Christmas tradition.

The display of lunacy and lack of forethought on display during Songkran now bares the same resemblance to the true tradition.

[heiwa]

It's the way they do things around here - their culture - even if it has been perverted from its original intention - if you don't like it - don't come - or stay home - and don't ride a motorbike (is what I have learnt). They are not going to change for you or me and why should they. Should we give up Christmas for the Thais if they don't like it? And foreigners say Thais are silly! I don't mind Songkran as long as I am not driving and in Laos.

Right, Ok then, so a bunch of drunk morons in the UK start throwing frozen mince pies at passing traffic during the Christmas period, that would be fine would it? it's mince pies, a fine Christmas tradition.

The display of lunacy and lack of forethought on display during Songkran now bares the same resemblance to the true tradition.

In a country of over 20,000 gun murders a year this really is not a big deal. Just don't drive is what I learnt. I don't agree with water thrown on me while riding my bike but I know they will do it so I am best to avoid it. What I mean is they aren't going to change so we need to take preventative action or end up in a wheel chair or dead. Just look at all the unexplained suicides, poisonings. 320 deaths in comparison to the estimated 40,000 murdered a year perhaps is not a big deal to the Thais. By comparison Malaysia averages around 5 gun murders a year. Edited April 23, 2012 by heiwa

[NoshowJones]

Last year, i had a cataract removed from one eye on Songkran day at Bumrungrad. Unable to find a taxi i walked to my hotel at the bottom of soi4. Despite the fact that my eye was bandaged and padded, the idiots still threw water into my face. This is the real problem, no one seems able to use common sense, they seem to go straight for the face.

You surely don't expect to find much common sense in Thailand, do you? How long have you been here?