Songkran With A Slingshot....

[canuckamuck]

On the first day of Songkran we were hauling a seriously injured guy (motorcycle accident) to the hospital. He was in the back of the truck and though we tried to wave people off, but we still got doused while making our way through town.

Edited April 17, 2012 by canuckamuck

[Pseudolus]

My observation on Songkran. Completely not my style at all, but had a business client stop over on the weekend and he stayed in Suk Soi 2. He knew nothing of SOngkran so I explained to him and although curios he had no intention of getting wet.Over two nights we had drinks and dinner in lower Suk, and also same on sunday in SOi 33. Walking around the Thai's playing water never once splashed us when we made it clear we did not want it. The drunk obnoxiousness farangs all did and frankly it got us both quite angry. The locals seemed to get it that not everyone is interested, the farangs simply don't.

[Langsuan Man]

What I get out of this story is the poor example you are setting for your 7 year old step daughter

Maybe her mother ought to take over and show her what Songkran is really about, not the the bastardized festival farangs have made it

[msg362]

My observation on Songkran. Completely not my style at all, but had a business client stop over on the weekend and he stayed in Suk Soi 2. He knew nothing of SOngkran so I explained to him and although curios he had no intention of getting wet.Over two nights we had drinks and dinner in lower Suk, and also same on sunday in SOi 33. Walking around the Thai's playing water never once splashed us when we made it clear we did not want it. The drunk obnoxiousness farangs all did and frankly it got us both quite angry. The locals seemed to get it that not everyone is interested, the farangs simply don't.

Be careful, I got called a racist for saying something similar about CM

[robblok]

I did not use a hose, let alone a high pressure one (I didn't mention a hose at all, but I didn't clarify the exact spashing device I was using). Just a mini bowl scoop (like the ones used for pale flush toilet) and tap water (nothing added). The "pressure" was nothing deadly or anywhere near that. A person (paying attention and/or driving at the speed limit) has enough time to see the water bucket. More than enough people had enough time to wave me off if they didn't want it, although there were a few that did it right as I raised up the dish. So no malicious intent, although I could have phrased the OP a bit better to reflect this.

So now you see yourself as judge and executioner at the same time. Verdict going to fast and not paying attention. Punishment water thrown at your face at speed (you did say he was speeding). Result an accident that leaves the poor rider with road rash (possible)

I agree you have to drive careful on songkran but you OP are the one doing the dangerous thing by throwing water at a moving bike. Two wrongs dont make a right. Did you mother never teach you that.

I guess you also don't drive a bike or ever been injured on one. Consideration for others that is what it is all about.

Sorry for editing a bit it was impossible with all the quote tags.

[HeavyDrinker]

I don't know why everyone is saying that it is only non-Thais who are twattish over Songkhran.

As the death toll nears 300, mostly from drunk driving Thais, I'd like a few comments on that....

[robblok]

I don't know why everyone is saying that it is only non-Thais who are twattish over Songkhran.

As the death toll nears 300, mostly from drunk driving Thais, I'd like a few comments on that....

We don't even need to discuss that its crazy. Drunk driving is much too accepted here.

[JSixpack]

I did not use a hose, let alone a high pressure one (I didn't mention a hose at all, but I didn't clarify the exact spashing device I was using). Just a mini bowl scoop (like the ones used for pale flush toilet) and tap water (nothing added). The "pressure" was nothing deadly or anywhere near that. A person (paying attention and/or driving at the speed limit) has enough time to see the water bucket. More than enough people had enough time to wave me off if they didn't want it, although there were a few that did it right as I raised up the dish. So no malicious intent, although I could have phrased the OP a bit better to reflect this.

So now you see yourself as judge and executioner at the same time. Verdict going to fast and not paying attention. Punishment water thrown at your face at speed (you did say he was speeding). Result an accident that leaves the poor rider with road rash (possible)

I agree you have to drive careful on songkran but you OP are the one doing the dangerous thing by throwing water at a moving bike. Two wrongs dont make a right. Did you mother never teach you that.

I guess you also don't drive a bike or ever been injured on one. Consideration for others that is what it is all about.

Sorry for editing a bit it was impossible with all the quote tags.

+1.

I agree w/ the posters who lamented the driver didn't aim that slingshot directly at your head. That driver could have been me and you MIGHT have caused an accident.

OP, even after you got that reaction, you just kept right on. At least your wife has some sense.

Wish more would use their slingshots--effectively.

Edited April 18, 2012 by JSixpack

[HeavyDrinker]

not the the bastardized festival farangs have made it

What are you talking about? It's not "Farangs" who have marketed Songkhran to the imbecile tourists, but the Thais.

Sadly you reap what you sow.....

This mass commercialism of Songkhran and all the imbecility which comes with it can be laid firmly at the door of the Thais...

[DLock]

My observation on Songkran. Completely not my style at all, but had a business client stop over on the weekend and he stayed in Suk Soi 2. He knew nothing of SOngkran so I explained to him and although curios he had no intention of getting wet.Over two nights we had drinks and dinner in lower Suk, and also same on sunday in SOi 33. Walking around the Thai's playing water never once splashed us when we made it clear we did not want it. The drunk obnoxiousness farangs all did and frankly it got us both quite angry. The locals seemed to get it that not everyone is interested, the farangs simply don't.

We had a similar experience on Sunday night, the last night of Songkran in Bangkok.

It was about 9pm and we had gotten a taxi to Soi 11 to go to Limoncello (it was closed). We had to walk less than 20 meters and some farang doused my buddy with a bucket of water. This, despite being well dressed, carrying a phone and waving them away.

That was enough for him. He walked up to the guy in the middle of the group of farangs and punched him upside the head, and knocked the Bejesus out of him. The other farangs did nothing.

We didnt mind getting wet for 3 days in Chiang Mai and 2 days in Laos (where he got belted again and came off his mountain bike), but 9pm, dressed properly, and asking not to be wet, I think he had taken all he could take.

It was pretty funny to see the big guy lose his marbles and deliver the final beatdown of Songkran.

[robblok]

My observation on Songkran. Completely not my style at all, but had a business client stop over on the weekend and he stayed in Suk Soi 2. He knew nothing of SOngkran so I explained to him and although curios he had no intention of getting wet.Over two nights we had drinks and dinner in lower Suk, and also same on sunday in SOi 33. Walking around the Thai's playing water never once splashed us when we made it clear we did not want it. The drunk obnoxiousness farangs all did and frankly it got us both quite angry. The locals seemed to get it that not everyone is interested, the farangs simply don't.

We had a similar experience on Sunday night, the last night of Songkran in Bangkok.

It was about 9pm and we had gotten a taxi to Soi 11 to go to Limoncello (it was closed). We had to walk less than 20 meters and some farang doused my buddy with a bucket of water. This, despite being well dressed, carrying a phone and waving them away.

That was enough for him. He walked up to the guy in the middle of the group of farangs and punched him upside the head, and knocked the Bejesus out of him. The other farangs did nothing.

We didnt mind getting wet for 3 days in Chiang Mai and 2 days in Laos (where he got belted again and came off his mountain bike), but 9pm, dressed properly, and asking not to be wet, I think he had taken all he could take.

It was pretty funny to see the big guy lose his marbles and deliver the final beatdown of Songkran.

What is it with people who like violence, just because your big does not mean you should kick the shit out of someone. So funny seeing someone loose it and beating someone up.

I just could not do that my anger is gone too quickly and think i think about what can go wrong. Like doing serious damage and ending up in a police station. Sounds so low class to beat someone up but i see it advertised here on Thaivisa a lot. Looks like a lot of people love violence. Wonder how they would like it if they are on the receiving end.

[HeavyDrinker]

What is it with people who like violence, just because your big does not mean you should kick the shit out of someone. So funny seeing someone loose it and beating someone up.

I just could not do that my anger is gone too quickly and think i think about what can go wrong. Like doing serious damage and ending up in a police station. Sounds so low class to beat someone up but i see it advertised here on Thaivisa a lot. Looks like a lot of people love violence. Wonder how they would like it if they are on the receiving end.

Well said Rob.

[loong]

What I get out of this story is the poor example you are setting for your 7 year old step daughter

Maybe her mother ought to take over and show her what Songkran is really about, not the the bastardized festival farangs have made it

No way that you can blame this on Farangs. The most moronic and inconsiderate behaviour I have seen away from the tourist areas is always by Thais. Do you honestly think that if there had never been any Farangs in Thailand Songkran would have remained the simple, gentle and respectful pouring of a little scented water?

[thaibeachlovers]

It's not cool to splash motorbikes, especially without warning.

You're an idiot, or a troll. I hope it's the latter.

And this is from someone who *LOVES* Songkran. But please don't be a moron, endangering other peoples lives. You just don't get it.

I agree, it's definitely NOT cool to throw water on a bike driver, though pillion passengers are fair game ( if they don't want to get wet, raincoats are cheap at 7/11 ). How would you feel if one fell off and was injured?

[thaibeachlovers]

My observation on Songkran. Completely not my style at all, but had a business client stop over on the weekend and he stayed in Suk Soi 2. He knew nothing of SOngkran so I explained to him and although curios he had no intention of getting wet.Over two nights we had drinks and dinner in lower Suk, and also same on sunday in SOi 33. Walking around the Thai's playing water never once splashed us when we made it clear we did not want it. The drunk obnoxiousness farangs all did and frankly it got us both quite angry. The locals seemed to get it that not everyone is interested, the farangs simply don't.

In my experience, that's not true.

In parts of the country that never see a farang, they're out throwing water on everyone.

[draftvader]

We were walking with our little baby girl, 6 months, in the buggy and we walked through 3 water fights. Without exception somebody in each group shouted out to warn everybody that a baby was coming through and a truce was briefly called. We did get our faces painted, but that was fine by us. Somebody asked if they could put some on our baby's face and we said no (who wants to do the shopping with a crying baby?), they smiled, wai'ed us and we wai/smiled back.

Unsurprisingly this was in an area where the only expats are the ones that seem to know better and want a peaceful life and there were none in sight anyway.

In our soi we got hit with water pistols a couple of times, but only little shots and after asking. It is all about respect (yes, I meant that, you are reaping your actions for the year....very Thai indeed).

[Pseudolus]

My observation on Songkran. Completely not my style at all, but had a business client stop over on the weekend and he stayed in Suk Soi 2. He knew nothing of SOngkran so I explained to him and although curios he had no intention of getting wet.Over two nights we had drinks and dinner in lower Suk, and also same on sunday in SOi 33. Walking around the Thai's playing water never once splashed us when we made it clear we did not want it. The drunk obnoxiousness farangs all did and frankly it got us both quite angry. The locals seemed to get it that not everyone is interested, the farangs simply don't.

Be careful, I got called a racist for saying something similar about CM

Not racism to say that your typical sex tourist are shit heads that comes here at Songkran so he has something to whack off to for the next year remembering the groping and sexual harassment they dish out believing it is ok because all Thai girls are or were hookers. Not racism at all. They are scum. Fact. And I know there are many that read and participate in this forum thinking that their 2 weeks a year here shagging their way through Sukhumvit / Pattaya / Patong etc makes them a living legend or the worlds last great romantic as well as making them an authority on Thai Culture and living here. The fact is though, they are whore mongers and the only reason they have to do it here as opposed to where they live is economics; they do not have the green to do it in the US, Europe or Australia. I would take any of these cretins seriously and respect their input into this forum after they have sat through a meeting with the Revenue Department about capitalisation; their view v's common bloody sense. Or something similar to this. Until such time as they actually know anything about this country outside of the bargirls they doink and the stories their other useless know nothing sex tourist mates tell them, then balls to the lot of them. It is not racism.

And the bloke that smacked one of them in the head for pouring a bucket of water of him, good for you. Should have added a couple more for good luck.