Songkran In Pattaya

[Artisan]

Postpone the truck Mobi until 19th or 20th and come down to Jomtien Beach Road on Pattaya Songkhran Day.

[Kerryd]

Or should I cancel the truck?

Personally i would cancel the truck............unless you plan to wander further afield you aint going to have much fun around the Pattaya area on those dates.

What ? The truck is perfect ! The driver can sit in air-conditioned comfort with the windows rolled up, while the ankle-biters are getting soaked in the back (and soaking others)!

[Pattaya_Fox]

Probably a little too early to be blasting people from the truck.

Water pistols until the 16th then building to a waterfall on the 19th.

Cancel the truck and give some of us a break

[thaiflyer1]

Or should I cancel the truck?

Personally i would cancel the truck............unless you plan to wander further afield you aint going to have much fun around the Pattaya area on those dates.

What ? The truck is perfect ! The driver can sit in air-conditioned comfort with the windows rolled up, while the ankle-biters are getting soaked in the back (and soaking others)!

Ideal on the 19th..............but not much fun on the earlier dates is what i meant to say.

[jdinasia]

EAsier to sit around and drink and let the trucks swing past you!

[Kerryd]

EAsier to sit around and drink and let the trucks swing past you!

I think we are only using a truck on the 18th, as the cousin isn't available on any other date. Having the ankle-biters armed and dangerous for a whole week will be a test of patience. Have to figure out how to disarm them without causing a major riot

(would have been easier if I hadn't armed them in the first place )

[jdinasia]

I may actually come down for a day or so .... heading to Kanchanaburi for the real holiday ... should be fun!

[BKKGuitar]

been in pattaya for the last 2 songkran and will not this year i can take 1 day but 7 was just too many.

had a bad experience at seaside cafe just off soi7 having breakfast at 9ish in the morning sitting outside with a girl there was a few other couples, and a stupid falang in the bar next door very mao,started firing one of those cannons at a guy walking in the the restaraunt tottally soaking everyone outside and a ruining a few peoples meals.

is there an offical time it is supposed to start at i heard it was middday?

The more i hear about this the less i'm looking forward to my first Songkhran. Wondering: is there any violence, i.e. people angry about being soaked, the fists fly... etc.?

[Pattaya_Fox]

been in pattaya for the last 2 songkran and will not this year i can take 1 day but 7 was just too many.

had a bad experience at seaside cafe just off soi7 having breakfast at 9ish in the morning sitting outside with a girl there was a few other couples, and a stupid falang in the bar next door very mao,started firing one of those cannons at a guy walking in the the restaraunt tottally soaking everyone outside and a ruining a few peoples meals.

is there an offical time it is supposed to start at i heard it was middday?

The more i hear about this the less i'm looking forward to my first Songkhran. Wondering: is there any violence, i.e. people angry about being soaked, the fists fly... etc.?

A few people angry and a few bent water pistols

[BKKGuitar]

A few people angry and a few bent water pistols

I think we should all offer a hearty Thank You to all those bargirls in Pattaya for helping to keep the testosterone count way down. Otherwise, the fists, they be a-flying!

[Maigo6]

You still see it mate, I can never understand why these guys walk down Soi 8 and expect not to get wet, I'm sure they are just looking for trouble.

Come anywhere near me, you get wet, simple.

[raro]

The more i hear about this the less i'm looking forward to my first Songkhran. Wondering: is there any violence, i.e. people angry about being soaked, the fists fly... etc.?

Yes, me.

Seriously, I cannot see anything funny in throwing water on other people five days in a row. Whish I could getaway but couldn't make it this year...

[Mobi]

Probably a little too early to be blasting people from the truck.

Water pistols until the 16th then building to a waterfall on the 19th.

Cancel the truck and give some of us a break

Can't cancel it. The folks won't be here the following week.

Problem solved - THEY are going to Rayong, which celebrates this week. I stay at home and keep ma in law company and pick up the step son from school in thr afternoon.

Sounds good to me.

[Kerryd]

Well, the 12th seemed to be fairly quiet.

I travelled along #2 Road to Soi 7, over to Beach Road, to and along Walking Street (8pm - 2 am). Saw lots of vendors selling legal and illegal water guns, but didn't see a lot of people buying them.

The only person I saw using a water-pistol was a 3 year old kid riding on his daddy's shoulders (fortunately, the little tyke was already out of ammo).

Traffic didn't seem any worse than usual, crowds seemed pretty tame. Just a normal night in Pattaya.

[Kerryd]

Well, the 12th seemed to be fairly quiet.

The 13th was quiet as well, at least along Walking Street. Between 10pm - 2 am, didn't see anything happening. On the way home I saw 1 farang with an (empty ?) water pistol. He wasn't squirting anyone, so I assume it was either empty, or very recently purchased.

Will tonight be the same ? Like the RAIN, only time will tell..........

[Mobi]

Well, the 12th seemed to be fairly quiet.

The 13th was quiet as well, at least along Walking Street. Between 10pm - 2 am, didn't see anything happening. On the way home I saw 1 farang with an (empty ?) water pistol. He wasn't squirting anyone, so I assume it was either empty, or very recently purchased.

Will tonight be the same ? Like the RAIN, only time will tell..........

Thanks kerryd for your report - most interesting.

Out here at Mapbrachan, I can report absolutely no water throwing activities during the last 2 days. Yesterday I drove into N Pattaya to pick up my daughter from the bus terminal, and today I took a drive along the lake, and "driving street' and no signs of Songkran celebrants.

This morning, I had one pickup truck full of guests heading off to Rayong, armed with water tanks and guns, and a minibus, also full of guests,heading off to Jontien for a day on the beach. And now the heavens have opened, so I guess one and all will be a little wet.

Meanwhile, Mobi is enjoying the peace and quiet of his Mobi mansion, with the cool air wafting past him on the terrace, with Cookie, his fathfull Golden, prostrate before him, licking his ankes, in true master /servant tradition.

The maids all buggered off with the rest of the gang.

Edited April 14, 2006 by Mobi D'Ark

[Kerryd]

Thanks kerryd for your report - most interesting.

A bit of a pain in the butt, followed by a nagging pain in the head the next morning, as I try to keep the crowd here informed while investigating various "establishments" downtown

Meanwhile, Mobi is enjoying the peace and quiet of his Mobi mansion, with the cool air wafting past him on the terrace, with Cookie, his fathfull Golden, prostrate before him, licking his ankles, in true master /servant tradition.

I think he/she does that, knowing it will attract the mosquitos to you, rather than him/her !

[raro]

Well, the 12th seemed to be fairly quiet.

The 13th was quiet as well, at least along Walking Street. Between 10pm - 2 am, didn't see anything happening. On the way home I saw 1 farang with an (empty ?) water pistol. He wasn't squirting anyone, so I assume it was either empty, or very recently purchased.

Will tonight be the same ? Like the RAIN, only time will tell..........

Last year after 6 pm any water splashing was banned. Guess they have a similar measure this year again. Was also out last night in Walking Street and I think it was generally quiet - not much going on.

/edit for schpelling

Edited April 14, 2006 by raro

[Mobi]

Thanks kerryd for your report - most interesting.

A bit of a pain in the butt, followed by a nagging pain in the head the next morning, as I try to keep the crowd here informed while investigating various "establishments" downtown

Meanwhile, Mobi is enjoying the peace and quiet of his Mobi mansion, with the cool air wafting past him on the terrace, with Cookie, his fathfull Golden, prostrate before him, licking his ankles, in true master /servant tradition.

I think he/she does that, knowing it will attract the mosquitos to you, rather than him/her !

Mozzies at the Mobi Mansion!!!

We're far too up market to have anything so common as mozzies!!

A few lizards and snakes, and a couple of toads who have taken up residence under Cookie's water bowl - but definitely no mozzies.

By the way she's a she.

The gang returned from their Songkran day out. Reported nothing happening in Rayong, so they drove to Bang Saen, where they had the time of their life - Songkran in full flight. Didn't even notice the rain storms.

[johng]

Well , what can I say ? Songkran seems to be in full swing where I've been lurking.

Yesterday ( 13th ) I drove ( motorcycle ) from south Pattaya to Jomtien beach there where quite a few revelers,but I didn't get wet

Today 14th did the same route and saw many many more water fiends, the road was almost totally gridlocked from the flyover in south Pattaya all the way to Jomtien !!!

Today I got wet

Now it just gets worse and worse ( or better and better depending on your point of view ) up till the 19th when the whole of Pattaya will be gridlocked and total madness ensues..

That's the day I'll be joining in the festivities.. I don't mind one day,but a whole week its a bit too much ..isn't it ????

They where still throwing water untill at least 8pm this evening.

[Sojourner]

I hear you boys are having an election on the 19th. True?? If so, forget about the booze starting on the night of the 18th until 6 PM on the 19th. Hope it's only in Pattaya, ha ha.

[Kerryd]

I hear you boys are having an election on the 19th. True?? If so, forget about the booze starting on the night of the 18th until 6 PM on the 19th. Hope it's only in Pattaya, ha ha.

Yeah, apparently that's true. Who in their right mind schedules an election on Songkran ?

Not sure how things have been in Pattaya the last 2 nights. Still getting over the first 2 nights, plus the rain yesterday dampened my desire to engage in any festivities

[Mobi]

I hear you boys are having an election on the 19th. True?? If so, forget about the booze starting on the night of the 18th until 6 PM on the 19th. Hope it's only in Pattaya, ha ha.

Yeah, apparently that's true. Who in their right mind schedules an election on Songkran ?

Not sure how things have been in Pattaya the last 2 nights. Still getting over the first 2 nights, plus the rain yesterday dampened my desire to engage in any festivities

I can pick up the report for last night, when I made a very rare excursion to South Pattaya/walking street from around 8 p.m to 1.am. Not a single sign of an active water pistol - just a few folorn ones waiting for buyers.

A typical, fairly busy Saturday night in Pattya, with the occasional drizzle tickling my hair to keep things nice and cool.

[Artisan]

I can pick up the report for last night, when I made a very rare excursion to South Pattaya/walking street from around 8 p.m to 1.am. Not a single sign of an active water pistol - just a few folorn ones waiting for buyers.

...."forlorn ones waiting for buyers" Mobi? Do you mean the katoeys sitting in Linda Bar?

[Mobi]

I can pick up the report for last night, when I made a very rare excursion to South Pattaya/walking street from around 8 p.m to 1.am. Not a single sign of an active water pistol - just a few folorn ones waiting for buyers.

...."forlorn ones waiting for buyers" Mobi? Do you mean the katoeys sitting in Linda Bar?

Very good Artisan - I walked right into that didn't I.

Wouldn't know about Linda Bar. I was with my lovely wife, and my rather prudish daughter (don't know where she got that from ) and her husband. The only bar I dared venture into was the Blues Factory, which we enjoyed immensely.

One thing though, Dave. I don't know what other guys think, but one of my pet all time irritations in Thailand is male toilet attendants who lurk the toilets, smiling and presumably offereing some kind of service. When I want to take a piss, I'd rather not be disturbed by ingratiating loo cleaners. Maybe it's just me?

Excellent place, excellent music - just get rid of the male willy washer.

[Artisan]

One thing though, Dave. I don't know what other guys think, but one of my pet all time irritations in Thailand is male toilet attendants who lurk the toilets, smiling and presumably offereing some kind of service. When I want to take a piss, I'd rather not be disturbed by ingratiating loo cleaners. Maybe it's just me?

Excellent place, excellent music - just get rid of the male willy washer.

No. it's not just you Mobi. The last thing that I want when I 'siphon the python' is to have a male toilet attendant try to massage my shoulders or try to wash or dry my hands afterwards. I don't like it at all and I flinch every time and I admit that I can get very touchy (no pun intended). It happens everywhere throughout Thailand. What are the proprietors thinking about?

Having said that, there is a club (Fortuna Club) in New Petchburi Road in Bangkok where the very same services are given.....but by extremely enchanting Thai girls in evening dresses. They even check that your zip has been fastened up.................Nice.

[Mobi]

same services are given.....but by extremely enchanting Thai girls in evening dresses. They even check that your zip has been fastened up.................Nice.

Now you're talking

yes, Artisan, I know its a Thai thing, and I guess most Thais who frequent upmarket bars and clubs are happy being fondled and having these men generally prostrate themselves all around them. But I just can't stand it.

Last night the Blues factory was heaving - but I didn't see any Thai male customers, so what's it all about? I didn't even feel like washing my hands with that character lurking by the hand basin to do God knows what with soap and towels!! And when you open the door to into to the loo, the door crashes right into him, as he insists on sitting just inside the door.

Good job the music was great.

[melonf]

same services are given.....but by extremely enchanting Thai girls in evening dresses. They even check that your zip has been fastened up.................Nice.

yes, Artisan, I know its a Thai thing, and I guess most Thais who frequent upmarket bars and clubs are happy being fondled and having these men generally prostrate themselves all around them. But I just can't stand it.

Good job the music was great.

I have never met anyone who has had a good word to say about the concept of toilet tipping. I certainly choose to avoid bars that employ these wretches.

It would be very interesting to hear the reason for employing them from a friendly bar owner. Presumably people overtip massively and the bar gets a cut.

At the very least we should start a campaign to never tip in the toilets inside bars

[Kerryd]

At the very least we should start a campaign to never tip in the toilets inside bars

I'm a cheap charlie, I hold it until my eyes cross and my face turns yellow, then hi-tail it to the public toilets next to the Blues Factory. (used to be run by an old mamasan and her two cute daughters that looked like they were in their mid to late 20's)

5 baht fee (used to be 3 ) and no attendant trying to get personal. Little bit messy and smelly at times though

[Pattaya_Fox]

There is a website called ihatetoiletattendants.co.uk

The first time I met a toilet attendant was in a rather upmarket club in London and I must say that if you are not used to having someone handing you your paper towels to dry your hands or brushing your lapels it can be quite disconcerting. However over the years you get used to it.

We see female cleaners quite often cleaning in Thai toilets and they don`t seem to care so why should we?

To be fair to Dave`s toilet attendant at the Blues Factory he is a very happy chappy and he appreciates a bit of humour and the wet towel on the back of the neck is very refreshing.