Songkran Is Around The Corner; Is Chiang Mai Really The Best Place In Thailand For It?

[rideswings]

I have heard through the years that Chiang Mai has the best Songkran festivities in Thailand. This is going to be my first Songkran here, so I would love to hear what everyone is doing, and also stories of past Songkrans from veteran Chiang Mai expats. And I would really appreciate an events listing if it has been arranged yet of concerts, festivals, markets etc.

I, for one, plan to be here for the holiday and participate with my gf and boy as much as possible. I love getting doused with water, powder in my face, and acting like a kid for a few days. It takes me away from my everyday arthritic pains and the thought of how old Im getting haha

[ARISTIDE]

I think it is! Usually there's a free concert in front of Central Kad Suen Keaw. Best thing to do is to have a ride in a pickup truck around the moat with girl friends and water guns. Just don't drink too much alcohol!

[hellodolly]

With your attitude you are defiantly going to be in the right city.

That is a double your money back guarantee.

[rookball]

worst period in chiang mai for holidaying in my opinion, not sure about being the best place for songkran though.

im alittle biased though cause i really hated the smog and the week long festival. i think you would enjoy it if you could endure the smog

[Chicog]

Stay away from the moat water it has some interesting and voracious organisms in it.

[Ulysses G.]

worst period in chiang mai for holidaying in my opinion, not sure about being the best place for songkran though.

im alittle biased though cause i really hated the smog and the week long festival. i think you would enjoy it if you could endure the smog

Is this a thread for whining about Songkran or a thread for moaning about the haze?

[rookball]

worst period in chiang mai for holidaying in my opinion, not sure about being the best place for songkran though.

im alittle biased though cause i really hated the smog and the week long festival. i think you would enjoy it if you could endure the smog

Is this a thread for whining about Songkran or a thread for moaning about the haze?

im not whining nor moaning, just stating my personal opinion of april being the worst period for holidaying in chiangmai due to the smog and my personal dislike of songkran and suggested to ts he could infact enjoy songkran if he could overlook the smog

to answer your quesiton, no i dont think this is a thread for whining about songkran or moaning about haze but neither a thread for being apologetic about it

Edited March 16, 2013 by rookball

[eyecatcher]

This should give you a taster of what to expect:...forget that, my pics in bitmac!!

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Edited March 16, 2013 by eyecatcher

[up-country_sinclair]

IMO, Chiang Mai should be avoided during Songkran. Mainly because it goes on and on for far too many days.

[VerbalKint]

"I love getting doused with water, powder in my face, and acting like a kid for a few days"

then you'll love songkran in Chiang Mai

[dave2]

re

Best thing to do is to have a ride in a pickup truck around the moat

yeahh ... great fun being stuck in gridlock : (

pics taken 13 . 14 , 15 april 12

dave2

[DowntownAl]

Ignore the complainers, Songkran is a hoot and a half and CM is the place to be for it. Somebody suggested a pick-up truck cruising the moat would be number one on the list, lacking that, try walking as much of it as you can. I walked from Kad Suan Kaew down to hang-out at the Wild Boar on Loi Kroh last year. The walk took over 2 hours due to the crowds but I had an absolute ball. Nothing like the look on the face of a 10 year old with a bucket of water aiming to show their personal respect to an old farang face, a total hoot. The side road I had to use to get passed the crowd at Tha Pae gate was way too much fun. There was a pick-up truck parked on one side with 3 kids in it, maybe 6 or 7 years old. Up the street came a woman walking beside a policeman. She was telling a story of some sort and he was dilligently writing notes in his book. The kids looked at each other, got little grins on their faces and doused the cop with a bucket full and a hose as he walked by. He looked up with deadly looking scowl, saw the kids laughing and he broke into a huge smile and laughed as well. Not to mention, I nearly laughed my face off, and as I passed the cop he grinned even more at how much I was laughing at him. How can you complain about that? But, like all things, for those who don't like it, stay home.

[weary]

It gets very crowded in Chiang Mai during Sonkran, but the water fights are good fun.

DON'T BRING OR USE ANY TALCUM POWDER.

This city has been almost 100% free of talcum powder in the past, and it should stay that way. Just enjoy the water fight and leave the powder at home.

[true blue]

must admit for first timers to sonkran its a hoot and a experience not to miss,but for long stayers here once is enough,i would say,been here 9 years and must admit took part in sonkran once,but it must be great for kids and tourists.

[limegreenpatato]

There's no smog during songkran

[ataloss]

If truckin' be sure to lock the doors and close the windows, a friend had algae growing for months throughout the interior of his truck after his door was opened and pails of khlong water were thrown in.

[hellodolly]

There's no smog during songkran

I noticed that.

Pretty much of a way to wave a flag saying he has never been here for songkhran. His loss.

As a previous poster said many of us long time residents avoid it but we have enjoyed it at one time or another. Now If I go out it is in a pick up truck with kids on the back and a barrel of water.

I sincerely hope the OP gets to enjoy it at least once.

If it is to short a period I am told Pattaya last one week longer. But that city is noted for fun of one kind or another.

[anonymouse]

Chiang Mai has got to be one of the best place to enjoy songkran, personally I'm a loy kratong man myself but I do get out and partake for a day or so but that's enough for me.

[Chicog]

If you haven't seen the rats running around that p*** and s*** in the moat water,perhaps a scientific analysis of the parasites they carry will send the appropriate message.

An investigation of helminths in the Norway (brown) rat, Rattus norvegicus, and roof rat, Rattus rattus, from Chiang Mai Moat during May to August 1995, was done. Thirty-three out of thirty-eight trapped rats were infected (86.84%); 16 R. norvegicus (100%) and 17/22 R. rattus (77.27%). The rat was infected with 10 helminth species: 4 trematodes, Centrocestus sp (2.63%), Echinostoma ilocanum (10.52%), Echinostoma malayanum (10.52%) and Quinqueseralis quinqueseralis (39.47%); 2 cestodes, Raillietina sp (36.64%) and Taenia sp (cysticercus) (7.89%); and 4 nematodes, Angiostrongylus cantonensis (42.10%). Nippostrongylus sp (34.21%), Rictularia sp (52.63%) and egg of Capillaria hepatica (7.89%). The helminths were found in the small intestine (84.21%), large intestine (42.10%), lung (36.64%), stomach (28.94%), heart (23.94%), and liver (15.78%). The female Norway rats were infected with 10 species of helminths and the males with 6 species. In the roof rat, 7 species of helminths were found in females and 6 species in males.

Eye, ear and gastroenteric infections are common, and there's even a poster here whose gonads swelled to four times their size.

I'm out of Chiang Mai for Songkran, you're basically getting sprayed with a sewage/bacteria/protozoan/nematode cocktail.

Good luck with that.

[T_Dog]

Rideswings.... Try to attend the opening parade that goes through the old city. You can get a glimpse of the old culture there. You might get lucky and have an 80 year old person sprinkle water on you in the old way. Once things get in full swing, make sure you are off the streets as soon as it gets dark as the drunks and fights make it unfun. Otherwise, mid-day Songkran is one of the seven wonders of the world in Chiang Mai. I would hate to be away from Chiang Mai during Songkran.

[Ulysses G.]

They chlorinate the moat right before Songkran every year.

[OldeBellPedr]

They chlorinate the moat right before Songkran every year.

Don't they usually drain it and clean out all the sh*t as well UG? At least on the Thapae side where most of the mayhem takes place.

Personally, as some other posters have mentioned, I've been here for a few too many songkran's to enjoy it any more, but my wife and son and the staff love it, so i kind of enjoy it by proxy!!

[Ulysses G.]

I have to admit that - after more than 20 years - I am not crazy about Songkran any more, but there is nothing like it if you have never seen it before. It is great seeing all the happy faces even if it is not that convenient to live normal life for 4 or 5 days.

[Chicog]

They chlorinate the moat right before Songkran every year.

And the rats start pi**ing and sh***ing in it as soon as they've gone.

[dickyknee]

They chlorinate the moat right before Songkran every year.And the rats start pi**ing and sh***ing in it as soon as they've gone.

I'd advise you not to brush your teeth in the tap water in Singapore. I've pissed and crapped in that.

The first time a had a bucket of moat/swamp water land on my face, I just realised I was I a traffic jam with thousands of other people getting the same treatment. No body got sick.

Otherwise, stay away from the moat/klongs and you'll get mostly tap water.

[Chicog]

They chlorinate the moat right before Songkran every year.And the rats start pi**ing and sh***ing in it as soon as they've gone.

I'd advise you not to brush your teeth in the tap water in Singapore. I've pissed and crapped in that.

The first time a had a bucket of moat/swamp water land on my face, I just realised I was I a traffic jam with thousands of other people getting the same treatment. No body got sick.

Otherwise, stay away from the moat/klongs and you'll get mostly tap water.

Each to their own. My advice came from educated Thais who stay far away from the moat in Songkran. You'll also notice a few people covering their ears if they're in sniffing distance, as ear infections are extremely common from the moat, too.

And I'd be interested to know how you know out of "thousands of other people" that "No body got sick".

[BlackArtemis]

I usually love Songkran, I won't be here for it this year, but last year I did not have the best time in the city, everyone, regardless of race, gender, creed, aimed their damn gun at my eyes and others. I loved getting doused for hours etc, but just going after the eyes nonstop made me want to hit people. Noted this was happening at least every few minutes, and it took a lot to build me up and I would not act upon it anyways, but it was the first time I was not having fun during Songkran.

Also around Tapae, there is a chlorinated water station pumping out fresh clean water. I did get something nasty during my first Songkran years ago. I ended up losing 10lbs in 6 days...

[Chicog]

In fairness, if the cops are around, fire away!

[dickyknee]

They chlorinate the moat right before Songkran every year.And the rats start pi**ing and sh***ing in it as soon as they've gone.I'd advise you not to brush your teeth in the tap water in Singapore. I've pissed and crapped in that.The first time a had a bucket of moat/swamp water land on my face, I just realised I was I a traffic jam with thousands of other people getting the same treatment. No body got sick.Otherwise, stay away from the moat/klongs and you'll get mostly tap water.Each to their own. My advice came from educated Thais who stay far away from the moat in Songkran. You'll also notice a few people covering their ears if they're in sniffing distance, as ear infections are extremely common from the moat, too.And I'd be interested to know how you know out of "thousands of other people" that "No body got sick".

I'll use the same "educated Thais" reference you used.

[jackr]

Op; the best of it is on the 13th as everyone is well up for it (being the 'official' first day). Walk down Thapae Rd and south to Loi Kroh Rd... that's the most intense bit. This area also has the culture-vulture bit around noonish.

It does drag on here though... getting drenched a full week before and after while out on your bike in the middle of nowhere is a tad disconcerting.