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

[jackr]

I ended up losing 10lbs in 6 days...

I usually lose a few quid myself during Songkran.

[WinnieTheKhwai]

Yes, in my opinion the North in general is best for Songkran, and specifically Chiang Mai.

No haze also during Songkran, that's a late Feb / March thing. (With the first week of April potentially affected in bad years, but very uncommon). I actually left Chiang Mai during March this year, but will definitely be back in time for Songkran!

(Either way, the whole point of Songkran is to celebrate the new rainy season and bring on the rain, and thus get rid of all the dryness and dust. )

I've been here years and years and still look forward to it like Christmas as a kid!

Bring it ON!

Edited March 17, 2013 by WinnieTheKhwai

[hellodolly]

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.

What is he considering an educated Thai. Probably the hi so's who are to good to mix with the educated Graduates of the red shirt schools.

With that many people involved some one is bound to get sick even if none of them ever come near the moat. Saying people will get sick is what we call a Barnum statement. You know the guy who said there is a sucker born every moment.

If any one is really interested in how many people get sick from water coming out of the moat in Songkram go check with the hospitals.

[Chicog]

If any one is really interested in how many people get sick from water coming out of the moat in Songkram go check with the hospitals.

And the Health centres.

Because you sure won't get an answer out of the Thai Health Ministry.

[Veranda]

I've been living in Chiang Mai for three years now and I always stay at home during Songkran

[dickyknee]

What is he considering an educated Thai. Probably the hi so's who are to good to mix with the educated Graduates of the red shirt schools.

With that many people involved some one is bound to get sick even if none of them ever come near the moat. Saying people will get sick is what we call a Barnum statement. You know the guy who said there is a sucker born every moment.

If any one is really interested in how many people get sick from water coming out of the moat in Songkram go check with the hospitals.

the system is stuffing the quotes up again.

I usually agree with your posts, but in this instance it was never my intention to politicise.

I'm just being a kettle.

[bigbamboo]

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.

Right on the money here.

The first time is the best especially riding around in a pick up and acting like a kid... and don't those local kids just love to 'get' a farang! I used to think every country should have a water festival because it's a great leveller and simply a lot of fun.

But as you say in time the novelty wears off a bit.

Oh, and CM is definitely the place to be.

[ARISTIDE]

The OP is a Songkran-Virgin! so he need the experience.

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

[hellodolly]

Jeez with all this talk of Songkran maybe it is time to get back out into the thick of it again.

The juices are starting to rumble again.

I wonder if claiming old age would help. I doubt it. Maybe if I got some crutches.

Or I could go with the wife to Pitchet. The last time I did that I found myself in a water fight with two little kids who had a barrel of water and a pot to throw it with and all I had was a lousy little hand water pistol. That was a guaranteed lose lose situation but it was fun.

[rideswings]

Thanks for all the opinions and information. I dont get out and party so much so this should be a nice break. And my boys mom never let him out on Songkran before so i hope he enjoys it too.

[jaideeguy]

really enjoyed the first few days of my first songkran 12 years ago, but how stock up and lay low for a week during the worst of it. It's for tourists like you and not for grumpy old guys like me. I now see the Thais [and falangs] at their worst during songkran and just hope that I'm not a statistic....

but enjoy your first one and wear eye protection, keep your valuables in plastic bags and avoid the rude drunks, especially if you have a kid.

[hellodolly]

really enjoyed the first few days of my first songkran 12 years ago, but how stock up and lay low for a week during the worst of it. It's for tourists like you and not for grumpy old guys like me. I now see the Thais [and falangs] at their worst during songkran and just hope that I'm not a statistic....

but enjoy your first one and wear eye protection, keep your valuables in plastic bags and avoid the rude drunks, especially if you have a kid.

Just want to reinforce your warning about water proofing valuables.

[WinnieTheKhwai]

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".

Of course people get sick. Ear and eye infections are very common. Easily treatable at any pharmacy. Then back to join the party.

If nobody would do anything that was potentially bad for them then nobody would be doing very much besides veg in a climate controlled room.

There are a couple of good tips for people joining the party, one that ranks very high is: keep your mouth shut, and a thumb firmly on the business end of your beer bottle.

A heck, that's two tips. While I'm on a roll: don't use that beer bottle at all but use a camping bottle or kid's sippy drinking bottle of some sort that can be closed easily.

Edited March 17, 2013 by WinnieTheKhwai

[WinnieTheKhwai]

Thanks for all the opinions and information. I dont get out and party so much so this should be a nice break. And my boys mom never let him out on Songkran before so i hope he enjoys it too.

Ah, parental advice for Songkran coming up! Wrote this a year ago and this is the perfect reason to re-post:

----

Parent's Guide to Songkran

The Thai New Year festivities will soon be upon us once again, which plenty partying, watery fun and general merriment to be had for all.

Kids especially enjoy the water festival, but for responsible parents there are definitely several do's and don'ts about the festival when it comes to kids joining in.

With 18 Songkrans under my belt and as a parent of two young children, I would like to make some recommendations for a fun and safe Songkran celebration. For seasoned residents and seasoned parents much of the below may be obvious, but I hope it will help some who are new to Songkran or new to having kids.

Locations

Many locations to 'play water' are not safe or appropriate for young kids.

• Avoid locations close to fast moving or heavy traffic. It's too easy to stray on to the road and be too close to traffic. Don't play water along highways in and out of town.

• In Chiang Mai the city moat is a prime location for the festivities, and for large sections of the moat the traffic moves slow enough. Keep in mind that the moat itself is very deep in many places. If kids aren't excellent swimmers, they should not be on the side where the water is. As there are many people running and playing there, and as the pavement will get slippery from the water, it becomes too easy to fall into the moat. And even if they are excellent swimmers, you still don't want them to panic; keep in mind that in most places it's difficult to get out again, they would need help getting back on shore.

• Don't pick a location near rounchy bars, especially not where there are many adult Western (or Thai) men drinking and partying. Kids can get run into, and drinking sometimes leads to trouble.

With the above in mind, if you play along the moat at all, then for example the stretch North of Thapae Gate on the side of the Amora hotel is suitable: traffic moves slowly there approaching the Thapae Gate bottle neck, and it's (just) far enough away from the Farang bar area. Other cities in Thailand have 'walking only' areas, but these can get very massive, and it may not be the best idea to have children walking around in a large, partying crowd. So I would pick a smaller soi, but make sure there is enough space on the side, and good visibility of any traffic through the soi.

Picking a location in front of a restaurant or hotel/guesthouse is good, often these places have some people celebrating in front already, and will provide clean tap water to use from a hose leading outside. And it's nice to be able to order some food and drink, use the washroom, etc.

Precautions

• Tell kids where they are allowed to go, and where they cannot go. They should never get on to the road or soi itself. If they drop a bucket or water gun there by accident, they should call you or another adult to retrieve it.

• No running! It can get VERY slippery, and it's easy to fall and get hurt. Open wounds can easily get infected, so any cut = Game Over.

• Try to keep your mouth shut. Even though you try to pick a place that provides tap water, it's very likely to also get hit with water straight from the moat.

• Use Sunblock! It would be better to be in a shaded place, but when out in the sun it is VERY easy to get severe sun burns. Use a water-proof sun block and re-apply as needed. Don't forget any spots: ears, feet, etc. Using long sleeves and long pants or skirts is also a good idea.

• After-party health check: Bathe kids thoroughly afterwards and put on clean, dry clothes. Be aware of common ailments such as irritated eyes, ear infections, upset stomach, sunburn, cuts and scratches.

Recommended Rules

• No spraying on things that shouldn't get wet. (Point these out, if any)

• NO SPRAYING AT MOTORCYCLES unless they've stopped and are clearly participiating. This goes for adults too, but no harm in teaching this early. It's too easy for motorbike riders to get into a fall or accident when they try to avoid getting wet. Even just pretending/threatening to spray water distracts a rider's attention from traffic. So just don't. Yes, other people do it. But we don't.

• NO SPRAYING AT people who clearly indicate they don't want to partake, or who have items with them that shoudln't get wet. (including food sellers, etc.) Yes, other people do it. But we don't.

Others

Kids can get cold quickly when wet. Make sure you can either get back home quickly, or that you carry dry clothes and a towel so kids can get dry, rest abit and have some food/drink in a nearby restaurant, hotel or guesthouse.

Riding in a the back of a pick-up truck is dangerous. If kids are old enough to join a truck, they should NEVER stand up while in the vehicle. They should sit down all the time. You don't want kids falling out of trucks. Only have them in the back while driving very slowly through a party area. Before going home on faster roads, get the kids to change into dry clothes and sit inside the cabin. (Pull into a hotel parking lot and change clothes)

This should go without saying, but when driving kids in and out of town, make sure the driver doesn't drink and drives responsibly. After dark it's best not to be on (or near) the road at all, as there are many drunk drivers.

Finally

If this is your first Songkran, go test the waters (heh) yourself first before bringing the whole family. No matter what you've heard, you can't possibly be prepared for complete mayem and mass party all around. This will also allow you to pick a good spot to take the kids.

Know that in addition to the crazy party, Songkran is also a religious and cultural festival, with many events organized around town, and with many people visiting temples. It's well worth catching some of these; all of these activities are kids-safe; they mostly happen in the mornings before the masses start the party.

Decide if you want to take your kid into town at all. An alternative Songkran party would be to get together with other parents and kids in a garden setting somewhere and let the kids go at it amongst themselves. Safe, clean and much less stressful for the parents. If some or all of the above has raised concern: GOOD! This is in no way a recommendation to let kids participate in Songkran in any way; make your own informed decision if, where and how to celebrate Songkran.

!!! Happy New Year -- Sawatdee Pee Mai !!!

Edited March 17, 2013 by WinnieTheKhwai

[DowntownAl]

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.

What is he considering an educated Thai. Probably the hi so's who are to good to mix with the educated Graduates of the red shirt schools.

With that many people involved some one is bound to get sick even if none of them ever come near the moat. Saying people will get sick is what we call a Barnum statement. You know the guy who said there is a sucker born every moment.

If any one is really interested in how many people get sick from water coming out of the moat in Songkram go check with the hospitals.

"educated Thais" = people who agree with, or otherwise seemingly support his or her argument. Edited March 18, 2013 by DowntownAl

[puukao]

If this is your first time, definitely check out Chiang Mai. I've seen it once here, and got drenched near the moat. Also, because of the pollution with all the cars and motorbikes going nowhere, I got pretty sick. i'm sensitive to the pollution, and/or bad water in my skin. this is the 2nd time I've been in CM, and I fly out before the festivities start.

if you see a kid with a very small bucket, he might whip that bucket so fast the water will burn your skin. lol. fun for them. I watched it many times, and they know the foreigners will just smile and take the pain.

[WinnieTheKhwai]

No pain no gain.

Then party with all the drunk chicks.

Best. Party. Ever.

[Chicog]

"educated Thais" = people who agree with, or otherwise seemingly support his or her argument.

"Educated Thais" = people who actually bothered to learn something at school and beyond. And don't mind sharing it.

It doesn't affect me anyway, I leave it to boorish drunk tourists who basically ruined the thing in the first place.

[wholetthedogout]

am new in chiang mai and what date is the songkran on is chiang mai ? does it have a stop time as do not want to be full of water in dinner time while dining out ?

Edited March 18, 2013 by wholetthedogout

[jackr]

Op, be sure not to ogle the young ladies in their soaking wet, wafer-thin, flowery shorts; it is against their culture.

[WinnieTheKhwai]

am new in chiang mai and what date is the songkran on is chiang mai ? does it have a stop time as do not want to be full of water in dinner time while dining out ?

Yes it does have a stop time, which actually is one of the reasons why Chiang Mai is such a good place for it. It mostly stops in the evening, except for a couple Idiot Farangs™ in the Thapae area. You will notice it rapidly getting less after sunset, with around 8pm being a pretty safe time to be out again. Of course, it only takes one idiot with one bucket. But mostly things end at night, so you can have a reasonably civilized evening around town.

[rideswings]

Op, be sure not to ogle the young ladies in their soaking wet, wafer-thin, flowery shorts; it is against their culture.

Yeah it would be in my best interest to avoid doing that while my gf is within 2 km of me. She somehow knows when Im staring at a woman, and she has a very shirt temper, so maybe I will just avert my eyes on the site of the women you mention. (To the best of my ability as a hot blooded male of the species)

[dukeandduke]

She somehow knows when Im staring at a woman, and she has a very shirt temper...

Does she have a wet t-shirt temper? I dated a woman with one of those.

Edited March 18, 2013 by dukeandduke

[rideswings]

hahaha that was a freudian slip pun.

[ARISTIDE]

Songkran Unwritten rules, at least in Chiang Mai anyway

1. Guys throw water at girls and vice versa (not at other guys unless you're gay)
2. Stop playing after sunset.

everyone, regardless of race, gender, creed, aimed their dam_n gun at my eyes and others.

Edited March 19, 2013 by ARISTIDE

[Ulysses G.]

From what I can tell, the actual rule is that non-gay men can throw water at other men, but only if they are trying desperately to not get wet.

[hellodolly]

am new in chiang mai and what date is the songkran on is chiang mai ? does it have a stop time as do not want to be full of water in dinner time while dining out ?

Yes it does have a stop time, which actually is one of the reasons why Chiang Mai is such a good place for it. It mostly stops in the evening, except for a couple Idiot Farangs™ in the Thapae area. You will notice it rapidly getting less after sunset, with around 8pm being a pretty safe time to be out again. Of course, it only takes one idiot with one bucket. But mostly things end at night, so you can have a reasonably civilized evening around town.

Are you implying

Chiang Mai is not civilized in the day.

Edited March 19, 2013 by hellodolly

[WinnieTheKhwai]

Yes, I am.

And wouldn't want it any other way.

[Malthus101]

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

Hello

I am moving to CM this April and have managed to plan on arriving exactly at Songkran by accident. Luckily though, my flight is not booked yet so I can come after. I am flying into Bangkok then taking the train up to CM a few days later.

What would your advice be on the best date to arrive in BKK and then to travel by train to CM to avoid Songkran? I see it falls on a weekend this year and have read that people extend the festival by the days they lose at the weekend into the following week.

I'd like to avoid being soaked on arrival and contracting a disease from the moat! (however, if I do stay for a year, it would make an amazing way to say goodbye to CM!)

Thanks...

[dickyknee]

From what I can tell, the actual rule is that non-gay men can throw water at other men, but only if they are trying desperately to not get wet.

or if they are carrying a very expensive camera, or if there is some uncertainty over who has the largest water pistol.