Songkran: People Not Allowed To Splash Water Down From Pickup Trucks

[robertson468]

Dear Minister, thank you for introducing an unenforceable law for one day of the year to radically improve road safety in Thailand. What ever you do, keep ignoring the fact that daily, motor bikes frequently drive on the wrong side of the road, more than two people ride on motor bikes, kids of about eight years upwards drive motor bikes who clearly do not have a license (would be interesting to know how many Adults have passed a test and obtained a license legally!), vehicles that are clearly unroadworthy are being driven on the roads, cars and lorries are frequently seen driving up the wrong side of dual carriageways, vehicles overtake other vehicles on blind bends/on coming traffic too close, motor bike drivers not wearing helmets (including the Police), people either talking or texting on their mobile phone whilst riding a motor bike/driving car. Addressing these issues (and I am sure many will be able to add to this little list) I am sure would have a very small impact on road safety and save lives in this lovely, but slightly confusing Country.

Edited March 29, 2013 by robertson468

[Chao Lao Beach]

Cough Cough....Nanny State

[ozyjon]

Lets just ban Songkran full stop.

I agree, been there, done that, got the T shirt and never again, if they did it over the weekend it would be fine but to get wet for a whole week and ambushed from every street is a bit too much.

[khunken]

Unfortunately the Songkran water-war has just got out of hand. I certainly don't begrudge Thais their bit of fun but they don't know when to stop & think what is right or wrong about throwing water.

Those who don't want a soaking are forced to take it, yes, motorcycle riders are knocked off their bikes - no separate statistics are provided for deaths & injuries because of this but it's not hard to imagine that it's significant.

Just who is going to enforce this latest ban (hub of bans!)? PC Nop puts his hand up & says stop whereupon he receives the full force of the contents of multiple buckets & water-pistols.

I think we all know that passing laws here is useless without enforcement.

[AlfGarnett]

There will be more fatalities from drunk motorcyclists now, it was the probably freezing cold water thrown on them from a pick up that kept them from passing out.

Water zones only on roads with 2 lanes, one lane kept free for non participants of songkran. We only go to a quiet area, where people who want to play let you know, not too many drunks, and go home after a couple of hours. Tried the carnage in Lamai once, saw a kid almost run over trying to throw water on a car, whilst the mother was sat at a bar oblivious to what nearly just happened. westerners absolutely blotto by mid afternoon, wonder if they all got taxis home that day ?

[teacherofwoe]

Has anyone seen or heard anything about this being brought to the attention of Thais via T.V. or newspapers? No Thai I have spoken to has heard anything of the sort.

[diehard60]

Good luc! It does not matter where in Thailand people will do what they want and the cops wont do anything about it.

[evadgib]

They need to master the art of controlling traffic on 'normal' days before trying to do so during the annual carnage witnessed @ Songkran:)

[gmac]

Why don't they just ban having fun and be done with it!

Nothing wrong with having fun as long as those that do not wish to be involved are allowed to pass unmolested.

[khunPer]

Thailand will never be the same "sanuk" again

[Skywalker69]

I think the throwing of water at motor bikes on high speed roads should be banned in all of Thailand.

As for throwing it from the back of pick ups what is the point if riding back there just allows you to be a victim to streets lined with people throwing buckets of water at you such as we get here in Chiang Mai.

Why dont we just "BAN" Songkran alltogether. we are becomming a police state slowly but surely.

Some politictions are paid to cover up the truth. Some are

paid to confuse the public. Some are paid to sell new ideas and theories!

Whatever the case, the bottom line is crowd controle.

Oops! Sorry for the spelling errors, my 9 year old give this message.

Your twin?

[Card]

Just ban Songkran as the Thais have misused and misunderstood what it's all about. Most Thais don't like being soaked and powdered anyway. Then everyone will stay happy, dry and alive. Simple.

Edited March 29, 2013 by Card

[laislica]

[ptajw]

Great idea but enforcing this along with the ban on alcohol (inside the moat) seems ridiculous to try and and keep the order things rational. Thailand loves to party and this will be a very interesting Songkran to say the least.

[Andre0720]

Well , if they make it illegal, then we will never see again pick-up truck on the roads during Songkran right?. We will see many sad pick up owners, drinking beer, and reminiscing of the good old days when they could drive around loaded with water.

People should be happy during Songkran.

I just hope this desire of happiness does not make them break the law... Mai dai...

[robblok]

BrainsAreAwesome.jpg

we would need a lot less rules if ppl used their brains better or had common sense.

[Phatcharanan]

Lets just ban Songkran full stop.

Daftest comment of the year......no doubt.

You may as well say 'Lets ban Independence Day in the USA'.

'Lets ban New Years Day celebrations'

[Phatcharanan]

Just ban Songkran as the Thais have misused and misunderstood what it's all about. Most Thais don't like being soaked and powdered anyway. Then everyone will stay happy, dry and alive. Simple.

What you really mean is.............you don't like it.

Most Thai's? LOL

[Card]

Just ban Songkran as the Thais have misused and misunderstood what it's all about. Most Thais don't like being soaked and powdered anyway. Then everyone will stay happy, dry and alive. Simple.

What you really mean is.............you don't like it.

Most Thai's? LOL

Correct.

[Andre0720]

BrainsAreAwesome.jpg

we would need a lot less rules if ppl used their brains better or had common sense.

IF...

[JSixpack]

Thailand will never be the same "sanuk" again

Yeah, go back to the sanuk they had before Songkran was ruined by hooliganism.

Great idea!

Edited March 29, 2013 by JSixpack

[Joop50]

I'm not surprised it was improbable easy to syring so many TV members brains during sonkran.

[aechzen]

happy new year criminals !!!

[MAJIC]

Well it's a start in the right direction,could just as easily have banned the throwing and use of iced water at the same time,and no throwing water at moving motorcycles,amongst other things!

[stoli]

And how and who is going to enforce this one

The police will monitor the situation. The tickets will be waterproof. The paint is going to run off of my license plate. I didn't do it, they did!

[Ajaan]

Zero chance of success

Who is gonna tell Somchai he cannot do what he has been doing for the last gazillion years?

Well, actually the more obnoxious aspects of Songkran celebration are relatively new...no more than 20 years or so. This is true of so much of what people cling to as "tradition" in Thailand, including the silly hyper-polite way people talk...that's only been around 60 years or so. So the point is, people can learn to change. In theory, anyway, haha.

[Xonax]

Is this really going to work? You have convoys of pickups in Chiangmai and traffic is in gridlock and it is impossible to drive around the inner city area. If you have the police stopping and booking every single vehicle because they have a bucket of water in the back then traffic will go from a snails pace to a complete stop. What about all the people on the side of the road with thier large bins of water thowing it on the road or the firehoses spraying mega amounts of water from the stages?

If they really wanted to stamp this out they should have started an adverstising campaign 6 months ago outlining the intentions and not 14 days prior to the event.

If this does work all I can see is the reduction of all the pretty little things in wet T Shirts and that will be ashame. I came to Thailand for Songkran and all the dripping wet young ladies.

Last year, in Samut Prakan where I live, our local police prevented all Songkran pick-up trucks from entering local soi´s, as well as they asked all girls in white t-shirts (which will be see-through when wet) to go home and change clothes.

We had the best Songkran ever, without the usual pick-up trucks, loaded with drunken people from far away, who find it fun to block the traffic and party, in other peoples neighbourhoods, rather than in their own neighbourhoods.

[rebelplatoon]

I just had to check my calendar if it was April 1st yet....

[12DrinkMore]

Zero chance of success

Who is gonna tell Somchai he cannot do what he has been doing for the last gazillion years?

Songkran in its current open warfare form has only been going for just over a decade or so.

I can remember my first Songkran. Relatively small splashes of sometime ice cold water with flour paste carefully daubed on peoples' faces, a big smile and "Kor tord, kha".

Now I buy enough beer and food to sit inside for the duration.

[youngXpat]

HAHAHAHA

Didn't read the story just caught the headline. Is this really gonna be enforced? Doubt that one very much!