Sonkran (Sense Of Humour A Must)

[Neeranam]

My first Songran, about 13 years ago.

Went into Pat Pong area, Silom, and was already then soaked by people on pick ups.

Little did I know this would happen.

My mobile phone got destroyed.

Oh yeah, sense of humor was a must to laugh of that.

13 yrs ago you would have been carrying around one of those bricks:)

http://www.dvice.com/2013-4-3/four-decades-constant-yakking-cellphones-turn-40-today

Coincidentally - the cellphone is 40 years old today!

[Jayroo]

Look out! Batman is in Chiang Mai.

[DocN]

I have a love/hate relationship with Songkran.

I love the fun, the music, the happiness and the water on a hot day, the dancing and the drinking.

I must admit though...after one day it looses it's magic rapidly.

I hate the ICE water, the constant LOUD music, the drunk traffic victims and

the fact that the 13th is my birthday...and no one gives a sh1t!

[chooka]

I have a love/hate relationship with Songkran.

I love the fun, the music, the happiness and the water on a hot day, the dancing and the drinking.

I must admit though...after one day it looses it's magic rapidly.

I hate the ICE water, the constant LOUD music, the drunk traffic victims and

the fact that the 13th is my birthday...and no one gives a sh1t!

Oh mate, I love you and happy birthday for the 13th, if I am busy and miss it, I will have a couple of V.B's which I purchased from TOPS for you.

As we say in Australia up yours and may it be the best.

[chooka]

My first Songran, about 13 years ago.

Went into Pat Pong area, Silom, and was already then soaked by people on pick ups.

Little did I know this would happen.

My mobile phone got destroyed.

Oh yeah, sense of humor was a must to laugh of that.

13 yrs ago you would have been carrying around one of those bricks:)

http://www.dvice.com/2013-4-3/four-decades-constant-yakking-cellphones-turn-40-today

Coincidentally - the cellphone is 40 years old today!

Well shaft me with a hot soldering iron

[homeownership]

I'm sure the OP would be happy if a bunch of Thais moved to his home country and belittled the public holidays that his countrymen hold dear.

Your right, the Thais that come to England, are most savvy at hunting for bargains on Boxing Day, along with others. Boxing day used to be so relaxing now it has descended into chaotic shopping.

BTW, I didnt mean offence by my post and apologise if you do feel offended.

Theres that sense of humour were talking about.

[homeownership]

Yes like all things I guess it grows & evolves

into more of a party. Given they have super soaker's now

& such

The last 3 or 4 Songkrans we spent in my wife's family village.

Very mellow old style with the silver bowls being the supply

& a small cup used to dip into it & poured directly on top of your head/shoulders

or hands..

More like a blessing

They do have festivities at a nearby river which are fun to watch.

Like two of them inching towards each other on a pole over the river with boxing gloves.

Then they try to knock each other off.

Or paddle boat races etc.

This year will be our first time staying here in Chiangmai during Songkran.

Probably spend a lot of time inside & go out early or later in the day.

Maybe take one scooter ride past the fun but probably not the moat area

I don't mind getting soaked with govt water but, that moat water is sketchy at best

Dscf5394.jpg Dscf5419.jpg Dscf5421.jpg

I will be the falang with a red vespa with the water canon device, probably soaked to skin more than ever.

I like the reverence that some poster allude to. They talk of blessings and sedate, relaxing rituals in their villages. Sounds nice. Am I to assume that either nobody told the Thai Man with the bucket this or was I singled out for a soaking because they dont like me ?

Either way I am not getting wound up this year but instead I have decided to a little blessing of my own. Come get some.

[homeownership]

my plan is to find you and test your stupid idea

I will post the time and date of my expected location as well as a pic, so you can recognise me.

[sustento]

I'm sure the OP would be happy if a bunch of Thais moved to his home country and belittled the public holidays that his countrymen hold dear.

Your right, the Thais that come to England, are most savvy at hunting for bargains on Boxing Day, along with others. Boxing day used to be so relaxing now it has descended into chaotic shopping.

BTW, I didnt mean offence by my post and apologise if you do feel offended.

Theres that sense of humour were talking about.

The Thais that I know in the UK celebrate Christmas Day, New Years Eve, Songkran and all the Bank Holidays. They use any chance they're offered to have a good time rather than whining about things that they're not accustomed to.

[homeownership]

I'm sure the OP would be happy if a bunch of Thais moved to his home country and belittled the public holidays that his countrymen hold dear.

Your right, the Thais that come to England, are most savvy at hunting for bargains on Boxing Day, along with others. Boxing day used to be so relaxing now it has descended into chaotic shopping.

BTW, I didnt mean offence by my post and apologise if you do feel offended.

Theres that sense of humour were talking about.

The Thais that I know in the UK celebrate Christmas Day, New Years Eve, Songkran and all the Bank Holidays. They use any chance they're offered to have a good time rather than whining about things that they're not accustomed to.

We both agree that I am not accustomed to having a bucket of freezing cold water thrown at me, while minding my own business on a Chiang Mai street, regardless of what holiday is being celebrated. As for whining, I have already said, not much of that this year, just pay back if attacked.

[homeownership]

Can we just play mythbusters for a moment here.

Fact: Sonkran is a holy day/festival what ever.

Fact: Water is involved.

Fact: People throw water at pretty much anything that moves.

Fact: No one, especially not me, is calling for it to be banned.

Fact: I will not be hunting Yai and Dar down with a water canon and soaking them into hyperthermia.

Fact: I will only use my homemade water canon if attacked, so if you dont want to be soaked BACK, then dont soak me.

Fact: Last time I checked there is not a holiday in the UK timetable where we throw water at road users, laughing our titts off while doing so and sending the footage to youtube.

Fact: Get a sense of humour (Directed at the holier than though's)

[eek]

I enjoy it, although one afternoon seems to be my whack. Just wish a liitle more consideration came into play. Aggressive throwing, squirting in face (particularly eyes and ears), and the extreme ice water bothers me.

It's when you've avoided getting soaked all day just for some big,fat Swedish bird in her 50s to get you at a traffic light on your scooter with a dopey grin,you just feel like punching them!

Is this big fat 50-something Swedish "bird" at the traffic lights every year? Which traffic lights? I must be lucky, I've never had her attack me. Seen plenty of big ape-ish dopey farang men around, you know, the kind that make random generalised unnecessary idiotic statements about women, but tbh that's not just at Song Kran tho...

[Ulysses G.]

Fact: No one, especially not me, is calling for it to be banned.

I suggest that you read these threads a little more carefully.

[pitrevie]

Fact: No one, especially not me, is calling for it to be banned.

I suggest that you read these threads a little more carefully.

Well I for one don't like Songkran but would never dream of calling for it to be banned. Just as I don't like religion but again have no desire to see that banned. I just don't feel like being compelled to take part. Anyone who goes to the UK is free to take part in the Christmas festivities but not forced to do so. I live in Thailand and there is no compulsion for me to become a Buddhist. I think most of the comments I have seen here criticising Songkran say much the same, good luck to those who want to take part, have a nice time, enjoy yourself, stay safe but count me out I prefer to stay dry and arrive at wherever I am going in the same state in which I left my condo. I have come to realise that I can never achieve that so every year around this time I leave for a holiday in one of the nearby countries and come back when it is all over.

[DocN]

I have a love/hate relationship with Songkran.

I love the fun, the music, the happiness and the water on a hot day, the dancing and the drinking.

I must admit though...after one day it looses it's magic rapidly.

I hate the ICE water, the constant LOUD music, the drunk traffic victims and

the fact that the 13th is my birthday...and no one gives a sh1t!

Oh mate, I love you and happy birthday for the 13th, if I am busy and miss it, I will have a couple of V.B's which I purchased from TOPS for you.

As we say in Australia up yours and may it be the best.

Thanks a lot!

Made my day already and it is just 8 am!

[Travel2003]

Can we just play mythbusters for a moment here.

Fact: Sonkran is a holy day/festival what ever.

Fact: Water is involved.

Fact: People throw water at pretty much anything that moves.

Fact: No one, especially not me, is calling for it to be banned.

Fact: I will not be hunting Yai and Dar down with a water canon and soaking them into hyperthermia.

Fact: I will only use my homemade water canon if attacked, so if you dont want to be soaked BACK, then dont soak me.

Fact: Last time I checked there is not a holiday in the UK timetable where we throw water at road users, laughing our titts off while doing so and sending the footage to youtube.

Fact: Get a sense of humour (Directed at the holier than though's)

And that is what we call "cherry picking the facts".

Fact: This holiday was never about soaking people. Never.

Fact: More and killngs/fights between Thai people each Songkran, because there are actually many Thais who hate the direction it has taken.

Fact: More and more killed/injured in traffic.

etc

etc

I can also Cherry pick facts.

[breadbin]

The op has no clue what songkran is really about and his antics and attitude only make things worse as already said idiot farangs only make the water explosion worse and make themselves look like complete idiots.

My way of dealing with these idiots is to stay in UK

[Travel2003]

It is the forced participation I do not like.

People can enjoy as much as they like, and even behave like morons if they like, no problem at all, have fun.

But do it towards each other, dont involve people who clearly try to avoid it.

Feels like the entire society is being held hostage for a few days.

[DocN]

Please guys...Songkran is not what it used to be traditionally and should go back to the roots?!

Does "Christmas" ring a bell????

[Travel2003]

Please guys...Songkran is not what it used to be traditionally and should go back to the roots?!

Does "Christmas" ring a bell????

The greedy commersialization of x-mas is worth its own loooong thread.

I dont think anyone wants to stop Songkran, or make it go all the way back to its roots.

Many of us are just not enjoying the direction/agressivness it has taken.

[norrona]

Songkran for me in Thailand meant 4 days of staying on the moo ban with a fridge full of beer and food to graze on and dvd box sets....

the actual day itself when I have been out in the pick up and witnessed it all I see is morons both thai and farang.

I once witnessed in the run up to the main day a thai man in a mercedes loading something into his car and as he opened the back door another thai man ran up and let him have a bucket full...straight into his car...

embrace the culture

[Trembly]

Sorry but I am not going to search for hours on end to find the video, but it has been posted on Thai Visa before and it is full of Thai adults pelting each other with water back in the 1950s - no Westerners - no tourists.

My guess is that this photo is even older.

Given the Willy's Jeep being driven by Thais in the picture, the chances are rather slim that the picture was taken before the 1960's, let alone the 1950's.

[Ulysses G.]

Whenever it was taken, it was taken long before mass tourism in Thailand. Foreigners are not responsible for Songkran waterfights.

[rijb]

I have a great sense of humor. But, I don't like someone telling me when and/ or how to use it.

Edited April 5, 2013 by rijb

[Thaddeus]

To make some reference to the OP Title.

"Sonkran, putting the fun into dysfunctional"

Whether it wants it or not.

[homeownership]

The op has no clue what songkran is really about and his antics and attitude only make things worse as already said idiot farangs only make the water explosion worse and make themselves look like complete idiots.

My way of dealing with these idiots is to stay in UK

Breadbin, you do realise that your saying the victim, is only making the antics and attitudes of offenders worse and that I as a victim speaking out, makes me look like a idiot. Your way of deal with victims is for them to stay in their home country.

Lets change the wording a little and play with this.

Lets say a woman was walking down the street and someone threw acid in her face, if she came on here and complained about it, would that be making the offenders antics worse because she spoke out. Would she look like an idiot ? Is your advice to her, would this be for her to stay in her home country.

Think before you talk crap. Breadbin. The only person that looks like an idiot is people like you, who think they know it all. This was a light hearted discussion about the festival and not a pop at a religious festival.

[homeownership]

I have a great sense of humor. But, I don't like someone telling me when and/ or how to use it.

Exactly.

[homeownership]

Sorry but I am not going to search for hours on end to find the video, but it has been posted on Thai Visa before and it is full of Thai adults pelting each other with water back in the 1950s - no Westerners - no tourists.

My guess is that this photo is even older.

Given the Willy's Jeep being driven by Thais in the picture, the chances are rather slim that the picture was taken before the 1960's, let alone the 1950's.

Pardon me, but the poster of the image was drawing you attention to the Thais throwing water at each other, I realise that this is hard to see, when your looking at the the age of the jeep.

{{FOR CRYING OUT LOUD}}

[Ulysses G.]

Anyway, those jeeps were first made in the early 1940s. There is no way to know when the photo was taken for sure, but it was long time ago.

Edited April 6, 2013 by Ulysses G.

[Ulysses G.]

No tourists. No farangs.