Songkran: Bah Humbug

[connda]

Thursday afternoon and I'm doing errand before the holiday weekend hits. Head down a soi toward Kotchasan and drunk farang are chucking buckets of water onto unwary motorcyclists. Turned around and head down an alley toward Loi Kroh -- same-same. This isn't Songkran yet. People are still going about business. The next thing they know is that some drunk ass hits them with a bucket of water and ruins God knows what: Laptop, cellphone, Android, paperwork, packages. And it's dangerous. Idiots.

It's not like the cops are too busy from their road block shake-downs, but they should put a stop to it until Saturday. Oh well - TIT.

Motorcycles are now garaged until next week -- the car needs a nice wash. At least I know where to drive it to get it clean.

[MESmith]

Hardly "news"

[dave2]

re

It's not like the cops are too busy

but they were .. at the north east corner of the moat at

about 2 45 : (

dave2

[elektrified]

Not only drunk farangs. Yesterday I was soaked twice by friendly Thais beginning the celebration a couple of days early.

[true blue]

still annoyed i not made arrangements to go some were else for songkran this year,will next year thats for sure.

[rawhod]

Songkran is for the young and carefree...not for contributors to this forum.

[connda]

re

It's not like the cops are too busy

but they were .. at the north east corner of the moat at

about 2 45 : (

dave2

My bad. They really are busy shaking down drivers. I stand corrected <grin>

[connda]

Yesterday I parked the motorcycles. Today, I walked to the parking lot where I garage the car and moved it next to our apartment.

Tomorrow morning (Saturday), we load up before 9am and head to our house in central Lamphun province, hopefully avoiding traffic, parades, and partiers who have yet to get their blood alcohol into the danger zone prior to getting behind the wheel and killing themselves and others. Hope to get home well before the crazy 'maow' folk hit the roads, park the car, and enjoy a low-key village Songkran. The local kids can come by and pour water on Uncle Connda's hands. If they want to 'len naam' and throw water, they can throw water on the dogs. They both need a bath, and will probably enjoy the cooling effect. And me? I really don't mind getting wet as long as I'm dressed for it, not on a vehicle, and mentally up for it. So at noon tomorrow, let the games begin.

And ya'll thought I'm mean-spirited, spitefully, grumpy, old fart. Sometimes. I'm just slow to warm up. Like my 22 year old Toyota, it takes a while to get 'up to speed', but once there I do quite enjoy the ride!

Edited April 12, 2013 by connda

[Dap]

Yesterday I parked the motorcycles. Today, I walked to the parking lot where I garage the car and moved it next to our apartment.

Tomorrow morning (Saturday), we load up before 9am and head to our house in central Lamphun province, hopefully avoiding traffic, parades, and partiers who have yet to get their blood alcohol into the danger zone prior to getting behind the wheel and killing themselves and others. Hope to get home well before the crazy 'maow' folk hit the roads, park the car, and enjoy a low-key village Songkran. The local kids can come by and pour water on Uncle Connda's hands. If they want to 'len naam' and throw water, they can throw water on the dogs. They both need a bath, and will probably enjoy the cooling effect. And me? I really don't mind getting wet as long as I'm dressed for it, not on a vehicle, and mentally up for it. So at noon tomorrow, let the games begin.

And ya'll thought I'm mean-spirited, spitefully, grumpy, old fart. Sometimes. I'm just slow to warm up. Like my 22 year old Toyota, it takes a while to get 'up to speed', but once there I do quite enjoy the ride!

Well said K. Connda Cheers on the morrow.

[sbk]

moved to regular forum

[bristolgeoff]

the only thing in cm is that,it is finished by 6pm or when it is dark.not like other places where it is crazy and goes on for a week or more.24/7 in some places

[hellodolly]

This happens every year what is the problem.

You have been here long enough to know be prepared several days early.

Or is this your first Songkran in Chiang Mai?

[FolkGuitar]

I wonder what percentage of Songkran complainers spent their FIRST year in Chiang Mai standing next to the moat with a SuperSoaker water cannon in their hands, loving every minute of it? Well, maybe not the ice water, but the rest of the program.

Face it.... Songkran is fun... once, maybe twice. If you're with a couple of friends, having a few pops, laughing and joking with the Thais standing next to you, the temperatures in the high 30's... and you remembered to leave your cell phone back in the guest house... You had fun. It was the same with New Year's Eve back home.

[mesquite]

When do people here think it will end? the 15th the last day?

[WinnieTheKhwai]

Yes, 15 is last. Nothing going on on the 16th. (Perhaps some kids in the villages, but nothing in town.)

Edited April 13, 2013 by WinnieTheKhwai

[Thailand]

When do people here think it will end? the 15th the last day?

*Songkran Festival (Thai New Year) is on Saturday, 13 April 2013 and lasts till Wednesday, 17 April 2013

[Ulysses G.]

Throwing water (by Thais) never continues after the 15th. 16 April should be safe.

[Rasseru]

I wonder what percentage of Songkran complainers spent their FIRST year in Chiang Mai standing next to the moat with a SuperSoaker water cannon in their hands, loving every minute of it?

I'm not sure that an out-and-out avoider of Songkran like me can be counted among your complainers, but if so I am not in your queried percentage. I am enough of a healthy-minded misanthrope to know without experiencing the event for myself that I want nothing to do with it.

[richard10365]

It's my first Songran in my new house. The neighbors kids came over to play in the yard with my wife. Everyone was laughing and throwing or pouring water. No one got hurt and everyone was happy and wet. This is my idea of a good Songran.

[uptheos]

I was amazed by my very first Songkran experience.

However, that was so long ago and I was pretty much amazed by everything in Thailand.

It was Amazing Thailand.

[hml367]

I was amazed by my very first Songkran experience.

However, that was so long ago and I was pretty much amazed by everything in Thailand.

It was Amazing Thailand.

Rings a bell, Uptheos. The Thai lady and her husband that first brought me to Chiang Mai kept telling me, "It's an adventure." I experience that more and more. I experience more and more without going inside Chiang Mai during Songkran. I enjoy the village Songkran.

MSPain

Edited April 13, 2013 by hml367

[belg]

why is this on todays 13 april newsletter?

[Scorpio1949]

Let's stick to the official festival days and it will be fun again. Now you never know what will happen and some moron will decide that the date is any day he likes to be drunk and have a bucket of water on hand..............

[aussiebebe]

Not to sound cynical but when is it over? Monday or Tuesday? I need to know whether to buy three cases of beer or four.

[WinnieTheKhwai]

Monday is the last day. Nothing going on on Tuesday.

[CMX]

The dates of the holiday are 13-15. However, gov't sez that weekend holidays are extended for workers for two days, which is why some places have posted 'closed 15-17' signs and thus open on Thursday.

But as Winnie promises, no water is ever tossed beyond the 15th - though come to think of it, last year was so confused with rain and cool weather, that I seem to remember.... And then, the year before, motoring on two wheels on Nimmen, I seem to remember...

But that's the problem. I seem to remember....No matter, it's all innocent fun, if we're up for it.

Edited April 13, 2013 by CMX

[how241]

still annoyed i not made arrangements to go some were else for songkran this year,will next year thats for sure.

+1

[MILT]

SongKran is the Chiangmai New year with the special offering called Dom Hua (wrong spelling I'm sure)

Was out yesterday on Loi Kro Rd. What a blast! I especially like drowning dumb ass uptight farangs not wanting to get wet

walking on the street or even riding their dumb ass motorcycles. I'm heading out in about 20 min. to wrestle with the traffic

and then settle in for what promises to a be a great day in Chiangmai. HOOOOOOYAAAAAAA

[MILT]

When do people here think it will end? the 15th the last day?

*Songkran Festival (Thai New Year) is on Saturday, 13 April 2013 and lasts till Wednesday, 17 April 2013

SongKran Festival (Chiangmai New year) is on Saturday, 13 April 2013 and lasts till people are told to stop.

[yeeowww]

I wonder what percentage of Songkran complainers spent their FIRST year in Chiang Mai standing next to the moat with a SuperSoaker water cannon in their hands, loving every minute of it? Well, maybe not the ice water, but the rest of the program.

Face it.... Songkran is fun... once, maybe twice. If you're with a couple of friends, having a few pops, laughing and joking with the Thais standing next to you, the temperatures in the high 30's... and you remembered to leave your cell phone back in the guest house... You had fun. It was the same with New Year's Eve back home.

I had my first Songkran in 1967 at age 9 and it was nothing short of magical...

These days at age 55, I'm still dressed in my suah mauw hawn and pakama and out in the middle of it, still fun and frolicking along with all the other carefree revelers from 2 to 80. Those who look at it with disdain and grudge, please lock yourselves away in your rooms and let your days slide by. You don't deserve to be a part of this wonderful, amazing and carefree ritual. Life is to celebrate. You're not here for a long time, you're here for a GOOD TIME! Now let the 3 days of Peace, Love, Music and Water begin! Yeeowww!