Songkran, Where To Celebrate

[rb3]

Hello All..

It's my first time in Bangkok during Song Kran holidays..

Where should I go to celebrate?? What should I bring to prepare? Is it dangerous??

My girlfriend is coming to Bangkok during that week to celebrate our birthday - happen to be on the same day..

Where should 2 girls go to celebrate the holidays and is it safe? Any precautions??

Also, is cathucak open that weekend???

Please advice.

Thanks

Edited April 2, 2006 by rb3

[falangaman]

I was in Bangkok on the last day of the Songkran last year, in all honesty I didnt really see much going on. There were the gatherings of people attacking unsuspecting tuk-tuk users (always brings a smile to my face) but apart from that I didnt see much at all. It was quite apparant that alot of people had left the city to return home for the holiday, alot of the street food stalls were closed.

I had previously been in Pattaya for the first few days, it was a very different story there completely. Bonkers!!

It wasnt dangerous at all, although your mobile phone and camera may be in danger if you dont put them in a plastic bag or similar!

FM

[Ulysses G.]

Hello All..

It's my first time in Bangkok during Song Kran holidays..

Where should I go to celebrate??

CHIANG MAI!

[OldAsiaHand]

I'm not sure what it is exactly that you think you would be celebrating. What was once a rather lovely, traditional Thai festival has been hijacked by hooligans, thugs, and drunks to justify three or four days of generally offensive behavior toward others. Some foreigners in particular seem to see Songkron as a license to be even more boorish than they are the rest of the year. If you have any sense, you'll do what most people who have to live here do during Songkron: stay inside your apartment.

[Thaising]

Hello All..

It's my first time in Bangkok during Song Kran holidays..

Where should I go to celebrate?? What should I bring to prepare? Is it dangerous??

My girlfriend is coming to Bangkok during that week to celebrate our birthday - happen to be on the same day..

Where should 2 girls go to celebrate the holidays and is it safe? Any precautions??

Also, is cathucak open that weekend???

Please advice.

Thanks

For bangkok, go to khao san road where most foreign backpacker enjoys the festive there.

Further out of bangkok, ayutthaya the old capital of siam, enjoys the water festival in the day and have lights and sound show in the night.

[leisurely]

I don't know if it will be the same this year, but last year the Ancient City in Samut Prakan held a songkran festival/exhibition. All the lovely old buildings were being used for something songkrany. There were exhibitions of Takraw, weaving, garland making and an opportunity to pour water on a buddha statue. Very sedate. In the floating market area they had a buddha being rowed around and people throwing lotus flowers at it.

I should add though that there were buses full of people with pump action water pistols waiting to soak the unwary.

[ProfessorFart]

Bangkok is like a Ghost Town during SOngkhran. If you want to feel like you have the place to yourself, this is a great time to be in Bangkok.

For the celebrations themelves, Thonburi, around Sirirat Hospital has good celebrations with none of this Khoa San Road nonsense.

That said KSrd is actually good fun for a while as they have a strict aggrement that no one can blast customers inside establishments so one can relax with a beer and watch all the dreadlocked fools in action.

If you go to KSrd, please take along some soap and throw it at the occasional passing backpacker.

[jdinasia]

All said .... KSR is the wildest party .... Ignore the whiners that have just been around too long and don't have fun with it!

BKK is always safe if you just remember that you are in a MAJOR city and think that way at all times ... for women that means don't wander around alone at night in unknown areas etc (things happen here more rarely than in the west to foriegn women ... but it is a rational precaution) Both Silom and Suk have some party areas etc ....

That being said ... as many Thais as can DO go home to be with family .... and most of my friends that can get the time off head to an island ... where the water throwing will typically end before 7pm so you can still put on clean clothes and walk for dinner!

[Jai Yen Yen]

Hello All..

It's my first time in Bangkok during Song Kran holidays..

Where should I go to celebrate?? What should I bring to prepare?

Best thing is to dress smartly - preferably a nice silk suit (if you look really hard, you may be able to find a tailor) - and go to Kao San Road with a good quality video camera. But be sure to carry your passport in your suit pocket as the police do stop people occasionally and ask for ID.

If you go to KSrd, please take along some soap and throw it at the occasional passing backpacker.

All said .... KSR is the wildest party .... Ignore the whiners that have just been around too long and don't have fun with it!

You must be talking about me. It's not even fun up-country any more - road blocks of drunk youths chucking filthy water.

I'm not sure what it is exactly that you think you would be celebrating. What was once a rather lovely, traditional Thai festival has been hijacked by hooligans, thugs, and drunks to justify three or four days of generally offensive behavior toward others. Some foreigners in particular seem to see Songkron as a license to be even more boorish than they are the rest of the year. If you have any sense, you'll do what most people who have to live here do during Songkron: stay inside your apartment.

Best advice yet!

[skylar]

If you go to KSrd, please take along some soap and throw it at the occasional passing backpacker.

Soap alone won't do much good without a SuperSoaker. I still have my SS left over from previous Songkrans.

[thebear]

Hello All..

It's my first time in Bangkok during Song Kran holidays..

Where should I go to celebrate??

CHIANG MAI!

SECONDED, CHIANG MAI is the ONLY place to be (if you can get there!) Essential Kit?: A bloody good sense of humour, your oldest clobber, numerous plastic bags for your pocket to protect your money/possessions.

Later...medication for when you get a cold/chill from the idiots who fling iced water, and/or an infection from the idiots who fling dirty water.

ME? AT HOME!

[daleyboy]

And if you plan on riding a motorbike DONT, there are lots of idiots that think its funny to throw buckets of water at you while travelling at speed. Happened to me round CM a couple of years ago, almost took me off my bike twice.

[rb3]

Thank you all so much for the suggestions. I think we'll buy some waterguns and plastic clothings to cover our hopefuly newly made expansive silk suit....

How about the weekend market - Cathucak, is it open during Song Kran??

When does the water throwing start, i mean what date, is it the whole week of just the day itself?

Do they do this(spray water) also in a club?? Where is a fun club there?? Some told me RCA, is that good?

Again.. thanks so much... as much as voting for chiang mai.. we do not plan to go as far.. so maybe during the next songkran!!!

[Kan Win]

And if you plan on riding a motorbike DON'T, there are lots of idiots that think its funny to throw buckets of water at you while travelling at speed. Happened to me round CM a couple of years ago, almost took me off my bike twice.

Yes, I am with you on that one “Daleyboy”, not in de-face.

What…………… “while travelling at speed "daleyboy"”………… really?

What Speed ????? was you on then ????

This was my Speed.

Yours truly,

Kan Win

[jdinasia]

Still my favorite Holiday of the Thai calendar (second is Loy Khrathong)

Do bring your sense of humor ....

Don't carry anything that may get damaged by water...

Do go to a temple early in the day before water starts getting tossed ...

Don't lose your sense of humor when you get the ice-cold water down the shorts ....

Do carry some sand (temples near the beach) or dirt with you when you go to temple on Songkran day (the 13th). Traditional to carry back the dirt that left the temple on your shoes during the year.

Don't wear skimpy skimpy clothes unless you are in a tourist beach resort or KSR.

Do bring/wear waterproof sunblock!

Don't forget to smile!

Do pay attention to these Do'd and Dont's .....

Don't pay attention to the whingers that just can't cope with one of the most fun holidays in the Kingdom!

Do listen to Daleyboy <stay off motorcycles>

Don't do what Daleyboy did ... <almost get knocked off a motorcycle by a bucket of water ... not once but TWICE!>

Edited April 6, 2006 by jdinasia

[Dara]

Hello All..

It's my first time in Bangkok during Song Kran holidays..

Where should I go to celebrate?? What should I bring to prepare? Is it dangerous??

My girlfriend is coming to Bangkok during that week to celebrate our birthday - happen to be on the same day..

Where should 2 girls go to celebrate the holidays and is it safe? Any precautions??

Also, is cathucak open that weekend???

Please advice.

Thanks

If you want to see Bkk at a very quiet time, this would be a great place to be during the Songkran holidays. Many people who live and work in the city either go home for a long visit, or the Bkk families go on vacation because of the heat and the long holidays.

For those who remain in the city, the Thai traditional families, visit elder relatives and pour scented water over their hands to let them know that they are revered and not forgotten. Since it's the peak of the hot, dry season, the kids are allowed to splash water at each other and have fun. The traditional get-together food is Khao Chae. However, many people avoid walking anywhere for fear of being splashed by hooligans in trucks, etc.

For tourists, KSR activities have been the extension of the traditional ceremony in that district of the city. It has gone quite wild for many years now and is not for the faint of hearts to go. Unfortunately, foreign women can be targets for groping. As mentioned in earlier posts, some Thais and foreign tourists take this festivity as an occasion to get drunk and "have fun", disregarding the real meaning of the tradition. Though the Thai business people in the area tolerate this, the Bkk Administration has been trying to bring the clebration back to civility for many years now, but without much results.

I guess it depends on what you and your girlfriend want to get out of the occasion. With extra precaution, you can have a decent time for whatever that you choose to do........

[thaihome]

Yes, Chatuchak market will be open, though don't be surprised if more booths then usual are closed as the owners went home.

As you can see from the posts here, there are wildly diverging opinions among the expat community on Songkran. One thing that irritates me is the people that blame farangs for the excesses. I have been in several Bangkok suburbs and small upcountry provincial towns during Sognkran and the water throwing is the same, there is probably just less people. For those that don't believe me, I suggest you drive out and see the central park in Chachoengsao on Thursday and Friday. You will find a city sponsored and organized water throwing party that rivals Pattaya, and not one evil farang in sight.

In Bangkok, I would recommend going to one of the bars or restaurants in the Patpong area that have outdoor patios and enjoy yourselves.

TH

[1Lucky]

I would recommend spending it in Japan - and to put my money where my mouth is that`s what I am doing. That way you avoid many days (particularly in Chiang Mai) of getting freezing cold/moat water thrown all over you every time you venture outside/every 5 yards you walk and having white paste plastered into you contact lenses endlessly. Sure its fun for the first few hours/day or two - after four to seven days of it see how funny you find it. Japan at this time of year is cooler, less chaotic and the rest.

Oh - and there`s many a true word said in jest.

Lucky

[jdinasia]

BKK is just not That Bad for Songkran .... (and yes this is the BKK sub-forum) .... but I agree with Lucky ... if you can't cope with getting wet .... run off to someplace they don't do this

[thebear]

Hello All..

It's my first time in Bangkok during Song Kran holidays..

Where should I go to celebrate?? What should I bring to prepare? Is it dangerous??

My girlfriend is coming to Bangkok during that week to celebrate our birthday - happen to be on the same day..

Where should 2 girls go to celebrate the holidays and is it safe? Any precautions??

Also, is cathucak open that weekend???

Please advice.

Thanks

Update for you - follow this topic http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?sh...15entry710597

[~G~]

I usually take this time for a quite holiday, far from most of the water activity. Two years ago it was Kanchanaburi, last year it was Ko Samet, gonna be Korat with gf family this year (so long for a quite holiday )

[bino]

last year it was Ko Samet

Ko Samet was a water free place? Really???

I imagined just the opposite- packed with Thai people. Seems like the perfect place!

[~G~]

last year it was Ko Samet

Ko Samet was a water free place? Really???

I imagined just the opposite- packed with Thai people. Seems like the perfect place!

Not water-free but pretty quiet. Besides, I don't really mind water when I'm on the beach! Not the same experience as in going in and out of aircon with wet cloths, wallet and cellphone in central BKK

[jdinasia]

I usually take this time for a quite holiday, far from most of the water activity. Two years ago it was Kanchanaburi, last year it was Ko Samet, gonna be Korat with gf family this year (so long for a quite holiday )

Just back from Kanchanaburi ...5 days of water throwing in town and throughout the province ... BUT avoiding it would be possible for the folks that just can't get wet for whatever medical reason ... (like a stick firmly planted up ...)

Truly Kan was awesome this weekend ... met a bunch of other ex-pats including a few TV posters