2014 Songkran FAQ (long)

[tropo]

3rd Road, Pattaya Klang, Pattaya Nua all dry at 1am. Didn't check the bar areas on Beach Road. Friendship was closed and Foodland was really busy.

[kimchibob]

Just took a walk on Beach Road. It looks like the aftermath of a war zone. All of the beer bars are cleaning up and dumping the water barrels. Finally, it's over! Glad I stayed in my condo all week.

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[jackvale]

I ran away to Bang Saray (which celebrates Songran 1 day only, today 4/20) for 2 days. Peace and quiet. Many happy people and very few foreigners. Hotel with wifi and AC @ 500 baht/night.

[gmac]

You guys in Pattaya, I guess it you were really out for peace and quiet you would not live there. Not exactly Zen capital of SE Asia.Still, I sympathize and empathize.

Up here in Chiang Mai, 100% ceased on Thursday. Right up until that day was a madhouse.

you'd be surprised how quiet you can live in Pattaya. Not in the city centre but 5 minutes by car and it is absolutely quiet.

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The only water I saw being thrown in the whole period was 7.30 last night and that was an isolated shop front and easily avoided. Live just 10 minutes from Central Pattaya and went to Big C Extra every day, except 18th, 19th with no problems at all. Stayed home on last 2 days to avoid the traffic chaos.

[Phil Conners]

It's the usual story. The tourists only see a few soi's in the tourist area around 2nd and Beach road, not the vast areas on the other side of Sukhumvit with all the estates where people actually live.

[JSixpack]

And now we rise

And we are everywhere.

--Nick Drake, "From The Morning"

Victory! The water hooligans all buggered off. We PTY residents successfully outlasted their annual 10 days' seige--again. And most of us deprived them of any fun at all at our expense. Yeah. Never offer "the consent of the victim!"

Good riddance to 'em. Meanwhile, we're still here (or will be returning here shortly) to savor the usual delights of living in our cesspool. Like, starting today.

I hope we all had a pleasant trip or hibernation. I certainly did, took my own pampering recommendation quite seriously. Now to get back into the usual routine. No more Macallan's till, uh, ah . . . well, New Year's, OK?

For next year's FAQ I'll go through this thread again (and some others) and pick up anything that needs adding. There were some great posts and responses along the way that need memorializing into perpetuity.

Anything else before the thread is closed? Me, I went out only once in the early morning for a quick re-up, so I didn't see anything. Was this Songkran different in any significant way from those past? There was the closing of Beach Rd--but I assume the drivearound water war continued on 2nd Rd., Soi Buakhao, and 3rd Rd. Seem more or fewer participants this year? Songkran areas the same, expanding, or contracting? Any new survival tips? Post!

Edited April 20, 2014 by JSixpack

[Rimmer]

We won't close it, I'll just unpin it.

Many thanks to Jsixpack for making such a great topic and thanks to everyone that contributed to it.

[guzzi850m2]

I was celebrating for 2 hours on the 19th, took the kids out on the scooter and they were both armed with water guns and helmets off-course.

We rode on 3rd road and the atmosfere was good, people happy/drunk/dancing, took Sukhumvit road home to the village again, all cars was driving very slowly so I felt fairly safe.

Thankfully no water splashing inside our village in north Pattaya where it was very quiet.

If I am home next year, I think I will go somewhere during Songklan, preferable somewhere like Bali.

I been here for over 10 years and the fun factor of Songklan have LONG time gone, I thought it was extremely fun when I came here as a tourist but as a resident, no.

[raro]

Thanks a lot indeed, you did a great job!

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[MrWorldwide]

Well done, JSixpack and the other contributors - so happy to hear that the madness is all over, esp as my flight from Penang to BKK/Patts is now a little over a week away. 26 months of abstinence from the dystopic Disneyland of central Patts - I'm wondering if that's some kind of record ?

MrWW

[seasia]

Well done, JSixpack and the other contributors - so happy to hear that the madness is all over, esp as my flight from Penang to BKK/Patts is now a little over a week away. 26 months of abstinence from the dystopic Disneyland of central Patts - I'm wondering if that's some kind of record ?

MrWW

It`s been an interesting and entertaining thread.

Thanks JSixpack

I do have some visiting friends that generally like Songkran, all have commented though that it goes on for too long and doesn`t stop at the times it should do.

As for the 26 month absense,friend of mine recently arrived after a 7 year break, he`s enjoying his return.

[MrWorldwide]

7 years ? Mate, they'd proably have to lock me up for my own protection, and I cant say that a Thai jail cell looks like my best option if I need 'protection'

I did go cold turkey on Thailand a few years back - explored other parts of Asia - but eventually one city started to look much like another and I went back in 2008 : I've always loathed the Departure Lounge, but it will be so much better knowing that I'm only ever going to be an hour's flying time from BKK. I couldnt live there - even on 3 month stints Bangkok grinds me down - but it's a massive rush to get in that taxi as a 2-week millionaire.

[arunsakda]

PTY songkhran, had no idea. I'll never whinge about Chiang Mai's 3 days of chaos again.