New year in thailand water festival coming soon.

[ultimate weapon]

I know songkran is in the month of april but which day will it be this year?

Never been there during this period. I mean will you just be wet walking on the streets? I most likely will be in bkk not anywhere else and i know many thais go back to the provinces during this period.

[Crossy]

From the pinned Public Holidays thread:

13 April (Sunday) Songkran

14 April (Monday) Songkran

15 April (Tuesday) Songkran

16 April (Wednesday) Songkran Substitution Day

If you venture out ensure your valuables are waterproofed or left at home, you WILL get wet and the tourist areas can get a bit out of hand.

Personally we visit the in-laws in Pha Chi, much more civilised and family friendly water throwing (get just as wet).

[wym]

Pop over to Cambodia, much more civilized there.

[ultimate weapon]

Pop over to Cambodia, much more civilized there.

I understand that burma and cambodia celebrate the festival too what do you mean by more civilized?

[dave2]

re

will you just be wet walking on the streets?

no .... i will be having a weeks holiday by the mekong river in a much more civilized country

luang prabang laos

away from the madness of songkran in thailand

dave2

[wym]

Pop over to Cambodia, much more civilized there.

I understand that burma and cambodia celebrate the festival too what do you mean by more civilized?

Laos as well.

Rather than taking sadistic delight in soaking the farang from head to toe with ice water and bombing with talc powder, especially when dressed in a suit on the way to business appointments and never mind a laptop bag and smartphone in hand. Every 20 meters, for over a week even after dark in some areas.

Respectfully soliciting agreement before gently running a little plain water over proffered fingers.

If anything at all, allowing strolling around and observing the boat races and other festivities in peace so that it is actually enjoyable.

The absolute worst are KSR, Silom & Suk, Pattaya and downtown CM and Patong, pretty much anywhere densely populated with farang.

I dream of hiring a full fire truck tanker and crew, wielding the hose so as to blast the ningnongs off the main roads down into the sois.

Actually can be a lot of fun for a few hours if you're dressed and psyched up for it, just after decades it gets a bit thin not being able to avoid it at all if you just want to go about your business.

Deep countryside villages are actually pretty OK but if you've got to escape to that extent might as well get a taste of another place IMO. . .

[ultimate weapon]

Pop over to Cambodia, much more civilized there.

I understand that burma and cambodia celebrate the festival too what do you mean by more civilized?

Laos as well.

Rather than taking sadistic delight in soaking the farang from head to toe with ice water and bombing with talc powder, especially when dressed in a suit on the way to business appointments and never mind a laptop bag and smartphone in hand. Every 20 meters, for over a week even after dark in some areas.

Respectfully soliciting agreement before gently running a little plain water over proffered fingers.

If anything at all, allowing strolling around and observing the boat races and other festivities in peace so that it is actually enjoyable.

The absolute worst are KSR, Silom & Suk, Pattaya and downtown CM and Patong, pretty much anywhere densely populated with farang.

I dream of hiring a full fire truck tanker and crew, wielding the hose so as to blast the ningnongs off the main roads down into the sois.

Actually can be a lot of fun for a few hours if you're dressed and psyched up for it, just after decades it gets a bit thin not being able to avoid it at all if you just want to go about your business.

Deep countryside villages are actually pretty OK but if you've got to escape to that extent might as well get a taste of another place IMO. . .

Ah i see well it's my first songkran if i actually visit thailand during that period.

[wym]

I would suggest coming specifically for that, CM's completely nuts around the central canal but less unpleasant than KSR and Pattaya certainly.

If you can pre-book a car (probably all sold out now) then you can head for the hills if you find you don't like it, very nice drive over to Chiang Rai.

Being in a car is also a nice waterproof bubble to get around in.

Most places it actually ends when they say it does, but Pattaya and KSR, maybe a few other BKK places it can go for a week altogether.

Yes, really if you've never done it then it's a must-do at least once. Some of my friends really get into it full-on for many days in a row.

Very nice wet T-shirt displays by the teeny boppers too, particularly tasty along Silom if you're in Bangkok.

But very likely once you've done it once that'll be enough for you. . .

[MrWorldwide]

Great - just as I was about to start a more appropriately titled thread - such is life. Per JSixpack's thread, we already have this covered for the citizens of Pattaya:

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/707843-2014-songkran-faq-long/

My question is simple : how many will actually leave town (be it BKK or upcountry) to escape the worst excesses of the holidays and how many will simply barricade themselves inside their homes ?

[thailiketoo]

I would suggest coming specifically for that, CM's completely nuts around the central canal but less unpleasant than KSR and Pattaya certainly.

If you can pre-book a car (probably all sold out now) then you can head for the hills if you find you don't like it, very nice drive over to Chiang Rai.

Being in a car is also a nice waterproof bubble to get around in.

Most places it actually ends when they say it does, but Pattaya and KSR, maybe a few other BKK places it can go for a week altogether.

Yes, really if you've never done it then it's a must-do at least once. Some of my friends really get into it full-on for many days in a row.

Very nice wet T-shirt displays by the teeny boppers too, particularly tasty along Silom if you're in Bangkok.

But very likely once you've done it once that'll be enough for you. . .

Wet T shirts and padded bras. How Thai!

[dave2]

re

especially when dressed in a suit on the way to business appointments and never mind a laptop bag and smartphone in hand. Every 20 meters, for over a week even after dark in some areas.

waterproof phone and tablet bags went on sale in chiang mai last week

dave2

[JLCrab]

Nice pic -- I know if I need one of those waterproof-type bags, I am in the wrong place.

[Mentors]

Be safe stay home. And dont hit the roads

[namdocmai]

I would suggest coming specifically for that, CM's completely nuts around the central canal but less unpleasant than KSR and Pattaya certainly.

If you can pre-book a car (probably all sold out now) then you can head for the hills if you find you don't like it, very nice drive over to Chiang Rai.

Being in a car is also a nice waterproof bubble to get around in.

Most places it actually ends when they say it does, but Pattaya and KSR, maybe a few other BKK places it can go for a week altogether.

Yes, really if you've never done it then it's a must-do at least once. Some of my friends really get into it full-on for many days in a row.

Very nice wet T-shirt displays by the teeny boppers too, particularly tasty along Silom if you're in Bangkok.

But very likely once you've done it once that'll be enough for you. . .

Wet T shirts and padded bras. How Thai!

My wife told me that her collegues complaint that those padded bra's get mould in the rainingseason because they dry so slow

So during songkran they better not wear them.

[infinity11]

Do you think leaving pattaya early on the 12th will be 'safe' sometime before noon?

[David48]

Ah i see well it's my first songkran if i actually visit thailand during that period.

Gentlemen, take your clue from this post.

The OP says he lives in Singapore.

For me ... marked as read ...

[Thongkorn]

I for one will give it a miss this year, last year the attitude had changed and it got to violent for me, Pity because it use to be good.

[wym]

Keep in mind that WE change as we live here longer, most likely even more than the local customs.

For someone new, I highly recommend it, many people enjoy it over and over every year, and it certainly is something to experience at least once in your life.

Personally at this stage, I wouldn't be a bit upset if I never saw another Songkran in my entire life.

[ultimate weapon]

Ah i see well it's my first songkran if i actually visit thailand during that period.

Gentlemen, take your clue from this post.

The OP says he lives in Singapore.

For me ... marked as read ...

What's your point? From my op it's kind of clear i don't actually reside in thailand the posts are advice to ppl that actually live in LOS.

[ultimate weapon]

I for one will give it a miss this year, last year the attitude had changed and it got to violent for me, Pity because it use to be good.

What happened?

[krisb]

I'll be up in Pattaya 2.

Which is nowhere near Pattaya 1.

[David48]

Ah i see well it's my first songkran if i actually visit thailand during that period.

Gentlemen, take your clue from this post.

The OP says he lives in Singapore.

For me ... marked as read ...

What's your point? From my op it's kind of clear i don't actually reside in thailand the posts are advice to ppl that actually live in LOS.

What's my point?

Well, you are one the attention seeking Members (Troll might be a bit harsh) who simply sits at a keyboard and thinks ... "humm ... what question can I ask next?'

For example, your most recent Gem ... what-are-the-various-prices-of-passports-on-the-black-market

So, you are going sell your passport on the Black Market ... Of course not!

BTW, no reference to the fact that yours is a Singapore Passport, but you sort of sneekerly imply that it's other then that my making references to the UK and USA.

94 OP's in 4 months ...

There are probably some genuine questions in there, but mostly, you come across as a bored member, intent on sharing that through the keyboard.

Yep, I can ignore your posts ... and mostly I do ... and so do many other members here.

Marked as read ...

[ultimate weapon]

Ah i see well it's my first songkran if i actually visit thailand during that period.

Gentlemen, take your clue from this post.

The OP says he lives in Singapore.

For me ... marked as read ...

What's your point? From my op it's kind of clear i don't actually reside in thailand the posts are advice to ppl that actually live in LOS.

What's my point?

Well, you are one the attention seeking Members (Troll might be a bit harsh) who simply sits at a keyboard and thinks ... "humm ... what question can I ask next?'

For example, your most recent Gem ... what-are-the-various-prices-of-passports-on-the-black-market

So, you are going sell your passport on the Black Market ... Of course not!

BTW, no reference to the fact that yours is a Singapore Passport, but you sort of sneekerly imply that it's other then that my making references to the UK and USA.

94 OP's in 4 months ...

There are probably some genuine questions in there, but mostly, you come across as a bored member, intent on sharing that through the keyboard.

Yep, I can ignore your posts ... and mostly I do ... and so do many other members here.

Marked as read ...

Are you mad? Ppl come to the forum to chat and to ask geniuine questions. How many threads i start has 0 relevance to anything and who is to determine if they are considered too many or too few.

The fact of the matter is this thread is ok and provides information whether i reside in thailand or not doesn't matter.

For the other thread you don't have to care the mods will do their job. It really isn't any of your concern.

[WinnieTheKhwai]

Super looking forward to Songkran again. Coming up to NINETEEN Songkrans celebrated in Chiang Mai!!

If anyone really wants to experience the fun (for however many days as you can/want to handle), try Chiang Mai.

Chiang Mai party days are 12, 13, 14, 15.

Bangkok I think 13, 14, 15, but it's much more focussed in some specific areas. Chiang Mai on the other hand just turns into a big party zone, especially around the city moat.

Down south they only really celebrate one day on the 13th.

And Pattaya is a confused mess, just don't go there for Songkran.

Edited March 21, 2014 by WinnieTheKhwai

[rhythmworx]

Anyone fancy a wager on how many people will die this year?

[Ulysses G.]

I dream of hiring a full fire truck tanker and crew, wielding the hose so as to blast the ningnongs off the main roads down into the sois.

The rumor is that is how the modern Songkran got started. American and Australian troops stationed near Chiang Mai during the Vietnam war did exactly that with a military fire truck and the Thais took it from there.

[navara]

I'll be hiding in my house until it has passed.

[SamuiRes]

Come to Samui. One day then it's all over. Brilliant.

[sabian]

In Saraburi it's crazy, so I'm getting out, I don't mond the water but it seems to attract thousands of stupid noisy kids on bikes which does my nut in. So I'm out of the city for a few days. Last year I wenr to Surin, it seemed a lot quieter there? Maybe it's just Bkk and near Bkk that goes crazy.

[lucifer666]

I'm ready. Several crates of Chang chilling nicely and every episode of Dr. Who from 62 to the present day. That should keep me busy for a while.