It's begun! Wet today!

[BillyBobThai]

For years I have dreamed of making some sort of pressurized water cannon to put in the back of my truck. Something like this. Just think how much fun it would be to be able to fire a 10 milisecond burst of water from this contraption. And ice water at that.

Edited April 10, 2014 by BillyBobThai

[marcusmarsh]

I once left Pai on my motorbike, where I used to live before Chiang Mai, a week before Songkrang for a visa run to avoid the water throwing.

Well I never... there I was with my girlfriend of the time on the motorbike and suddenly got slaughtered by some younguns as we turned a corner. I took 95% of the hit. Wasnt happy but oh how the girlfriend enjoyed that ! Laughing like a hyena. I turned around , with the hump, and her face was lovely to watch as she cracked up big time. God she LOVED it

But now I was looking for any others and sure enough I spotted some kids so slowed down as they ran out and I ducked at the perfect moment so my girlfriend took the whole lot.

To this day I still sometimes think of the two differing looks on her face

One - utter joy.

Two - humpy as <removed>

Nowadays I hibernate I must admit as It aint my cuppa tea.

Oh also I remember, with same girlfriend, getting slaughtered by a guy hiding behind a wall on the way back from the cinema at 10pm. I stopped but my gf talked me out of returning by calmly saying 'come on luv, lets get home.' If that happened to me now there is no chance Id calmly go home. Snipers, and I mean this (should you do it late evening time), beware !

[heybruce]

I went to a Songkran ceremony today and saw the way that proper civilized people do it, by pouring small bowls of scented water gently over people's hands. I much prefer this style to what the majority of the general populace seem to get up to....

Thai people do that in the morning, then they go to the moat and go nuts.

[BillyBobThai]

Like I said, sitting in the DRY comfort of your pickup cab, and firing your state of the art water cannon, something that DARPA would be proud to have, would be the ultimate fun for me.

Here is a picture of said cannon in action.

Edited April 10, 2014 by BillyBobThai

[puukao]

This is good times for all!!! I put a little oil inside my water bucket and coat the road coming down from doi suthep. the motorbikes and cyclists love me!!! Right on a tight curve with 100 foot drop!!! i see many smiles...

and then i go into intersection and hit motorbikes in the face right before they must stop....makes it very fun for me!!!

i also use the trap door oil slick......looks like plastic....then i pull the string, and viola......oil slick!!!!!

i will soon create a drone oil/water dropping device on the highway......or drone carrying water canon.

i do this all because, one time, when i was 7, a little boy hit me with a water balloon and it took almost 4 minutes to dry!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Chiengmaijoe]

I once left Pai on my motorbike, where I used to live before Chiang Mai, a week before Songkrang for a visa run to avoid the water throwing.

Well I never... there I was with my girlfriend of the time on the motorbike and suddenly got slaughtered by some younguns as we turned a corner. I took 95% of the hit. Wasnt happy but oh how the girlfriend enjoyed that ! Laughing like a hyena. I turned around , with the hump, and her face was lovely to watch as she cracked up big time. God she LOVED it

But now I was looking for any others and sure enough I spotted some kids so slowed down as they ran out and I ducked at the perfect moment so my girlfriend took the whole lot.

To this day I still sometimes think of the two differing looks on her face

One - utter joy.

Two - humpy as <removed>

Nowadays I hibernate I must admit as It aint my cuppa tea.

Oh also I remember, with same girlfriend, getting slaughtered by a guy hiding behind a wall on the way back from the cinema at 10pm. I stopped but my gf talked me out of returning by calmly saying 'come on luv, lets get home.' If that happened to me now there is no chance Id calmly go home. Snipers, and I mean this (should you do it late evening time), beware !

Yes, another aspect of the starting early and people not expecting it is the problem for motorbike riders and those sharing the road with them. I was driving in my car, coming back from up north a few years back and quickly learn't to go give a much wider berth to motorcyclists. A few got caught by people hiding behind signs etc. and ended up swerving out in front of me.

I'll be giving the grandkids their pre-Songkran rules before they go out.

1. Don't soak people who don't want it, particularly older people. A small respectful symbolic amount on the shoulder, maybe.

2. No throwing water at people who look like they're going to work.

3. No aiming water at the eyes.

4. No throwing water at people on motorbikes.

That will leave them with 90% of people to have fun with.

[northernjohn]

It's a bit daft, I hope it's not big buckets, or I hope they're being very selective, because people aren't dressed or prepared for it. Even the Thais are complaining about the lack of respect or consideration being shown at this time of year.

I was lucky. I wasn't dressed for getting yet yet. When the Thai fellow saw me coming, he scrambled to fill his water canon and started to aim. I waved him off and he smiled, gave me a wave, and didn't fire. The next bunch, at a different location, was a Thai family with pre-teen kids armed with water canons, but I squeaked through as they were reloading. But they were shooting at everyone who passed by. Tomorrow I'll dress for the party, put my camera in a scuba housing, and go get wet!

Whatever turns yr crank, dude...

Some people have grown too old to enjoy parties.

While five days of Songkran in Chiang Mai is a bit much, one afternoon of it, providing, of course, one is young and flexible enough to still enjoy being around happy people, is rather nice.

It's not Human Sacrifice. It's a New Year's party.

Well I am old but still enjoy watching others enjoy it. Great when I am inside a vehicle on the moat.

Songkran in it's present form has been going on longer than any ex pat living here has been here as can be seen from the pictures. Yet every year we get the Bah Humbug foreigners here. The festival's and holidays are a part of Thailand. More so in some areas than others. One can always move to where they don't haver the big celebrations we enjoy here in Chiang Mai.

Perhaps a hill tribe village up out of Pai.

[Choonpon]

Have a wonderful time and enjoy folks!

Edited April 10, 2014 by Choonpon

[Chiengmaijoe]

Well I am old but still enjoy watching others enjoy it. Great when I am inside a vehicle on the moat.

Songkran in it's present form has been going on longer than any ex pat living here has been here as can be seen from the pictures. Yet every year we get the Bah Humbug foreigners here. The festival's and holidays are a part of Thailand. More so in some areas than others. One can always move to where they don't haver the big celebrations we enjoy here in Chiang Mai.

Perhaps a hill tribe village up out of Pai.

I probably first saw Songkran about 30 years ago and although there was plenty of water being thrown around it was mostly from small buckets and a lot more of it was a small dishful of scenteded water on the shoulder or back and definitely no high pressure plastic guns. I also seem to recall the emphasis was more on the traditional aspects, such as the events at the temples, the Buddha procession and the family-oriented rituals such as the washing of the parents feet. These aspects are all still there but most tourists know nothing about it. My kids still do the foot-bathing ceremony to me and the wife. I imagine the grandkids will get involved too this year.

For anyone not aware of the traditional and religious aspects they should look them up. A visit to the temples at this time of year is a must do, as is the Buddha procession.

[WinnieTheKhwai]

^ I do that too.

But before there were the ready made high pressure soaker guns, people made their own PVC guns from some PVC tube and a wooden plunger with some tightly wrapped cloth to exactly fill the tube.

That was a challenge because the cloth didn't stay in place long, and you had to redo it every hour or so.

And they were simpler times, because cell phones didn't exist. So no hassle keeping those dry.

And ice wasn't readily sold everywhere. It took a dedicated trip to the ice factory to load up.

But you know, we were happy in those days, though we were poor.

Edited April 10, 2014 by WinnieTheKhwai

[Chiengmaijoe]

Well I am old but still enjoy watching others enjoy it. Great when I am inside a vehicle on the moat.

Songkran in it's present form has been going on longer than any ex pat living here has been here as can be seen from the pictures. Yet every year we get the Bah Humbug foreigners here. The festival's and holidays are a part of Thailand. More so in some areas than others. One can always move to where they don't haver the big celebrations we enjoy here in Chiang Mai.

Perhaps a hill tribe village up out of Pai.

I too enjoy most of Songkran and love the buzz in the air that Thais have for their New Year celebrations, but like plenty of Thais I have concerns about the excesses. There was certainly no throwing water at motorcycles, for example, 30 years ago.

I don't see much bah humbug on this thread, but either way, suggesting that people should have to leave their home during such an important time of year is as good an example of how excessive some of it has become. I make a point of not being a party pooper during this time, but I increasingly hear the locals complaining about some of the things they see, and I'm not talking about tourist behaviour. It's a great time of year, but some of the excesses need to be looked at. When drunk driving got out of control at New Year celebrations in the West, people talked about it, the authorities reacted and the celebrations continued. The same can, and will, happen here.

[Chiengmaijoe]

This is good times for all!!! I put a little oil inside my water bucket and coat the road coming down from doi suthep. the motorbikes and cyclists love me!!! Right on a tight curve with 100 foot drop!!! i see many smiles...

and then i go into intersection and hit motorbikes in the face right before they must stop....makes it very fun for me!!!

i also use the trap door oil slick......looks like plastic....then i pull the string, and viola......oil slick!!!!!

i will soon create a drone oil/water dropping device on the highway......or drone carrying water canon.

i do this all because, one time, when i was 7, a little boy hit me with a water balloon and it took almost 4 minutes to dry!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And you probably watched way too many Roadrunner cartoons, as did Billybobthai. MeeMee!

[bbbbooboo]

Hahaha......I am so glad I'm not in Thailand for songkran this year

[Coppernicussing]

For my woman, everyday is Songkran!

[narkeddiver]

^ I do that too.

But before there were the ready made high pressure soaker guns, people made their own PVC guns from some PVC tube and a wooden plunger with some tightly wrapped cloth to exactly fill the tube.

That was a challenge because the cloth didn't stay in place long, and you had to redo it every hour or so.

And they were simpler times, because cell phones didn't exist. So no hassle keeping those dry.

And ice wasn't readily sold everywhere. It took a dedicated trip to the ice factory to load up.

But you know, we were happy in those days, though we were poor.

Right. I had to get up in the morning at ten o'clock at night half an hour before I went to bed, drink a cup of sulphuric acid, work twenty-nine hours a day down mill, and pay mill owner for permission to come to work, and when we got home, our Dad and our mother would kill us and dance about on our graves singing Hallelujah.

[zziffle]

For my woman, everyday is Songkran!

The mind boggles at what that could possibly mean.

BTW, I'm in Hua Hin right now, running away from the smoke you folks have been enjoying. Chatted up a waitress this morning who hails from CM. She tells me we won't see any water activity here (HH) until the 13th. Aaah, civilization vs. the barbarians.

[limegreenpatato]

Hitting grumpy old men is the best part of songkran. cause then you can come on here and see them bitching and laugh even harder than when you soaked them with water.

[MickeyMaow]

I've been knocking about since 10 o'clock this morning and haven't got wet. Looks like this official dates thing has worked this year.

What are the official dates 12th -15th?

[sharktooth]

For my woman, everyday is Songkran!

Tightwad... Mine gets a pearl necklace every morning.

[slipperylobster]

Make a complaint at the local police station....but bring a bucket of water with you. When they laugh and say Happy Songkran...throw the bucket of water all over the lot of them. Smile back...and say Happy Songkran to youse.

[Ulysses G.]

I always find it touching how good the police are about getting drenched on Songkran.They are targeted even more than us farangs and are very gracious about it.

Edited April 11, 2014 by Ulysses G.

[limegreenpatato]

I always find it touching how good the police are about getting drenched on Songkran.They are targeted even more than us farangs and are very gracious about it.

Its not like they aren't as drunk as everyone else is

[binjalin]

the misery of songkran - first year great fun, second ok, third onwards it's moronic

[piewarmer]

Incidents during Songkran could be posted here, Yesterday (friday) a friend got hit by water in the face riding in a tuk tuk inside the moat.

He and the driver had to go back and search for his glasses. luckily the found them.

[dave2]

re

the misery of songkran

and the need for signs like this

dave2

[jaideeguy]

Yeah, I saw it yesterday too. The first sighting was little hot bored kids in the moobaan..............normal and kinda cute the first day.

2nd sighting was when I was returning from the dentist at 3pm and had to pass the Thapae gate war zone and traffic was gridlocked with the early falang and Chinese tourists fighting on both sides of the street. At one point, a group of young Chinese ran across the road to soak a girl on a motorcycle wearing a leather jacket and they totally ignored her pleas to stop as she just seemed to be on her way home from work..............

This year, with the influx of Chinese tourists who are known to have bad manners anyway may prove to be a dangerous mix of idiots.............

I'll watch it on youtube, thanks.

[WinnieTheKhwai]

I look forward to having a great party with the Chinese. Last year many of them seemed less prepared / didn't know about the festivities. This year should be awesome.

[Ulysses G.]

At one point, a group of young Chinese ran across the road to soak a girl on a motorcycle wearing a leather jacket and they totally ignored her pleas to stop as she just seemed to be on her way home from work..............

It sounds like we Farangs may have some competition when it comes to being obnoxious during Songkran.

[WinnieTheKhwai]

Incidents during Songkran could be posted here, Yesterday (friday) a friend got hit by water in the face riding in a tuk tuk inside the moat.

Amazing!

Spoiler Alert: There will be similar incidents today. To the point they won't be incidents.

Edited April 12, 2014 by WinnieTheKhwai

[MESmith]

At one point, a group of young Chinese ran across the road to soak a girl on a motorcycle wearing a leather jacket and they totally ignored her pleas to stop as she just seemed to be on her way home from work..............

It sounds like we Farangs may have some competition when it comes to being obnoxious during Songkran.

"Spot the Thai" photo