songkran observations

[choochoo]

1. Bars very busy unlike last year. Maybe the protest caused people to postpone their los vacations-not cancel them.

2. Is there a un-written rule that water throwing stops about 8pm. Not one ounce of water on me today-just water leeching thru the hole in my shoe.........lol.

3. Didnt see the foreign hooligans like i have in years past-

[Jingthing]

You're obviously not in Pattaya ...

[Mossfinn]

Two observations of last year:

Silom Rd-Suriwong Road- maybe about 6pm- long train of vehicles all having great fun, start shooting at me, I hold up my suit and they still continue to shoot, quite miraculously none of them hit

Pattaya- Beach Rd a day later ( from memory- can be disputed ) a Westerner fellow with a bazooka blasts an elderly Thai guy, the Thai guy questions the actions, the Westerner guy squares up, as the Thai guy walks away, the Westerner guy blasts him again.

Welcome to a festival you do not understand.

[Jingthing]

I'm surprised there isn't MORE violence.

Like when you're dressed clean and nice for dinner, at night, and get buckets of water thrown on you ruining your outing, you're not "playing" ... it's just violence really, why isn't there more RETALIATORY violence? No I don't mean water back, talking about unwelcome water when you've got no water and aren't playing.

Edited April 13, 2014 by Jingthing

[Mossfinn]

I am not sure JT, perhaps people gravitate to their own sense of stupidness, but without realising that business and morality and plain common sense should prevail. I went out and washed the elderly man's hands in front of the western bullies, just glad I didn't take a hiding for it, still glad I did it though.

[crazygreg44]

It's days when you have two main choices : Mix with the crowd and party, or stay home , dry & safe

The days will pass and comes the day when wearing your business suit it indicates you are back in business . . . .

[Head Snake]

Compared to going to Petchabun, I enjoyed songkran yesterday in Bangkok.

Clean water vs. stale smelly water from the ditches.

So little traffic in BKK vs. "rot dtit" 8-12 hour drive to upcountry

No worrying about access to whatever limited hotel space is available.

There seemed to be much more water throwing participation on the streets vs. previous years

[elgordo38]

Setting a great example for children showing them how to squander a precious resource. They will in their lifetime see the day when there will be no precious water to throw. Only childhood memories. This tradition started out sparingly applying water to a persons face and shoulders followed by prayer. Today there is no prayer only the desire to drown a stranger. The big winners are the bars and lodging places.

[how241]

It's days when you have two main choices : Mix with the crowd and party, or stay home , dry & safe

The days will pass and comes the day when wearing your business suit it indicates you are back in business . . . .

+1....Mostly I hide inside. Late at night you can try to sneak out to some store and not get soaked.

[Ulysses G.]

The rule is that the water throwing is actually supposed to stop at 6 PM - when the sun goes down - but some farang dimwits ignore it. I usually wait until at least 8 PM, not that it did me any good last night.

Edited April 14, 2014 by Ulysses G.

[Jingthing]

The rule is that the water throwing is actually supposed to stop at 6 PM - when the sun goes down - but some farang dimwits ignore it. I usually wait until at least 8 PM, not that it did me any good last night.

10 PM is better but still cover up your stuff in plastic!

[Ridler]

Setting a great example for children showing them how to squander a precious resource. They will in their lifetime see the day when there will be no precious water to throw. Only childhood memories. This tradition started out sparingly applying water to a persons face and shoulders followed by prayer. Today there is no prayer only the desire to drown a stranger. The big winners are the bars and lodging places.

Traditions change over time. Believe it or not Christmas was not always about giving PS2's to kids or chocolate rabbits at Easter.

There are still millions of people who will pay respects to elders by pouring water over their hands, but things move on.

Just enjoy it.

[seasia]

The rule is that the water throwing is actually supposed to stop at 6 PM - when the sun goes down - but some farang dimwits ignore it. I usually wait until at least 8 PM, not that it did me any good last night.

10 PM is better but still cover up your stuff in plastic!

i usually stay in for the duration but happened to go out at about 1.00 AM for a little walk, quiet naklua soi, a couple of idiots still playing Songkran.

They were Thai and targetting motorbikes, I was chatting with a Thai friend, he thought they were wrong.

Strange as in fairness it is usually quite tame here other than 1 big day.

[Jingthing]

The rule is that the water throwing is actually supposed to stop at 6 PM - when the sun goes down - but some farang dimwits ignore it. I usually wait until at least 8 PM, not that it did me any good last night.

10 PM is better but still cover up your stuff in plastic!

i usually stay in for the duration but happened to go out at about 1.00 AM for a little walk, quiet naklua soi, a couple of idiots still playing Songkran.

They were Thai and targetting motorbikes, I was chatting with a Thai friend, he thought they were wrong.

Strange as in fairness it is usually quite tame here other than 1 big day.

That could have been because yesterday was an "official" Thailand Songkran day. Pattaya really should be dryer late at night until the 18th.

[northernjohn]

I'm surprised there isn't MORE violence.

Like when you're dressed clean and nice for dinner, at night, and get buckets of water thrown on you ruining your outing, you're not "playing" ... it's just violence really, why isn't there more RETALIATORY violence? No I don't mean water back, talking about unwelcome water when you've got no water and aren't playing.

Sounds like you are talking about one of the advantages of living in Pattaya.

Here in Chiang Mai you are relatively safe at 6:30 to 7:00 at night.

[sirchai]

Many things seem to be different this year.

We drove to the wife's village, which is 25 km away, driving on the main road. No cops every 5 km, no checkpoints. No alcohol control.

Did anybody experience something similar in lower Isaan?

[northernjohn]

Setting a great example for children showing them how to squander a precious resource. They will in their lifetime see the day when there will be no precious water to throw. Only childhood memories. This tradition started out sparingly applying water to a persons face and shoulders followed by prayer. Today there is no prayer only the desire to drown a stranger. The big winners are the bars and lodging places.

Where does the water go?

To Mars

Stick around Bangkok and you will see it in the rainy system You have been misinformed.

[NoshowJones]

I'm surprised there isn't MORE violence.

Like when you're dressed clean and nice for dinner, at night, and get buckets of water thrown on you ruining your outing, you're not "playing" ... it's just violence really, why isn't there more RETALIATORY violence? No I don't mean water back, talking about unwelcome water when you've got no water and aren't playing.

There are two reasons there is no retaliatory violence from me, firstly, I am the only Farang in the village, and secondly, I have confined myself to the house.

[NoshowJones]

The rule is that the water throwing is actually supposed to stop at 6 PM - when the sun goes down - but some farang dimwits ignore it. I usually wait until at least 8 PM, not that it did me any good last night.

You mean some Farang moron threw water over you and you did not give them a sore face?

[Marcos989]

My first Songkran...

Fairly often I was ashamed and embarassed to be a Westerner.

Shooting people in the face, at relatively high pressure at close distance, repeatedly even. How is that cool or inline with the celebration?

Saw a Russian woman attack with murder in her eyes for no good reason a likeable chap nearby, she clawed his face drawing blood. He was surprisingly non-aggresive or retalitory. I would have broken her nose.

One moment that stood out for me was a young Thai boy that simply dipped his hand into his bucket and patted strangers with the water. That for me was the spirit of the celebration.

The children were great if you just squirted them with a bit and below the waste...so many sweet smiles.

[choochoo]

The rule is that the water throwing is actually supposed to stop at 6 PM - when the sun goes down - but some farang dimwits ignore it. I usually wait until at least 8 PM, not that it did me any good last night.

You mean some Farang moron threw water over you and you did not give them a sore face?

Is a SORE face what you give a ladeeboy when they grab your HoT dOg?

[NoshowJones]

The rule is that the water throwing is actually supposed to stop at 6 PM - when the sun goes down - but some farang dimwits ignore it. I usually wait until at least 8 PM, not that it did me any good last night.

You mean some Farang moron threw water over you and you did not give them a sore face?

Is a SORE face what you give a ladeeboy when they grab your HoT dOg?

Not at all, you hit one Thai guy, then you have to take on about six, and ladeeboys are guys,

[arnold40844]

I posted this in another forum but thought I would share it in here as well.

I have to say I was deeply disappointed by my first Songkran. As I understood it to be a bit of harmless fun throwing water around to cleanse people of their past woes, or something to that effect..

For a start most of what was being thrown in that street was not water, or at least not only water... Water with red food coloring and flour in the eyes when riding a motorbike is not a cleansing experience, something that tasted very fishy, looked like it had anchovies in the bucket, and also some of them were throwing soapy water. During my speedy but partially blinded exit I would not have been surprised to have across a reenactment of the scene from Zoolander where they have a water fight at the fueling station with petrol.

Shirt, trainers, trouser all ruined. I cannot get the food coloring off my face, neck or arms and may have digested something that will give me food poisoning.

I fail to see the cleansing side to this age old tradition, I am appalled and discussed by what I witnessed this afternoon. Where I come from that's called assault and vandalism.

[baneko]

I'm surprised there isn't MORE violence.

Like when you're dressed clean and nice for dinner, at night, and get buckets of water thrown on you ruining your outing, you're not "playing" ... it's just violence really, why isn't there more RETALIATORY violence? No I don't mean water back, talking about unwelcome water when you've got no water and aren't playing.

1711

Sent from my GT-I9300T using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[carib102]

Some aggressive water throwing teens, but for the most part very respectful if you said mai naam. Of course this was in Mae Sot, not a tourist spot. All in all a good Songkran, lots of smiles and happiness. And no water play after sundown.

[chrisinth]

Spent yesterday at my mates wife's restaurant, with the wife and a great bunch of mates and their partners and children, mostly outside taking part in the water throwing. Music (mostly 70's & 80's rock) blaring away in the background, full party atmosphere and everybody enjoying themselves.

We would have been there again today but it is the missus's birthday and she has some of the family round so we gave it a miss but will be out again tomorrow for the last day.

We are up in Phitsanulok and they seem to have got things almost right here. The town centre, around the train station and all roads leading to it, are closed to vehicles, full on party for anyone that wants the mayhem, complete with foam makers to add to the occasion. With this going on, there are still pickups doing the rounds with the kids (and older kids) in the back getting wet but not as much as previous years.

IMHO, it is all about the frame of mind you are in as to how you define your Songkran experience; this year mine was good. That said, it only takes one idiot to spoil the entire day for many. Be safe out there.

[carib102]

Funny thing this year. I've noticed before that Thais my age do not participate in the Songkran water throwing. I assume they have had their fill. But, I've noticed that I have the same smiles and thrills as the small children playing Songkran, so it is like a return to childhood for me in some respects. Nothing wrong with feeling like an 8 year old again.

[kimroe]

I'm surprised there isn't MORE violence.

Like when you're dressed clean and nice for dinner, at night, and get buckets of water thrown on you ruining your outing, you're not "playing" ... it's just violence really, why isn't there more RETALIATORY violence? No I don't mean water back, talking about unwelcome water when you've got no water and aren't playing.

Report from 2 day`s of Songkran from Dan Chang Suphanburi! Yesterday 4 people shot to death, 1 person sash up in the head with a beerbottle. Today 1 IDIOT firering a Airgune in to the air "luckely the police saw that, 1 person falling out from a pickup, the pickup stop buy the police and the take out the driven who was so drunk that he couldnt stand up and didnt know that he lost 1 off his passaenger!!!! Lets see what is going to happen in the morning!!!

[janpharma]

I posted this in another forum but thought I would share it in here as well.

I have to say I was deeply disappointed by my first Songkran. As I understood it to be a bit of harmless fun throwing water around to cleanse people of their past woes, or something to that effect..

For a start most of what was being thrown in that street was not water, or at least not only water... Water with red food coloring and flour in the eyes when riding a motorbike is not a cleansing experience, something that tasted very fishy, looked like it had anchovies in the bucket, and also some of them were throwing soapy water. During my speedy but partially blinded exit I would not have been surprised to have across a reenactment of the scene from Zoolander where they have a water fight at the fueling station with petrol.

Shirt, trainers, trouser all ruined. I cannot get the food coloring off my face, neck or arms and may have digested something that will give me food poisoning.

I fail to see the cleansing side to this age old tradition, I am appalled and discussed by what I witnessed this afternoon. Where I come from that's called assault and vandalism.

I travelled all around the world...and I'm very dissappointed every year again with this "Songkran happening"...I never ever saw so many idiots acting like real idiots and enjoying this...Why don't they stay at home, take a shower, being dressed, for 3 days and powder themselves with colours that hurt the eyes...So they could only barely kill themselves and not cause accidents on the roads....Maybe think about it and say "Ooooh....."

[art vandelay]

banglampu is much quieter then previous years.

very quiet outside my apartment building day and night, in the past there were loud parties and shouting most of the time.

the main road has very few puck ups with barrels of water.

no one seems to have set up barrels of water on the main road or sois and no hose pipes.

usually the road, sois, shops, walls, everything would be smeared with the white paste, very little this year.

my GF's brother went to khao san road for fun last night and was seriously disappointed to walk the length of the road and still be dry.

all kind of strange really. not that i'm complaining.