Pattaya recovers after Wet and Wild Songkran Festival

[Rimmer]

Pattaya recovers after Wet and Wild Songkran Festival

PATTAYA:--Thousands converged on Pattaya on Saturday to celebrate the Songkran Festival which saw the closure of Pattaya Beach Road to ensure that revelers could enjoy the entertainment provided without the fear of passing cars, trucks and motorbikes.

It was estimated that over 100,000 people made their way to Pattaya Beach throughout Saturday. Many of the main roads leading into Pattaya were subjected to traffic congestion and Police and Police Volunteers appeared to be more organized than in previous years which saw a dramatic drop in reported crimes.

Along Pattaya Beach 10 pickpocketing incidents were reported to Police who were quick to blame organized Vietnamese Gangs who were known to operate in the area.

There were no reported arrests and a handful of medical incidents were dealt with by Pattaya Rescue Volunteers who were stationed throughout the City. The most serious incident was a shooting in North Pattaya which left one man in a serious condition in Hospital.
- See more at: http://www.pattayaone.net/pattaya-news/125593/pattaya-recovers-after-wet-and-wild-songkran-festival/#sthash.576ilQiJ.dpuf

-- Pattaya One 2014-04-20

[craigt3365]

Last year, I had several pickpocket attempts. This year, only a few.

The locals were great, asking permission before putting powder on you and not blasting you in the face. As with last year, the worst offenders were foreigners. Always shooting for the eyes.

But all in all, it was great fun.

[JSixpack]

Traffic was pretty bad today. Lots of tourists still about and many leaving. Central Festival was more crowded than I've ever seen it. Guess there was a lot of pent-up demand from people who'd found it difficult to get there during Songkran. Crew still cleaning up outside on 2nd Rd. Must have been some real battles out there.

Funny to see all the cars and bikes still bearing evidence of their having been songkraned. In comparison, my bike looked pristine.

[balo]

A bad experience , too wet and noisy. Will be out of the country next songkran.

Sent from my SM-P601 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[tropo]

Traffic was pretty bad today. Lots of tourists still about and many leaving. Central Festival was more crowded than I've ever seen it. Guess there was a lot of pent-up demand from people who'd found it difficult to get there during Songkran. Crew still cleaning up outside on 2nd Rd. Must have been some real battles out there.

Funny to see all the cars and bikes still bearing evidence of their having been songkraned. In comparison, my bike looked pristine.

You'd think that big business would have enough influence to knock Songkran back to a couple of days. I guess they don't mind losing millions of baht in lost revenue. There's a lot of weird people who don't mind playing with water for over a week, but there must also be a huge number of potential tourists who boycott Pattaya during that period.

Do the Russians, Indians, Arabs and Chinese enjoy being attacked with water for a full week?

[MMarlow]

Last year, I had several pickpocket attempts. This year, only a few.

The locals were great, asking permission before putting powder on you and not blasting you in the face. As with last year, the worst offenders were foreigners. Always shooting for the eyes.

But all in all, it was great fun.

"Last year, I had several pickpocket attempts."

Not the sort of thing I'd broadcast if I were you. If you want to get better at it try to get in touch with the Vietnamese gang, they'd probably help you improve, for a cut.

Edited April 20, 2014 by MMarlow

[obambulate]

What an incredible week of fun, sun and Songkran. Pattaya is undisputedly the number 1 spot for this festivity year in year out.

Hoping that next year is even bigger, better and longer.

Hooray for Songkran!

[TexasRanger]

I was pleasantly surprised. Didn't see one person doing the songkran thing in our moo bhan. Some outside the gates on the main road but not really interested in hitting my car, far too many scooters as targets. All in all a success.

[pitchag]

This was my first Songkran I took my girlfriend and two other Thai wives and a little 5 year old to her first Songkran in the back of my pickup, loader the tray with barrels of water and set out for Pattaya on the Monday, I drove the circuit from second rd and down soi 6 twice it was a blast my passengers had a ball, and only one person tried to open my door and it was a faring trying to soak the inside of my car, lucky for him it was locked, I was very impressed with the good natured revelling among the Thais, but some of the Ferangs need to take some lessons on who to wet and not to target, I saw them wetting food vendors and blasting those high powered PVC gun directly into the faces of motor bike riders.

All in all the ladies the kid had a great day and I would do it again next year for her.

Some of you expats that complain about the festival should bear in mind this is Thailand and if you don't like it go home for the season or lock yourself away for the week

[JoeThePoster]

Only 10 pickpockets, a handful of medical incidents and one serious shooting. Keep it wet and wild the year round, I say.

[JSixpack]

Do the Russians, Indians, Arabs and Chinese enjoy being attacked with water for a full week?

I don't think so! Most of the mob at Central yesterday consisted of Russians, Indians, Arabs and Chinese. I could hardly find a seat at Starbucks. (I sometimes make it a point to go there for an expresso partly just to piss off our rabid Starbucks haters.)

Edited April 21, 2014 by JSixpack

[tropo]

This was my first Songkran I took my girlfriend and two other Thai wives and a little 5 year old to her first Songkran in the back of my pickup, loader the tray with barrels of water and set out for Pattaya on the Monday, I drove the circuit from second rd and down soi 6 twice it was a blast my passengers had a ball, and only one person tried to open my door and it was a faring trying to soak the inside of my car, lucky for him it was locked, I was very impressed with the good natured revelling among the Thais, but some of the Ferangs need to take some lessons on who to wet and not to target, I saw them wetting food vendors and blasting those high powered PVC gun directly into the faces of motor bike riders.

All in all the ladies the kid had a great day and I would do it again next year for her.

Some of you expats that complain about the festival should bear in mind this is Thailand and if you don't like it go home for the season or lock yourself away for the week

You need to get out of you car and onto a motorbike or into a baht bus to really experience the joys of Songkran.

[JSixpack]

Driving a car during Songkran isn't as safe as you might think. Addressed in the FAQ:

Q: Just ride w/ your car windows rolled up.

All in all the ladies the kid had a great day and I would do it again next year for her.

We understand. Already noted in the FAQ as to demographic:

Q: i luv my tats & pty sngkrn

A: But you belong to a different demographic than the permanent residents. You most likely fall into one or more of these categories:

• kids and teenagers
• ignorant noobs
• the besotted seeking to impress some Thai woman, perhaps at her bar or former bar

I'll change "impress" to "please or impress" next year.

Some of you expats that complain about the festival should bear in mind this is Thailand and if you don't like it go home for the season or lock yourself away for the week

We've figured out somehow that it's Thailand. The FAQ already has a long section specifically devoted to survival strategies:

6. SURVIVAL STRATEGIES

Nobody would care about a 1 day or even 3 day Songkran like the rest of Thailand. We refuseniks don't like 10 days of Songkran. That's a bit excessive, to say the least.

Edited April 22, 2014 by JSixpack

[tropo]

Some of you expats that complain about the festival should bear in mind this is Thailand and if you don't like it go home for the season or lock yourself away for the week

We've figured out somehow that it's Thailand. The FAQ already has a long section specifically devoted to survival strategies:

This is Pattaya (TIP) - I keep forgetting I also live in Thailand.

[Tokay]

Some of you expats that complain about the festival should bear in mind this is Thailand and if you don't like it go home...

What's not to like about being shot in your eye ball with a high powered water canon?

[robin33]

Bit to bussy

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