March 20, 201511 yr I can t wait! Have been coming to Thailand every Winter for past 15 years and a few in the 90's but have always had to leave by March for work. This year is it. Staying till April 16 and hitting up Silom first and then anywhere else fun. I have big gun already! Yippee!12TH - 19TH in Pattaya, 19TH the maddest and baddest, not much happening the 16TH, unless Bangkok is mad that dateEveryone in BKK tells me THE 13th, 14th and 15th are the big days here. I hope they are right. Maybe I'll try out pat's before then.
March 20, 201511 yr Going to Nepal from 13 to 20 April. Nepal, a country where the word culture means culture, not just good food, nice beaches, fake commercial smiles and gogo bars. if you see what I mean. I remember Songkran in Khon Kaen 30 years ago... what a wonderful memory. Genuinely nice people were walking around carrying bowls of water with flower petals in them, and delicately springkling passers-by with a blessing and a sincere smile. Songkran in Thailand today is just like Christmas in the West. A pathetic disgrace and an insult to the genuine - and beautiful - traditions they are supposed to represent. Boring boring boring!
March 20, 201511 yr Going to Nepal from 13 to 20 April. Nepal, a country where the word culture means culture, not just good food, nice beaches, fake commercial smiles and gogo bars. if you see what I mean. I remember Songkran in Khon Kaen 30 years ago... what a wonderful memory. Genuinely nice people were walking around carrying bowls of water with flower petals in them, and delicately springkling passers-by with a blessing and a sincere smile. Songkran in Thailand today is just like Christmas in the West. A pathetic disgrace and an insult to the genuine - and beautiful - traditions they are supposed to represent. Boring boring boring! Yep you're right. Culture is totally boring. So stay away from it, you don't belong there, obviously.
March 20, 201511 yr It's out of control when chunks of ice are thrown with the water. Falangs are a favourite target. I'm off to Hong Kong for the week. Not Hi-So, saved up for it.
March 20, 201511 yr Love songkran, the best days of the year. Though on the 16th I am very happy it is finished. @Alex, Don't get too enthusiast at Silom, I've looked at it last year but it was soooo freakin crowded that we went back straight away. We always go with some friends to Suk soi 4, still able to walk and the rows of bars on both sides of the streets makes it good fun.
March 20, 201511 yr Made the mistake of booking up to go to Phuket during the festival. The GF loves it, I loathe the morons. So a quiet couple of days by the pool in the 5* far enough away from the madness, then I might be persuaded to venture out.
March 20, 201511 yr I'm planning to spend songkran in chachoengsao so hopefully it will just be fun there and not too crazy.
March 20, 201511 yr I can t wait! Have been coming to Thailand every Winter for past 15 years and a few in the 90's but have always had to leave by March for work. This year is it. Staying till April 16 and hitting up Silom first and then anywhere else fun. I have big gun already! Yippee!12TH - 19TH in Pattaya, 19TH the maddest and baddest, not much happening the 16TH, unless Bangkok is mad that dateEveryone in BKK tells me THE 13th, 14th and 15th are the big days here. I hope they are right. Maybe I'll try out pat's before then. Kids with their guns, pathetic! Hop on board for the crucifixion
March 20, 201511 yr I'm arriving just in time for my first ever songkran! Have fun. Don't forget to put your water sensitive items in a plastic bag when going out. Good luck and welcome.
March 20, 201511 yr Popular Post The original concept of Songkhran is very nice, ..showing respect to the eders and receiving their blessings in the form of a small amount of water poured over the hands, ... but it has been transformed into this macabre nightmare in Pattaya, ...the streets are full of drunken idiots doing stupid and dangerous things. Last year, 4 people died on the first day alone, ...thousands are injured and that only counts those that visit a hospital for treatment, ....and this insanity lasts 10 days!!! Water cannons that shoot a 2 inch thick jet of water, laser straight, 30 feet is OVERKILL! So is a garbage can full of water being tossed into the back of a songtao, ... but anything goes as the police seem to disappear! .... and 10 days? Wha idiot came up with that? I do not have the luxury of going elsewhere for 10 days. My small pension does not allow me to travel as I please. I try to stock up my cupboards and fridge and hide in my room for 10 days!
March 20, 201511 yr LEAVING. can't stand Songkhran. Childish people throwing water over me. and then the powder thing. NOT for me thank you.
March 20, 201511 yr Staying in until it all over by 8 pm,thank goodness the police are restricting it now. . Who enforces that Rule, The Police surely u jest...
March 20, 201511 yr To the 2 posters just before this (#42 and 43), you will undoubtedly be labelled 'boring' for saying what you did, no matter how right you are. I'm sure, just like me, you understand that Songkran can be fun for young people, we're not sooooo old and grumpy that we can't figure that out. If I was in my 20s I would surely enjoy the craziness of Songkran. But I happen to be in my late 50s, been there done that, and what I find hard to stomach is that no matter how old they are, during Songkran nowadays, people who don't enjoy being soaked in ice-cold dirty water 10 times a day are not exactly in a position to choose. Either they leave, or lock themselves up in their room, or put up with it. It's just like when you have extremely noisy neighbours. Your silence doesn't disturb them, they won't come knock at your door asking you to please make more noise, right ? It's a one way disturbance, therefore it's antisocial, disrespectful, especially of older people, and therefore totally inconsistent with the very spirit of traditional Songkran.
March 20, 201511 yr Staying in Thailand. I enjoy Songkran as long as I am not in a city that overdoes it. Places I have enjoyed Songkran. BKK Khon Kaen Krabi Koh Samet Koh Samui Koh Phangan Koh Tao Hua Hin Koh Chang Pai.... Places I didn't enjoy Songkran Chiang Mai Pattaya
March 20, 201511 yr I'm arriving just in time for my first ever songkran!. Can't wait to get an Eye infection or Worse, U don't know the source of the water ingested orally or eyes, No Thanks...
March 20, 201511 yr Skipping this year. Arranged work schedule overseas to avoid it. Have things that must be done and can't afford what is basically a whole week wasted in Chiang Mai to the ldrunken revelry and excess. It is a great holiday but a little out of control. My condolences in advance to the hundreds that will die pointlessly in the roads of Chiang Mai province. To all those drunk drivers and motorbike riders who go and put innocent peoples lives at stake, I hope as many of you as possible die on the roads before you kill any of those people who will die pointlessly. My condolences to those innocent people who will die because of the drunken scum, on every road in every Thai province. May the innocent people rest in peace, and the drunken scum rot in hell.
March 20, 201511 yr Staying in until it all over by 8 pm,thank goodness the police are restricting it now. Police restricting it? I wonder if that only applies in Bangkok.
March 20, 201511 yr Load the back of the pick up with a barrel of water and some pretty young girls and head for Pattaya and Soi 6 for a great day driving around and having fun Enjoy yourself, but make sure you leave people alone who do not want to participate.
March 20, 201511 yr it's a nice time of people returning to the village for visits… a bit more traditional here and not so wet..
March 20, 201511 yr I can t wait! Have been coming to Thailand every Winter for past 15 years and a few in the 90's but have always had to leave by March for work. This year is it. Staying till April 16 and hitting up Silom first and then anywhere else fun. I have big gun already! Yippee! OK, but I say the same to you, do not involve people who do not want to participate.
March 20, 201511 yr Why would I leave when I can sit at home with a crate of Chang and a constant supply of movies ?
March 20, 201511 yr I am getting out of here. I wish they would have designated areas for this activity; some people have to get on with their everyday lives. I went to Khon Khaen a few years ago and throwing water after 6pm there was not allowed. I think there should be some kind of controls on what people can do in Bangkok during this festive period.
March 20, 201511 yr My family and I had a great time last year with all getting a good soaking out front of our shop house here on Pattaya's dark side. It was my first Songkhran so the novelty hasn't worn off, the family love it too so I won't be missing it this year. Loads of fun for the whole family with neighbors, cars, trucks and bikes passing by and giving as much as they were getting.
March 20, 201511 yr Just was thinking how great it would be if it rained the whole week....that would kind of take the air out of the balloon.
March 20, 201511 yr Stupid in Pattaya all week......So off to The Mediterranean for 2 weeks, alao quite a few beer drinking mates are clearing out as well.
March 20, 201511 yr I can t wait! Have been coming to Thailand every Winter for past 15 years and a few in the 90's but have always had to leave by March for work. This year is it. Staying till April 16 and hitting up Silom first and then anywhere else fun. I have big gun already! Yippee! OK, but I say the same to you, do not involve people who do not want to participate. Songkran has gone beyond the traditional New Year's ritual and become a carnival-like socio-cultural happening. And, like any carnival celebration, anyone there is fair game; if you don't want to participate, stay out of it. So, go somewhere else or stay home with your chang and swill away. This will be my 16th or 18th Songkran--I've been to many of the major spots--Pattaya, Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Phuket, Samui and many minor spots--Songkhla, Hatyai, Trang, Hua Hin, Danok . I wouldn't miss it.
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