Made the mistake of staying all through last year's hot season and Songkran. Won't do that again. This year it's back to Canada and for a lengthy period. Leaving this week for the chilly north and I'm looking forward to the long break from the heat and steam.

going to post this in the appropriate forum:

Ban Chan, Shattahip, Rayong and beyond.

The plan is to escape songkran pattaya and explore sights unseen.

Insights, recommendations, accommodation, low to mid level, entertainment, etc welcome.
Thank you.

also any info on ban saray?

A pathetic start, but a start nonetheless - if you arent planning to leave by 6am tomorrow morning, it might be time to think about stocking up on bottled water and ammunition. Pattaya's streets were as quiet as I've ever seen them for late Friday afternoon - the lull before the storm.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/807030-the-2015-pattaya-songkran-faq-long/?p=9292293

A pathetic start, but a start nonetheless - if you arent planning to leave by 6am tomorrow morning, it might be time to think about stocking up on bottled water and ammunition. Pattaya's streets were as quiet as I've ever seen them for late Friday afternoon - the lull before the storm.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/807030-the-2015-pattaya-songkran-faq-long/?p=9292293

I agree stock up now guys before its to late...

I just have a feeling that this year is going to be a extra bad one.A lot of tension from the past year needs to be blown off.

And YOU are the target....

It is beyond messy and inconvenient. Can't walk anywhere. can't go to the movies, go out to eat, shop or do any sort of daily activity. bunker up in the house and go out well after 7 pm. I experienced it once and will never do it again. The inconvenience and mess of course you can survive. But what I didn't like was the madness, and outward aggression by many of the Thais. You could see it in their eyes. I have no doubts many resent foreigners for various reasons so I can understand them venting anger. I guess throwing water and stuff is a reasonable pressure relief valve in this day and age. But I will skip it. This year I am in san diego, california and will be visting the Wat Lao. They have a bigger facility than the Wat Thai in nearby Escondido. They have a nice stage, some performers, food of course, a parade, ceremonial dress, and small separate area where you can go water cannon and squirt gun with the kids if you want.

Yep!

Maybe it wont be so bad this year....not many people around......stuck here with no plan of retreat when I swore I would never stay here again in Songkran

Cannot see any ting tong farang today, walked soi dianna, soi excite, and bukhaw, but not been near soi 7

Love it or Hate it...

Todays big day #1

I myself am a dyed in the wool card carrying hater

also any info on ban saray?

Apparently its celebrated on the 20th this year.

I vote to make it a kids holiday, 1 day a year for 3 hours, say noon till 3PM.

It is beyond messy and inconvenient. Can't walk anywhere. can't go to the movies, go out to eat, shop or do any sort of daily activity. bunker up in the house and go out well after 7 pm. I experienced it once and will never do it again. The inconvenience and mess of course you can survive. But what I didn't like was the madness, and outward aggression by many of the Thais. You could see it in their eyes. I have no doubts many resent foreigners for various reasons so I can understand them venting anger. I guess throwing water and stuff is a reasonable pressure relief valve in this day and age. But I will skip it. This year I am in san diego, california and will be visting the Wat Lao. They have a bigger facility than the Wat Thai in nearby Escondido. They have a nice stage, some performers, food of course, a parade, ceremonial dress, and small separate area where you can go water cannon and squirt gun with the kids if you want.

Pal

Get over yourself

It,s only water

It,s not going to kill you

I was out yesterday all afternoon was great fun

My 10 year old daughter and her friends had a brilliant time

Some right old gits on TV

@Pheat123, the right old gits dont throw buckets of icewater into the faces of motorbike riders. Ideally, the only people throwing water would be your 10-year old daughter and her friends, but sadly that isnt the case and I could see things starting to get a lot sillier yesterday. Walking back to the apartment afterwards, soaked to the skin, the looks from those who didnt partake (Thai and foreigner alike) were worse than anything I've ever copped coming home with a skinful or LBFM company. As much fun as that first day undeniably is, to go on with it for over a week is lunacy - I'll be doing everything I can to avoid the madness today.

the best thing that can happen is that it rains solid for the duration. this keeps them off the street as they dont want to get wet

So far the weather has been fabulous. The weather Gods are not on our side.

@Pheat123, the right old gits dont throw buckets of icewater into the faces of motorbike riders. Ideally, the only people throwing water would be your 10-year old daughter and her friends, but sadly that isnt the case and I could see things starting to get a lot sillier yesterday. Walking back to the apartment afterwards, soaked to the skin, the looks from those who didnt partake (Thai and foreigner alike) were worse than anything I've ever copped coming home with a skinful or LBFM company. As much fun as that first day undeniably is, to go on with it for over a week is lunacy - I'll be doing everything I can to avoid the madness today.

That's the real drama. Only people who participate should be getting wet, no one else... but of course we all know that there is no fun throwing water on participants who are already wet. The goal of these morons is to find someone who doesn't want to get wet and soak them.... preferably with ice water so they suffer even more - and with high pressure if possible.

Whenever I go out to get something on my bike I psych myself up to be calm and say to myself "it's only water - relax", but the first time I cop a blast of water in my ear my mood immediately turns aggressive. There was one sole Russian bitch squirting water on our main street a few days ago. I actually felt like going into the 7Eleven to buy some milk to pour over here. Am I the only one who can't easily control my mood when being attacked by water?

Please bear in mind that my comments don't refer to the main Songkran Day where everyone in the area is participating. I'm talking about the annoying idiots who squirt water at odd times during the lead up week, actively seeking out non-participants to aggravate. This is when the sadists come out in droves.

Sorry for the rant. The post is about whether we stay or leave town. This will be my 9th Songkran experience. I missed one year, 2007. Although I don't enjoy it, I wouldn't make special travel plans to avoid it. It doesn't interfere with my life that much as I spend most of my time at home anyway. I usually only go out to shop or eat at restaurants, so during Songkran I just need to stock up on food and I'm good to go. Where I live it's easy to sneak out at night to the nearest 7Elevens or Food Mart or Friendship without getting wet. I'm lucky that my own street is a non-participating street.

@tropo. I think you'll find fforest1's response was aimed at pheat123, but for some reason you've gone all internet tough guy on him. Time to consider decaf, possibly ?

You are correct my post was for pheat123...

pattaya and soakedkran no thanks, went up country, lasts only 3 days, 10 till 7 quite reasonable time frame imo

but copped a big dose of swimmers ear the day before, so sadly been holed up the whole time

(hardly need more water in my infected ear atm)

Buy or rent a car/pick up-truck and you can drive safely into the Central parking lot and walk into the mall, do your shopping/eat, drive home again and looking at the morons from behind the car's windows and vipers going.

That what I do when I am home during Songkran, take the truck to Central sometimes, this year luckily not but overseas working.

Buy or rent a car/pick up-truck and you can drive safely into the Central parking lot and walk into the mall, do your shopping/eat, drive home again and looking at the morons from behind the car's windows and vipers going.

That what I do when I am home during Songkran, take the truck to Central sometimes, this year luckily not but overseas working.

That's a fantastic although rather desperate solution. Buy or rent a car to get to Central dry during Songkran.

There's a cheaper way. Just carry some dry clothes and change when you get there.... or wear a poncho if you're riding a bike.

Personally I'd rather take a week off Central than buy or rent a car.

Anyone who drives a car or truck hasn't experienced the true joys of Songkran. You're merely spectators. You need to do it on a bike or in a baht bus to really experience it.

Before we get any more name calling on here, please see the following rule that you agreed to when you signed up to Thai Visa:

7) You will respect fellow members and post in a civil manner. No personal attacks, hateful or insulting towards other members, (flaming) Stalking of members on either the forum or via PM will not be allowed.

That's a fantastic although rather desperate solution. Buy or rent a car to get to Central dry during Songkran.

There's a cheaper way. Just carry some dry clothes and change when you get there.... or wear a poncho if you're riding a bike.

Personally I'd rather take a week off Central than buy or rent a car.

Anyone who drives a car or truck hasn't experienced the true joys of Songkran. You're merely spectators. You need to do it on a bike or in a baht bus to really experience it.

Well I celebrated Songkran all over Thailand during the years I lived here, Bangkok, Chang Mai, Phuket and here in fun town.

Phuket is the best regarding Songkran as it's only 1-2 days and we know how it is in fun town, not so fun for 10 days.

Just call me a miserable old bastard, don't care.

My truck was not bought because of the water festival but as a means of transportation together with my 2 wheelers but I really enjoy driving it during Songkran and don't complain too much about traffic as I normal does.

That's a fantastic although rather desperate solution. Buy or rent a car to get to Central dry during Songkran.

There's a cheaper way. Just carry some dry clothes and change when you get there.... or wear a poncho if you're riding a bike.

Personally I'd rather take a week off Central than buy or rent a car.

Anyone who drives a car or truck hasn't experienced the true joys of Songkran. You're merely spectators. You need to do it on a bike or in a baht bus to really experience it.

Well I celebrated Songkran all over Thailand during the years I lived here, Bangkok, Chang Mai, Phuket and here in fun town.

Phuket is the best regarding Songkran as it's only 1-2 days and we know how it is in fun town, not so fun for 10 days.

Just call me a miserable old bastard, don't care.

My truck was not bought because of the water festival but as a means of transportation together with my 2 wheelers but I really enjoy driving it during Songkran and don't complain too much about traffic as I normal does.

The buy or rent a car suggestion often comes up during Songkran. There was one superhero a Songkran or two ago (JSixPack mentions him in his sticky but I can't recall his name) who used to rip into all Songkran whingers... but he let it slip that he drivers around Pattaya during Songkran in his truck with the windows wound firmly shut. His need to brag about his truck surpassed his need to appear as a superhero during Songkran.

A post with messed up quotes and flame plus an insulting post were both removed.

@tropo lets not feed the troll - he's clearly having a lot of fun at our expense.

Well I love songkran

The best time of the year to be in Thailand

Pattaya is the place to be lasts for 10 days

Some of the water pistols you can buy are great for squirting people

Really good fun

A number of posts were removed as they all quoted some original posts that were flaming others in some way and were also removed