Nine official Songkran party zones set for Phuket
Nattapat Tuarob


Wet and wild - but behave yourself or you may be in trouble, authorities have warned. Photo Anthony Bouch

PHUKET: -- Nine public zones have been set for official Songkran partying in Phuket this year.

They are: Loma Park and Bangla Rd in Patong; Kamala Public Park; Saphan Hin and Limelight Avenue in Talad Yai (Phuket Town); Kata and Karon Beaches; Soi Ta Eiad in Chalong; Sirinart Marine National Park (south of the airport) in Mai Khao; and Surin Beach in Cherng Talay.

At a meeting of government departments yesterday afternoon (April 2) Governor Nisit Jansomwong warned, “The Cabinet has laid out eight policy points governing Songkran. These are law, and if people don’t follow them we have an authority to penalise them.

“I would like to have uniformed and plainclothes police in each zone. I don’t want to see any cases of theft or robbery, especially by people on motorcycles.

“If you see someone drunk, tell them to stop and hold on to them until they are fully sober. I would also like ambulances stationed in important zones.

“As for marine safety, life jackets must be ready, boats must be in fully functioning condition, and wheelmen must not be drunk.

“In their zones of responsibility each local administration organisation should promote safe Songkran practices and keep a sharp eye out on your area. Local authorities should set up slow-down points on minor roads in their area.

“For main roads such as to Patong and Saphan Hin, I think we should have military police enhancing prevention [of road traffic offences].”

“When there are accidents, roads must be cleared quickly to prevent traffic congestion. The police in the area must get to the scene as quick as possible, and have tow trucks and cranes ready to use.

He also urged the public to become spotters for the police.

“I have seen road users jumping red lights many times, so I urge all road users to take photos of those who run the lights and send the pictures to the police.”

Pol Col Tassanai Orarikadech, Director of General Staff Division of Phuket Provincial Police, said, “There will be seven main police checkpoints, 11 minor checkpoints and 21 mobile patrols in each area, with patrol officers and bomb dispocal officers in each zone.

“Law enforcement will be strict and those who break the law will be charged.

“The police PR campaign during Songkran is, “Slow Down, Protect your Life.”

Source: http://www.thephuketnews.com/nine-official-songkran-party-zones-set-for-phuket-51708.php

-- Phuket News 2015-04-03

Excellent, so I can go out without getting wet in Rawai.

Excellent, so I can go out without getting wet in Rawai.

Dream on stevenl. I'll be staying at home as usual.

Excellent, so I can go out without getting wet in Rawai.

Dream on stevenl. I'll be staying at home as usual.

I'll go and walk outside, and if anybody dares to wet me I'll make a photo and send it to the police. "He also urged the public to become spotters for the police." Nobody will mess with me this year

I hope they tell everyone the hotels can post maps of the wet streets and then all will be well.

The rules have been set.

Next step: everyone does whatever they want.

“If you see someone drunk, tell them to stop and hold on to them until they are fully sober."

You try telling me to stop and holding on to me until I'm sober.

Good luck with that.

...well unless you are an incredibly attractive woman. Then I shall comply.

So all the police will be deployed at said area's.....

Just come to Pattaya where all the really stupid piss heads hang out...lol

I'll be happy in Viet Nam once again.....woo, woo....?

Excellent, so I can go out without getting wet in Rawai.

Dream on stevenl. I'll be staying at home as usual.

I'll go and walk outside, and if anybody dares to wet me I'll make a photo and send it to the police. "He also urged the public to become spotters for the police." Nobody will mess with me this year

don't forget to include some $$$ in the message

Why are they asking the Military Police to handle road rules?

“For main roads such as to Patong and Saphan Hin, I think we should have military police enhancing prevention [of road traffic offences].”

Doesnt Thailand have a Police force to handle that... and if they dont, who are those imbeciles that walk around malls with guns and who are those imbeciles who dress as Police, but dont enforce laws?

Excellent, so I can go out without getting wet in Rawai.

Dream on stevenl. I'll be staying at home as usual.

We need these zones here in Chiang Mai as well. You can then go there and make a jack a** of yourself and bother like minded people and leave the rest of us alone. The thing that irks me the most is the blaring bothering music with the constant bass pounding it hurts my old ears and has no music value. We definitely need jack a** zones set up. We will do our normal routine go out next Monday and do a heavy shopping trip so we can hunker down for 3 days hopefully all the madness will have evaporated by then. I think last year a few die hards dragged it out to 4 days or more. I have to laugh with the government making all these meaningless promises to ban ice powder pickup trucks with 45 gallon barrels and high pressure water guns just never happens but looks good in the press. We are in charge well sort of.

Excellent, so I can go out without getting wet in Rawai.

Dream on stevenl. I'll be staying at home as usual.

I'll go and walk outside, and if anybody dares to wet me I'll make a photo and send it to the police. "He also urged the public to become spotters for the police." Nobody will mess with me this year

Let me give you a mental shaking wake up these are all meaningless words. Its all about the bahts that people spend public peace and quiet goes out the window.

So all the police will be deployed at said area's.....

Dream on its still April Fools

Why are they asking the Military Police to handle road rules?

“For main roads such as to Patong and Saphan Hin, I think we should have military police enhancing prevention [of road traffic offences].”

Doesnt Thailand have a Police force to handle that... and if they dont, who are those imbeciles that walk around malls with guns and who are those imbeciles who dress as Police, but dont enforce laws?

Happy Halloween

Drought nation...maybe africans should start throwing food at one another with the help of the ANC......just a thought.....for you guys getting your water turned off for days or weeks at a time.......water management?

National holiday for all Thai and the government is threatening. nobody is to get drunk...who the f... do you think you are? My daddy?

So the parade of pickups driving around the back roads of Patong will be stopped? Sounds very unlikely.

Party like theirs no tomorrow, your only young once or old!

I'll switch my dash cam on and go for a tour in Rawai.

I love Youtube.

“I have seen road users jumping red lights many times, so I urge all road users to take photos of those who run the lights and send the pictures to the police.” I remember the nazis used to get people to grass up others including neighbours etc. Anyway.. So now Thailand, which has a paid police force wants it citiizens to the job for them for free..

“I have seen road users jumping red lights many times, so I urge all road users to take photos of those who run the lights and send the pictures to the police.” I remember the nazis used to get people to grass up others including neighbours etc. Anyway.. So now Thailand, which has a paid police force wants it citiizens to the job for them for free..

No offence intended Alwyn, but if you're old enough to remember what the Nazi's used to do, it might be a good idea to sit out Songkran this year. It gets a bit hot out there........................

11th April - Massive shopping trip for food, drink and supplies.

12th April - Pull up the draw-bridge.

14th April - Cautiously re-emerge from stronghold.

“I have seen road users jumping red lights many times, so I urge all road users to take photos of those who run the lights and send the pictures to the police.” I remember the nazis used to get people to grass up others including neighbours etc. Anyway.. So now Thailand, which has a paid police force wants it citiizens to the job for them for free..

I think all western countries these days have hotlines and email addresses where people can report social security fraud, crime, etc.

Excellent, so I can go out without getting wet in Rawai.

Dream on stevenl. I'll be staying at home as usual.

We need these zones here in Chiang Mai as well. You can then go there and make a jack a** of yourself and bother like minded people and leave the rest of us alone. The thing that irks me the most is the blaring bothering music with the constant bass pounding it hurts my old ears and has no music value. We definitely need jack a** zones set up. We will do our normal routine go out next Monday and do a heavy shopping trip so we can hunker down for 3 days hopefully all the madness will have evaporated by then. I think last year a few die hards dragged it out to 4 days or more. I have to laugh with the government making all these meaningless promises to ban ice powder pickup trucks with 45 gallon barrels and high pressure water guns just never happens but looks good in the press. We are in charge well sort of.

I'm afraid the official zones don't mean very much. It's a free-for-all on the streets on the 13th. But that's the big difference, it's just one day here.

What's the chance of confining it to Bangla and Loma park in Patong?Zero-I will be sitting on my balcony with a frosty and not go out.3 years ago I copped water in my eye and the infection took 3 weeks to clear.Thanks Aussie idiots who just laughed.