I realise that we dont want 15 Songkran threads, but in the interests of keeping the photos in one thread and not making life any more painful for those accessing TV from a phone or tablet, I'm hoping the mods will indulge me here. I'll keep this to two or three photos per post as no-one wants to see a huge slab of photos quoted in a reply.

Monday April 13, ~2:30pm

Soi 7 was the last place I would have ridden a motorbike ...

Everything I saw was good-natured - hopefully that will remain the case.

Hard getting decent action shots when there was so much ice-cold water being hurled everywhere.

Second Road near Central - plenty of smiles in the back of the baht buses despite the odd drenching

For those who believe the Thai smile is a rare commodity in Pattaya, there were plenty on display yesterday.

That's it for now.

One last hurrah - the sun will never set on an empire so ably represented by so many in faraway lands

I thought the Blue PVC pipe water blasters were not permitted anymore ? Dangerous to the eyes .....

Those blue ones will get them a nice fine if caught.

Please post less shirtless farang, and more thai girls.

Dunno - a Thai offered to sell me one but I declined. The blokes on top of that truck basically had a massive hose that drenched everyone within range, but when they lost water pressure they copped it from all sides : i guess they could tell you what it feels like to get it in the eyes. I got two pairs of goggles and was generally happy except for the ice-water-down-the back.

Those blue ones will get them a nice fine if caught.

Please post less shirtless farang, and more thai girls.

Agreed - hansum men, every one of 'em

Of course, shirtless Thai girls would be the way to go, but the only time I saw anything like that was a katoey keen to show off her doctor's handiwork : not really the stuff of dreams (my dreams, at any rate). I'm going back with a freelancer associate today and she does have a penchant for exhibitionism after a few drinks - see if I cant improve on this lot.

Great fun..

brings back childhood memories. we would do the same thing (at age 6 or 7). Turn on the garden hose, lay some rubber mats out...bring out all the toys and have a kiddie fest.

Mom would go bonkers trying to keep our wet stuff out of the house, as we would track through everything.

Mud and water.... nice times.

Now..at age sixty, I am out for more of the same. Heading to CM moat. (Bringing some clean water and towels to rinse off).

I don't want to miss the fun.

I thought the Blue PVC pipe water blasters were not permitted anymore ? Dangerous to the eyes .....

The Blue PVC pipe water blasters have been banned in Pattaya for

decades...

Besides this one picture has anyone noticed any Blue PVC pipe water

blasters being used the past 5 or 10 years or so during songkran

in Pattaya...

If you look closely at the second photo in my OP, two Farang are loading one of the blue PVC cannons and the later photo was taken from inside a bar where several were strewn on the floor of the bar for their owners if needed. Saw several of them on Soi 7 and a couple on Beach Road : no attempt to hide them from the Police. I did cop a couple of sprays from them but the bucket of ice-cold water down the back is worse, IMO. Goggles, as I mentioned earlier, are an absolute must, as is some sort of waterproofing for your wallet.

I thought there was a drought in Pattaya ?

I thought the Blue PVC pipe water blasters were not permitted anymore ? Dangerous to the eyes .....

Do you really think the imbecile shown gives a toss?

I thought the Blue PVC pipe water blasters were not permitted anymore ? Dangerous to the eyes .....

+1....Surprised to still see those...

I thought the Blue PVC pipe water blasters were not permitted anymore ? Dangerous to the eyes .....

+1....Surprised to still see those...

Im not

I thought the Blue PVC pipe water blasters were not permitted anymore ? Dangerous to the eyes .....

They have been illegal for ages. The "police" confiscates them and then sell them from the police boots. I bought mine at the "police" boot at the intersection of second and central road. Big cash cow for the "police".

Thanks for the piccies. Just reminds me how HAPPY I am not to be in the Thai oven !

Those blue ones will get them a nice fine if caught.

Please post less shirtless farang, and more thai girls.

please post shirtless Thai girls and less Farangs!

Those blue ones will get them a nice fine if caught.

Please post less shirtless farang, and more thai girls.

Agreed - hansum men, every one of 'em

Of course, shirtless Thai girls would be the way to go, but the only time I saw anything like that was a katoey keen to show off her doctor's handiwork : not really the stuff of dreams (my dreams, at any rate). I'm going back with a freelancer associate today and she does have a penchant for exhibitionism after a few drinks - see if I cant improve on this lot.

There have been topless girls before in BKK and elsewhere Google "topless Thai Song Kran girls" and you can see the video. Some girls in 2011 who were 14, 15, and 16 were photographed and turned themselves in later to be reprimanded. Will see article when you google the above.

What are the chances of driving quickly to Central tomorrow around 11 AM ? I hope not so much traffic , will return within an hour.

Saw hundreds of people who clearly hadnt been threatened by a single drop in and around Tops Market and things looked completely normal by the time I got back to Third Road, but there was water at the front of every bar I passed. By the second day a lot of the novelty had worn off for me but it was clear that some of the people there just couldnt get enough - not hard to see why another 5 days of this would annoy the living sheeit out of many locals. I wasnt impressed with the fact that several in the bars kept going well after the sun had gone down - supposedly the signal to give it a rest - but I had forewarning courtesy of the FAQ.

What are the chances of driving quickly to Central tomorrow around 11 AM ? I hope not so much traffic , will return within an hour.

No problem driving there and back .... but if you're on a motorbike, the chances of staying dry are slim at best!

Thanks for the piccies. Just reminds me how HAPPY I am not to be in the Thai oven !

OK - assuming you mean you're happy not to be here because this is the hottest time of year. Oddly enough, the afternoons have been mild - too mild for this icewater madness - overcast with a light breeze. A week earlier and I sweated my proverbials off in that same bar but there were lots of shivering Thais, even out in the sun. On a stinking hot day, minus the icewater and the high-pressure cannons, I imagine Songkran (or at least a shorter version than Pattaya is subjected to) makes a lot more sense.

I thought those PVC guns were suppose to be illegal! 55555

Quoted 350 baht for one of the blue jobbies yesterday - that's roughly the same as the large 'space' style water guns cost at Big C Extra. No question that people are making a lot of money out of this madness but I'm stuffed if I know what people do with their 3-400 baht toy for the rest of the year, particularly tourists. I guess the local kids can expect to be handed a lot of late Xmas presents.

Quoted 350 baht for one of the blue jobbies yesterday - that's roughly the same as the large 'space' style water guns cost at Big C Extra. No question that people are making a lot of money out of this madness but I'm stuffed if I know what people do with their 3-400 baht toy for the rest of the year, particularly tourists. I guess the local kids can expect to be handed a lot of late Xmas presents.

lawn watering?

Tuesday, April 14, ~2pm, Soi 7 Pattaya

Our good friend, Ms Buckethead, was back in the thick of it, sans Union Jack.

Sisters were doin' it for themselves (ok - thats lame - just look at the pics ..)

Truth in advertising ?

Glad I wasnt in this lot trying to get out of Pattaya down Klang ....

Fortunately, the quality of the company made life bearable despite the icewater

Catch you next time, Buckethead !