Can't pinpoint what exactly happened but I am of the opinion that the stiff neck that runs the country has been reading TV and probably other forums about all the farang whining about a very popular holiday.

Went to Loei today. Water play was limited more or less 5% of what it has been.

It was put out by the local government that water wars were banned. The first day there was none. Today, #2 some people just said screw it and did it anyhow. Hopefully tomorrow will be better but it will be impossible for it to recover much. Hopefully it will make a full recovery someday.

If it was the whiners, please start respecting your host country, holidays, food and what ever else you find so dispicable that you want to ruin something for everyone only because you are a grinch.

This was originally a day for showing respect, statues and other relics in the temples were washed, elders had their hands and feet cleaned by younger family members, a special 'Buddha day'.

Now you get soaked in powder impregnated water, you have to keep your telephone, wallet and passport in a plastic bag and wear your cheapest clothes, and have to listen to LOUD music until 02.00 am, followed by temple activities starting at 04.00 am. What's a to grinch about?

The village where I live let it be known that throwing water at motor cyclists would no longer be tolerated, I didn't see anyone distracting motorists like this. I just mention this as many Thais are tired of this crap.

I must mention however that the idea of kids being given permission to be disrespectful of older people occasionally is maybe attractive.

It's a kids' festival, grow up. One day a year is enough.

I have to laugh.

You think they actually care about what a bunch of whigning farangs would say?

I have to laugh.

You think they actually care about what a bunch of whigning farangs would say?

If my whinging year after year about the insanity of 1 week of Songkran in Pattaya had something to do with the demise of Songkran in your neck of the woods, then I must way - I'm pleased to be of service.

... but we all know the whinging on this forum has nothing to do with it. Someone with some clout in your village has some commonsense and decided to put his foot down to stamp out dangerous practices. People should not throw water at moving motorcycles, period. I wish they would do the same in Pattaya and stamp it down to 5% as they have for you. That would be a great New Year's gift for all (normal people).

(LOL. My first ever post in the Isaan Forum)

Edited April 14, 201511 yr by tropo

Surin is going 100 % . My video camera got wet but has recovered and is working again.

I have to laugh.

You think they actually care about what a bunch of whigning farangs would say?

I promise you that they just give a shit what we think or not.

Channel 3 news last night had a live piece out of Udon Thani on Song Kran activities there, including a helicopter overflight camera shot of the crowds and backed up traffic in downtown Udon.

Can't say how this year compared to past years there, and I'm not there myself. But from the TV coverage, it certainly looked like there were a lot of folks out on the streets for music and dancing and water.

Redux incident in Khon Kaen: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/817036-cheer-up-george/#entry9301649

Lots of fun to be on the ground with your smashed up bike soaking wet and bloody and have a bunch of Thai guys laughing at the results of their handiwork.

Edited April 14, 201511 yr by JLCrab

got the songkran update from the inlaws, in their village/suburb, no water play so far on the main road, on a street running paralell children playing and thats about it.

police with soldiers breath testing motorists on the road to the city, if the driver blows over the limit they are turned back to the village.

the annoying family who blast music from their stage setup given the no go order this year.

Normal chaos here in southern Sisaket. 2 hrs on the roadside with beer in hand on one day sufficient for me. 3 days of solid partying noon to midnight for the rest of the family, village and Amphur. Motorbikes still being washed off the road.

You certainly weren't in the same two villages and one city in Isaan where I was yesterday! We even had police with water guns.

Edited April 15, 201511 yr by Fookhaht

My 1st Songkran in our Isaan Village in 5 years (I normally take my annual trip back home at this time of year). I certainly can see where it is a lot quieter now. A few parties around town yesterday evening, nothing last night. Drove 20km, through many villages, to visit a friend yesterday, not so much as one bucket of water over the car.

This is my first sonkhran in Issan, so I cant really comment.

Throwing water over people and also bike riders is stupid. Back in 1992, I was riding my bike around a corner in Central Pattaya and there was a water truck with fire hose it knocked me straight, everyone laughed except me covered in blood and plenty of gravel rash.

The Sonkhan ceremony is very nice, where they wash the elders hands & feet but all of this water throwing is just stupidity.

This is my first sonkhran in Issan, so I cant really comment.

Throwing water over people and also bike riders is stupid. Back in 1992, I was riding my bike around a corner in Central Pattaya and there was a water truck with fire hose it knocked me straight, everyone laughed except me covered in blood and plenty of gravel rash.

The Sonkhan ceremony is very nice, where they wash the elders hands & feet but all of this water throwing is just stupidity.

It is chaos in Chiang Mai. No control.... If you like that sort of thing. I tried it, and could never go again.

We enjoyed it at first...but 7 hours of being splashed, squeezed, and dancing...I lost all my curiousity. My face (at first smiling and enjoying) was one of utter defeat. We had to walk from Loi Kroh to Huay Kaew, to pickup the car...(more than a few kilometers)...and I had never experienced such a trial. Traffic, Noise, constant moat water thrown forcibly in my ears, ears and mouth, wet sandals slipping on every curb. I hugged my car when we got there. We had dry clothes and changed, but I almost got foiled at the end. Two farang (cute) girls wanted to squirt me...I had to slam shut the door..just in time.

Lazy boy chair today...big screen. garden in front....no water and dry as a bone. good life.

Channel 3 news last night had a live piece out of Udon Thani on Song Kran activities there, including a helicopter overflight camera shot of the crowds and backed up traffic in downtown Udon.

Can't say how this year compared to past years there, and I'm not there myself. But from the TV coverage, it certainly looked like there were a lot of folks out on the streets for music and dancing and water.

Can confirm Udon was VERY busy yesterday !

Can confirm Udon was VERY busy yesterday !

As was Ubon & Sisaket

I voluntary locked myself up in the village as a measure of survival.

And its unbelievably quiet compare to years ago.

Just some kids throwing buckets of water and using some simple 60 Baht water "guns".

Some youngsters starting their time in the temple with the usual very noisy parade through the village.

But thats it basically.

Sure its ridicolous to assume that this has to do with farang whiners.

But is it hyperbolic to assume that the mood is spoilt by the hypocrites?

People are not happy here despite all the polls indicating the opposite!

Edited April 15, 201511 yr by KhunBENQ

Most in our village did a lot of hard playing on the Friday and Saturday before Monday. Include was the usual washing hands of old people which nearly everyone goes too.by Monday most to tired to party on.

got the songkran update from the inlaws, in their village/suburb, no water play so far on the main road, on a street running paralell children playing and thats about it.

police with soldiers breath testing motorists on the road to the city, if the driver blows over the limit they are turned back to the village.

the annoying family who blast music from their stage setup given the no go order this year.

Nice to see there are some benefits to Martial Law.

got the songkran update from the inlaws, in their village/suburb, no water play so far on the main road, on a street running paralell children playing and thats about it.

police with soldiers breath testing motorists on the road to the city, if the driver blows over the limit they are turned back to the village.

the annoying family who blast music from their stage setup given the no go order this year.

Nice to see there are some benefits to Martial Law.

the lads in green definately maintain a high profile from all reports, double timing around the area at various times, more regular flash bang games,

working with bib more often.

but no reports of motorbikes skidding along the main road, and most important mil walked up to the local shop and came home dry.

Still getting wet in my neighborhood. No let down at all.

Ubon wasn't as busy as a few years back. No Soap Party at Big C

This was originally a day for showing respect, statues and other relics in the temples were washed, elders had their hands and feet cleaned by younger family members, a special 'Buddha day'.

Now you get soaked in powder impregnated water, you have to keep your telephone, wallet and passport in a plastic bag and wear your cheapest clothes, and have to listen to LOUD music until 02.00 am, followed by temple activities starting at 04.00 am. What's a to grinch about?

The village where I live let it be known that throwing water at motor cyclists would no longer be tolerated, I didn't see anyone distracting motorists like this. I just mention this as many Thais are tired of this crap.

I must mention however that the idea of kids being given permission to be disrespectful of older people occasionally is maybe attractive.

It's a kids' festival, grow up. One day a year is enough.

"Cooked," you are spot-on about the traditions associated with Songkran. A beautiful and respectful festival, that incorporated a lot of fun for the kids has, in recent years been ruined by Drunken Oafish Ferang.

To describe the PM as a "stiff neck" is simply impudent on the part of the Op who claims that "Songkran has died in Issan."

If the Op wants to behave like a lout, I suggest he hastens back to his own country where every Village, must have an opening for someone of his obvious intellect.

this is my 5th songkran and the quietest,you could have fired a gun down the main soi in my village and not hit a soal

This was originally a day for showing respect, statues and other relics in the temples were washed, elders had their hands and feet cleaned by younger family members, a special 'Buddha day'.

Now you get soaked in powder impregnated water, you have to keep your telephone, wallet and passport in a plastic bag and wear your cheapest clothes, and have to listen to LOUD music until 02.00 am, followed by temple activities starting at 04.00 am. What's a to grinch about?

The village where I live let it be known that throwing water at motor cyclists would no longer be tolerated, I didn't see anyone distracting motorists like this. I just mention this as many Thais are tired of this crap.

I must mention however that the idea of kids being given permission to be disrespectful of older people occasionally is maybe attractive.

It's a kids' festival, grow up. One day a year is enough.

"Cooked," you are spot-on about the traditions associated with Songkran. A beautiful and respectful festival, that incorporated a lot of fun for the kids has, in recent years been ruined by Drunken Oafish Ferang.

To describe the PM as a "stiff neck" is simply impudent on the part of the Op who claims that "Songkran has died in Issan."

If the Op wants to behave like a lout, I suggest he hastens back to his own country where every Village, must have an opening for someone of his obvious intellect.

You need to move out of Pattaya then. Farangs in 99.9% of the territory of Thailand simply hide away!

Sakon Nakhon was very normal for a Sonkran. A bit slow down and I didn't got wet also we were out 2 out of 3 days in our car.

Sakon Nakhon was very normal for a Sonkran. A bit slow down and I didn't got wet also we were out 2 out of 3 days in our car.

Yes, I agree. Was in SK last Thursday & Friday & not a bucket or water pistol sighted at all. Did see a few cars with white flour marks, but nothing more.

In my village, 25k from SK, not a bucket or hose or water pistol in sight, and we have plenty of young ones that would normally be about into all the fun. Some of the local lads having the mandatory drink at 7am thru to midnight but no excessive noise.

If I hadn't known better I would have thought Songkran had been cancelled.

Cheers..... Mal.

As hard as it is to believe now, in our village, Kalasin, Roi-et, Mukdahan, corner, it was unseasonably cold during Songkran, I think that curtailed the water fighting, but during the heat of the day when it was a little warmer, there was some water throwing going on. Especially during the two street dances we had. However I have noticed that in our village it seemed to peak, about 8 years ago and has become less and less ever since.

Edited April 21, 201511 yr by Issangeorge

I was dreading my first Songkrahn in Isaan after non stop partying, drunkeness and loud music to early hours of the morning at New Years, which went on for a week but was pleasantly surprised. The kids having fun I can understand but there were a few drunken 18-25yo smacking people on motorbikes full force in the face with water from a foot or so away. Seemed like dirty klong water too. What did concern me were the very small children running out at bikes from the side of the road. They ran right up to my bike a couple of times and at first wasn't ready for it and got quite a shock. I could see someone swerving into them. Otherwise partied etc were fairly quiet. The village head banning people throwing water in motor bike riders facers IMHO showed a great deal of common sense, so rarely seen in this neck of the woods.

Took me 2 1/2 hours to get across Korat city by car, normally 20 minutes...wouldn't say it was slowing down here.