Songkran is surreal but too short

[Lite Beer]

EDITORIAL
Songkran is surreal but too short
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Can we sustain the smiles and spirit of giving and forgiveness beyond the festival?

It's a bit difficult to get back to "real life" after a long holiday, and you can be forgiven for wishing that Songkran was reality sandwiched by cruel nightmares. Why can't we have a longer Songkran? If we can forgive and forget and just have fun during Songkran, why can't we do the same for a bit longer? What prevents us from doing the noble things we do during Songkran?

Songkran gives us glimpses of utopia, if we take away the preventable road accidents, of course. And it's good that the water-splashing festival is celebrated far wider than we initially thought. A few years ago, when the word "Songkran" was mentioned, it had some kind of a Thai monopoly feel to it. But, increasingly, we have come to know that Songkran is nobody's exclusive. And that is a blessing in many ways, because while the borders can keep many things apart, like nationalities and laws, they should not shut out true knowledge about culture or traditions.

We know that many countries have been celebrating Songkran. People in this hot region in particular throw water at one another at this time of the year. Some celebrations may be still ongoing. There may be political and religious differences among Southeast Asian countries, but those differences pale during this period before the human love for fun and how people cope similarly when their land gets too warm.

Sometimes cultures and traditions reflect religious, political and historical influences. Sometimes, less complicated factors like the weather and geography play leading roles.

Songkran is popular in this region simply because it's closest to the sun in April and nothing can be more soothing, and fun, than getting soaked wet and making other people wet.

And sometimes, the good side of human nature emerges during festivals.

Songkran is, of course, more than just splashing water around. People have gone to temples, built sand castles, made merit and spent time with friends and families. Smiles can be seen everywhere. In Myanmar, the rich share food with the poor. In Laos, food is left for starving people to pick up.

In much of Thailand, this is the time when ideologies are put aside, inequality ignored and conflicts temporarily forgotten. For once, personal "assets" like money or big houses seem less important than friendship and going back to our roots.

We are left wondering why we can't have a Songkran all year so we can keep all other problems at bay.

Why does the spirit of forgiveness and sharing have to come only during festivals? Some answers are not quite logical.

Many say too much festivity can endanger the survival of the species. They say a life full of partying and celebrations can make people weak. Natural selection only spares the tough ones, so they claim. To sum up, festivity can't be expected to last forever and thus all the good things that come with it must be seasonal.

But sharing and forgiving cannot be the things that make people weak, can they? Actually, those who can forgive and share are considered to be stronger than those who neither forgive nor share.

If "being stronger" is the whole idea, what's the point of going back to what will in fact make us weaker? That is, in fact, the ultimate question. Why do we have to get back to "real life" after Songkran? A lot of people will, but should we?

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/opinion/Songkran-is-surreal-but-too-short-30258189.html

-- The Nation 2015-04-18

[Commerce]

Songkran is very real, and 6 days too ruddy long!

"Songkran is popular in this region simply because it's closest to the sun in April and nothing can be more soothing, and fun, than getting soaked wet and making other people wet."

And what do I say to that? ................ off!

Edited April 17, 2015 by Commerce

[Dannyboy666]

Too Long...

[NongKhaiKid]

If the PM gets it into his head that a longer Songkran will spread happiness .... HELP !

[ianf]

All I find in Songkran is nasty aggressive people throwing water with a sneer, not a smile. 'Gotcha!' is the cry as a truck comes rolling past, squirts water at high pressure at a motor cyclist or cyclist who takes avoiding action and ends up crashing. Or, as my wife experienced in Bangkok a few years back trying to get to work - covered in dirty water and her breasts grabbed by drunken louts. Yeah! a peaceful time indeed. Hate it.

[LuckyLew]

I can see the headlines now

"The 365 deadly days of Songkran"

Best part of Songkran is the lack of traffic in Bangkok during this holiday

[smutcakes]

Only have another 2 weeks before another 5 day holiday, so its not all bad.

I sometimes get the impression on here that the ones resenting all the holidays are those who may have retired already, where everyday is a holiday. Of those I know 99% of those working here, including myself (If not their own company) are very happy with the holidays whether they actually enjoy Songkran or not.

For me really enjoy a bit of Songkran. 3 days or more is bit tedious, but its hardly the end of the world, you can simply choose to not go out, or choose where you go carefully.

When there is drink, drugs and people letting their hair down, there will always be a few issues, but on the whole it all seems very good natured and fun for the vast vast majority. For those who do have problems, it probably says more about the scowl across your face and not at least trying to get into the spirit of things which perhaps you get more ill treatment.

[WhizBang]

In the past Songkran was a quiet peacefull holiday that was to mainly pay hommage to one's elders.

Today, Songkran has become a mainly wet drunken orgy to do whatever you want. It is totally out of control now and needs to be reigned in. Each year it just gets a little bit worse, and that is why I started stocking up in the runup to Songkran and battening down the hatches and hole up for 3 days while the madness persisted.

Thankfully, this year, I am out of the country.

[Basil B]

Too short, the writer has definitely never been to Pattaya...

[dbrenn]

Songkran is utterly moronic. Restricting it to an hour would be too long.

[kalbo123]

Is this high school journalism?

[chicowoodduck]

Oh my Buddha, come to Pattaya the damn thing goes on for weeks......??

And half the city leaves the country to spend their money on other safe and sane practices.....?

Stupid from the get go......?

Edited April 18, 2015 by chicowoodduck

[Jingthing]

Noble?

Songkran?

I guess it may be true ... Pattaya is NOT in Thailand!

[newatthis]

"In much of Thailand, this is the time when ideologies are put aside, inequality ignored and conflicts temporarily forgotten. For once, personal "assets" like money or big houses seem less important than friendship and going back to our roots.

We are left wondering why we can't have a Songkran all year so we can keep all other problems at bay.

Why does the spirit of forgiveness and sharing have to come only during festivals? "

Maybe, because in reality, it's all about a public show and the rest is just piss and wind.

[h90]

We never leave house during Songkran or we fly (flee) to a other country.

[Rob8891]

If one needs Songkran to escape from the real world, perhaps one should focus one's attention on improving the real world - after all it is where (most of) us live.

Without doubt, the most moronic piece of reporting seen to date (and heavens knows, there is plenty of competition in Thailand)

[Hans vliege]

For my as a farang from the Netherlands and living for 5 years in Thailand is ONE day and TWO nights like in HUA HIN a perfect celebration of SONGKRAN. Not so many accidents, not so many people die and not so many people need a visa it to a hospital, not so many people drunk, noy put so many people <deleted>.... Not there own lady or girlfriend. I think there are many people the like to celebrate this way, also the many police an military men.

The only people they are not happy with that idea are te shop owners who sell water guns, alcohol, but I don't care about them, I care about people!

[Ulic]

Whatever this guy has been smoking, I would like some of the same.

[rodney earl]

Too short. You have got to be CRAZY. As far as I am concerned three days of throwing water is so much water wasted and so much alcohol drunk.

What a waste. But then you get all of those great tourists coming here for it but even those numbers are down. One day throwing water is enough.!!!!!!

[jamie2009]

The writer obviously doesn't live in Paataya or do they mean three days holiday is not long enough ? Grown men, farangs walking about/riding shotgun on scooters with back packs and water pistols ? I got hit in the eye the other day with one of the high powered pistols, very painful for a few hours. One day of water would be ok, but seven is too much. I certainly wouldn't recommend a holiday in Thailand over the Songkran period.

Edited April 18, 2015 by jamie2009

[lust]

Obviously none of you have a job or you would not be complaining about songkran being too short. I would love more holidays!

[Bluespunk]

Wins the award for most sickly sweet, sentimental nonsense and nauseatingly divorced from reality story of the day.

Now if you don't mind I've got to go and puke up somewhere.

Edited April 18, 2015 by Bluespunk

[mike324]

Songkran is like the US's version of spring break.

[Commerce]

Obviously none of you have a job or you would not be complaining about songkran being too short. I would love more holidays!

Get a real job. Then you'll appreciate a real holiday.

[bruceybonus]

Fair enough, it's meant to be three days and I can live with that. I just stay near home & don't venture out in the car.

What really annoyed me is yesterday I was out on my bike and there were still lots of dimwits chucking water. I came to a "checkpoint" and they wanted to soak me. I explained to them in Thai that I had a phone in my pocket (an expensive one) and they begrudgingly let me through. I reckon I would of been pretty pissed off if they had wrecked my phone and who knows what would of happened in an ensuing argument. How can any person find it fun to throw water at people for 5 days solid? I'm not old either (38), but find it inconceivable that anybody can find pleasure in this for such a length of time.

[jamie2009]

Obviously none of you have a job or you would not be complaining about songkran being too short. I would love more holidays!

The point is we would all like more holidays, New Year in the majority of countries is a two day holiday. Where is the pleasure of walking about trying to avoid water throwing for between three and seven days, one should be the max.

[bangon04]

I can see the headlines now

"The 365 deadly days of Songkran"

Best part of Songkran is the lack of traffic in Bangkok during this holiday

Probably because everyone who can afford it has run away to Hong Kong or Tokyo shopping.

They don't really want it to go on much longer because they can't afford any more time off or shopping on the credit cards...

[godden]

i would love 365 days of songkran, i think not

[Commerce]

Songkran is like the US's version of spring break.

You mean like kind table parties, and blackberry and blueberry pie sharing, and nobody getting <deleted>uked with bowls of water?

[lust]

Obviously none of you have a job or you would not be complaining about songkran being too short. I would love more holidays!

The point is we would all like more holidays, New Year in the majority of countries is a two day holiday. Where is the pleasure of walking about trying to avoid water throwing for between three and seven days, one should be the max.

I think 2 days of water throwing is fine. Just extend the holiday.