Songkran So Far....

[Ajarn]

I spent 5 hours cruising the moat by car today, observing the water-tossing...Some observations....

Far fewer Super-blasters (pressurized vs squirt gun) among Thais, most farangs had them.

Traffic around the inside of the moat from Pratu Suan Dawk, past Pratu CM, until past Sompet market was smooth with very little congestion (1-2pm). Around the outside of the moat is was all stop and go, mostly stop...

I didn't see any overt rude behaviour- except that every person with a super blaster was only aiming for faces, it seemed. And the farangs seemed particularly aggressive...

Oh, and the two farangs who opened up a passing car's doors on the left side and lobbed in two big buckets of water. The lone driver couldn't reach over far enough to lock the door before the farangs got the two doors open...I was behind that car, thankful that my doors were locked, but remembering that the back door to the carryboy was not locked....

My final three hours were spent sitting in gridlock, waiting for the parade passing through Taphae to finish....

Mikes was open, I was hungry, and I was parked almost in front of the place....Unfortunately, I could only order by opening my window or getting out of my car- a suicidal action, to be sure....And that chilli just steps away!

[khunphilip]

Live in a small village 10 k. from Chiangmai to me here songkran was great the kids here really enjoying in without being holigans Thursday morning a parade of pick up trucks decorated as floats and a village party in the afternoon tthe only down side was the village pikey who Wed. held a party all day with ultra loud music and karoke with some woman sounding like a cross between an aussie sheila and a belfast woman but it passed and Isaw songkran as it is ment to be mind you there was no farang football type holigans there

Phil

[p1p]

Well, it is now ending, thank heavens. This year I stayed out of central CM & so missed most of the "fun". My little kids had a great time playing water games with thier friends and we held quiet ceremonies to "Tum Hoa" our elders and supposed betters. Doing things the way they are meant to be done.

Where are the normal cooling rain showers this year? I remember very few years this hot, or without at least a few decent showers in the first half of April.

[Ajarn]

Where are the normal cooling rain showers this year? I remember very few years this hot, or without at least a few decent showers in the first half of April.

Everyday I was downtown during the water tossing, there was also rain in mid-afternoon, as I remember most every year. I got the idea that possibly the water-tossing was the cause of the rain...At my house, I had a few drops on the 13th, but nothing since then...My friend in Fang has reported that it's rained a few times, including one real bluster that did quite a bit if wind damage in town

This year, we had some rain in the beginning of April, which seemed unusual to me...Maybe this was the 'mid-month' rains you're referring to, p1p?

And p1p, if you want to escape the heat- in any form, you KNOW there's only one place to be, right?

[chanchao]

Had an absolute blast again this year... For two full days, then left to holiday in Malaysia. ;-) Definitely was fun though..

I'll post some pictures somewhere soon, but nothing spectacular as I do value my camera.. ;-)

BTW, if you know how to drive you can still get anywhere; the inside of the moat is always drivable, as are the small sois in the Thapae area. Delivered my guests DRY at Daret guesthouse's back entrance in just 20 minutes drive from outside thec city. (Songkran is the one time of the year where Daret's guesthouse 'terrace' restaurant makes a lot of sense to watch the goings on. ;-)

Cheers,

Chanchao