No why should they its part of there culture, imagine the outcr if Easter was canceled as there is a shortage of chocolate or Christmas as its to warm . I look forward to it one day of fun and frolics never hurts anyone except it would seem readers of Thai Visa. http://www.officeholidays.com/countries/thailand/songkran.php something to read its part of Thai culture

No why should they its part of there culture, imagine the outcr if Easter was canceled as there is a shortage of chocolate or Christmas as its to warm . I look forward to it one day of fun and frolics never hurts anyone except it would seem readers of Thai Visa. http://www.officeholidays.com/countries/thailand/songkran.php something to read its part of Thai culture

You got plenty of water then........

I live in rural Issan same problems as everyone else but one day never hurt anyone and yes have plenty of backed up water thanks its called forward planning.

Edited March 13, 201610 yr by ianjeab

It only becomes an issue should it effect Beer production

Here is a much better idea.....cancel Songkran....the most stupid excuse for fun I'be ever seen...

Just an excuse for the local and international knobs to get drunk and abuse the locals here in Pattaya and for days on end.....put an end to the rubbish and let folks get a life....

How can you, as a visitor, even suggest cancelling your host country's New Year?

Its not all about water throwing.

Maybe I'm innocent of all this, although I've experienced 3 Songkrans in Bangkok. I've always been able to avoid getting soaked with some precautions, so I've never been in the middle of it. Those people I see running around with their big water guns, how much water do they really use? Compare this to flushing the toilet once, probably about 8L every time, taking a short shower (40L), taking a bath (80L), etc. So let's say they use on average 300L extra per reveller per day (and I would think most are way under that, although like I said, I have always just watched it from afar), we're talking about 1-2 times the normal daily debit in addition for 2-3 days.

Don't go and take this as defending this water wastage at a time of draught, but I think it's a wrong priority.

I, for one, have started taking smaller baths, shorter showers and not flushing as often.

I only flush the toilet after 3 or4 usages or efter every dump.

I haven't got a bath nor have I had one in about 12 years but I do shower every day and sometimes twice when it is really hot.

Out here in rural Khampaeng Phet where the last time the government water supply ran was in mid December Songkran is celebrated the old traditional way.

No why should they its part of there culture, imagine the outcr if Easter was canceled as there is a shortage of chocolate or Christmas as its to warm . I look forward to it one day of fun and frolics never hurts anyone except it would seem readers of Thai Visa. http://www.officeholidays.com/countries/thailand/songkran.php something to read its part of Thai culture

You got plenty of water then........

I live in rural Issan same problems as everyone else but one day never hurt anyone and yes have plenty of backed up water thanks its called forward planning.

I live in rural Khampaeng Phet where we started with 6 ongs about 12 years ago. At the time my wife thought and told me I was stupid to have so many.

Now I have 20 cross connected and 7 spare that get topped up every month by the local fire truck. Then I just pump into the empty ongs.

She doesn't think I am stupid any more, or not about that anyway.

No why should they its part of there culture, imagine the outcr if Easter was canceled as there is a shortage of chocolate or Christmas as its to warm . I look forward to it one day of fun and frolics never hurts anyone except it would seem readers of Thai Visa. http://www.officeholidays.com/countries/thailand/songkran.php something to read its part of Thai culture

You got plenty of water then........

I live in rural Issan same problems as everyone else but one day never hurt anyone and yes have plenty of backed up water thanks its called forward planning.

Perhaps you should think about poor folk who just have to manage and not be like an "I'm alright jack" farang....

And the poor folk are !!!!!! Thais I presume you are talking about the same people who have taught me to prepare the same people who guided me in the installation of my water tanks the same people who are really looking forward to there sonkran celebration. Who is the I'm alright jack I wonder?

'The blind will never see"

If you need an eye doctor I know one good luck

Well PM tried to convince Thai people but seems not to be sure they would follow him

Thailand's social, economic, roadway, excessive tourist deaths and even water problems are best left to the Thais to fix - as much as us farang may think otherwise

Signed, Hubris

This is just a discussion board. You need Hubris to read it. As much as we would like to share our long accumulated knowledge in other countries Thailand must learn to stand and walk on its own two feet. All we can do is offer words of encouragement. Rome was not built in a day. Was the earth made in 6 days? I see the NO'S finally put some numbers on the board. Playful lot.

Edited March 13, 201610 yr by elgordo38

Thailand should scale back on Songkran due to the death toll

Right. And if they would recycle their waste water there would be no problem at all

It would seem that the amount of water used during the festival is really not all that much.
If anyone asked me for ideas...highly unlikely!... I would suggest short term to increase the rate for commercial usage, especially golf courses and car washes.
Industries will quickly find ways to use water more efficiently when they feel a bite.
I see several people have complained about water trucks tending public works plantings. Is that water from the public supply, or do they pump up from some of the rivers that at other times are cursed for overflowing?
For longer term solutions encourage dialogue with entities in Israel and other successful nations that have chronic water shortages. Solar powered desalination of the abundant nearby ocean waters. Better management of watershed areas and reservoirs. Encourage rice farmers especially to practice less water intensive cropping....
There are many solutions of more practical effect than banning a few days of festival.... all that is needed is the will, and a little education. Hopefully before driven by thirst and hunger.
p.s., I write from the perspective of an estimated twenty years of drought in Arizona....

Edited March 13, 201610 yr by Bill Miller

Right. And if they would recycle their waste water there would be no problem at all

I am not sure that would solve all of the issues, but it would help a great deal.

The problem is that it is a vast undertaking, and Thailand has not historically had much trouble with drought, rather the opposite. I think it will have to get much worse to encourage the determination to address the problem.

I would like to see a national program of water management that would address both shortages and surplus rain. Weather patterns are likely to become even more unpredictable in the future.

RE Israel, no need to look that far. Singapore has "Newater", mocked by Malaysians because it's recycled sewer water.

Longer term, if drought becomes an existential problem for some countries, there should really be two water supplies: drinkable and "clean enough" water for watering golf courses, Industrial uses, etc. buildings could also be outfitted to recycle water internally. For instance use bath water to flush toilets.

Edited March 13, 201610 yr by ChidlomDweller

No why should they its part of there culture, imagine the outcr if Easter was canceled as there is a shortage of chocolate or Christmas as its to warm . I look forward to it one day of fun and frolics never hurts anyone except it would seem readers of Thai Visa. http://www.officeholidays.com/countries/thailand/songkran.php something to read its part of Thai culture

You got plenty of water then........

I live in rural Issan same problems as everyone else but one day never hurt anyone and yes have plenty of backed up water thanks its called forward planning.

I live in rural Khampaeng Phet where we started with 6 ongs about 12 years ago. At the time my wife thought and told me I was stupid to have so many.

Now I have 20 cross connected and 7 spare that get topped up every month by the local fire truck. Then I just pump into the empty ongs.

She doesn't think I am stupid any more, or not about that anyway.

It looks a bit like this out the back of the small house.

And this for rainwater to drink.

RE Israel, no need to look that far. Singapore has "Newater", mocked by Malaysians because it's recycled sewer water.

Longer term, if drought becomes an existential problem for some countries, there should really be two water supplies: drinkable and "clean enough" water for watering golf courses, Industrial uses, etc. buildings could also be outfitted to recycle water internally. For instance use bath water to flush toilets.

Singapore is a tiny country about 694 sq/km with a relatively large population of around 3,000,000 in a small area.

http://www.nationmaster.com/country-info/profiles/Singapore

Israel is a small country of about 20,770 sq/km with not that large a population of about 8,000,000.

https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/is.html

Thailand is a large country physically 510,890 sq/km with a population of over 67,000,000 and BKK has an estimated population on its own of 8,500,00.

The problem with recycling of water is the huge amount of work necessary in digging up the roads, sois etc to collect the waste water and the building of water treatment plants.

For those who have lived in Thailand a fair while remember the Klong Dan treatment plant. For newer members, Google it.

Here is a much better idea.....cancel Songkran....the most stupid excuse for fun I'be ever seen...[emoji33]

Granted, it is too long and over the top in Chiang Mai and other places, but I always cringe when foreigners want to change things in Thailand. Just as well it's not up to you; simply leave for the duration if you don't like it, let the Thais have their fun, they do it so well and really don't need outsiders to tell them otherwise!

they should scale it back in Pattaya, most businesses lose over the week, Im not sure who is making profit from it but I suppose they are well connected to make the whole place suffer

With the amount of rain that falls on Thailand, its quite surprising that there are droughts .

It wont be too long until the problem will be the flooding and what to do with all the excess water

no. Leave it alone. It is a Buddhist celebration in a Buddhist country. It is very good fun, refreshing on the hottest days of the year, and it bring in hundreds of millions of baht from tourism.

Edited March 13, 201610 yr by themerg

Will there be any water? Proper Songkhran is a beautiful and honourable Festival. The meanings, purpose and traditions of which I do not doubt you know. Perhaps under the new "Morality Police" only traditional rites should be allowed?! And the mafia selling lurid pump action water canons arrested?

Hot today and the 10 day forecast is 38 - 39C every day without a sign of rain.

I'd welcome a few buckets of ice cold water over my head at the minute.......bring it on.....let the fun begin!

Go back near to the top and have a quick look at Post #2.

It gives anyone a very brief answer to the topic question and sums up that question absolutely.

Really appreciate the responses and the thought gone into same, but nothing anyone can suggest will make any difference whatsoever.

Anyone who even briefly has experience with the ways of the country will know this.

Edited March 13, 201610 yr by fishhooks

Really appreciate the responses and the thought gone into same, but nothing anyone can suggest will make any difference whatsoever.

Are you telling me that Prayruth doesnt read this page and then act accordingly ?

Have I been wasting my time posting on Thai Visa as an unofficial adviser to the Thai Government ?

Yes, cut it back to one day. The worst holiday all year even without a water shortage. This is the only holiday that promotes being an idiot and let's people violate who ever they want in the name of fun .... Fun my A55

When my former Thai students visit me over Songkran it is one small bowl of water for all where they simply sprinkle water and when they are finished I reciprocate similarly. I understand that originally the water used came from the cleaning of Buddha images which was collected and used on people as the water was considered blessed. In my opinion, the water guns, etc.used today is excessive and in these times should be scaled down.

Songkran should be scaled down due to the drought. It is criminal to waste so much water at this time.

Are we talking Songkran or the water fights?

My wife, her sisters, brother and their kids and Mum all celebrate Songkran. I doubt if 4 litres of water are used.Quite a beautiful and moving ceremony to watch and be part of.

Now the tourist thing is a totally different matter.

The 'ban everything brigade' simply do not know what they are talking about and have no idea what Songkran is about.

Edited March 13, 201610 yr by Mudcrab

Yes they should.scale back on the use of water. Safe the water and safe a life. But in a traditional Thailand, this festival will go ahead as in the past. Thais can only think about the present and not the future. So why do you want to stop them from having fun? My input and yours will not make a dent in their traditional beliefs, about washing your bad luck away with water during this traditional New Year's festival period.