Songkran fun turns violent - one dead, six injured in Suphan Buri stabbings

[Dumbastheycome]

Songkran is a moronic monstrosity and an affront to polite social order. To be sure a stabbing is an overreaction, I just feel like punching people who throw dirty water at me.

You sound like a kilo of laughs. If dirty water makes you want to fight, does clean water make you feel warm and smiley inside? The 'moronic monstrosity' may be in the mirror.

Funny post though, 'polite social order'....the world isn't made of pie and candy mate.

And you sound like the simple type who finds slapstick comedy on Thai TV funny. All those boing noises make you laugh eh?

I don't stop you from watching mindless drivel, so please likewise respect my right not to have water thrown at me when I'd prefer to stay dry.

Trenchcoat ?

[skorp13]

An out of control water fight with locals pissed up on lao kao. What could possibly go wrong?

[Fookhaht]

Once again this confirms my argument that the Songkran festival of today can cause aggression and with conflicts arising. Very different to the tradition of sprinkling water on people than firing and drenching people. Brink back the old ways.

Indeed.

Was at a Songkran concert two nights ago at a Thai temple.

One minute, all fun and dancing. The next minute, life & death fighting among young men fueled by alcohol, machismo, and armed with knives. Crowd running for their lives. Concert canceled less than an hour after starting. Pickup trucks racing away to the hospital with bleeding bodies thrown in the back. Not exactly my idea of fun.

Liquor ban should be enforced at these events. At the very least, if you go, keep your street smarts about you.

Hope springs eternal.

Edited April 14, 2016 by Fookhaht

[soc]

You know I have been enjoying one of my favorite SongKrans to date. I know that there are many more so called experts on this forum wanting to reform the holiday. I have only lived here for 11 years I am a newbie. I am tired of listening to expats complain about their adopted country. I know this country is not perfect and neither am I. If you do not like Thailand then get the hell out. You do not need to complain anymore about how terrible it is here. Go back to Manchester ,or Melbourne , or Toronto , or New York City. Shit happens everywhere. For me I this that Songkran is a beautiful and enjoyable holiday. It is no different then Christmas or the 4th of July. People want to have fun and sometimes bad things happen. To all the haters, the airport is waiting

My thoughts exactly,

lf you don't like it, stop complaining & bloody well LEAVE.

[dbrenn]

You know I have been enjoying one of my favorite SongKrans to date. I know that there are many more so called experts on this forum wanting to reform the holiday. I have only lived here for 11 years I am a newbie. I am tired of listening to expats complain about their adopted country. I know this country is not perfect and neither am I. If you do not like Thailand then get the hell out. You do not need to complain anymore about how terrible it is here. Go back to Manchester ,or Melbourne , or Toronto , or New York City. Shit happens everywhere. For me I this that Songkran is a beautiful and enjoyable holiday. It is no different then Christmas or the 4th of July. People want to have fun and sometimes bad things happen. To all the haters, the airport is waiting

My thoughts exactly,

lf you don't like it, stop complaining & bloody well LEAVE.

I'm Thai and a lot of Thais I know agree with me that Songkran has degenerated from a charming festival into an aggressive and disgraceful water fight, where the original tradition has been sadly lost and replaced by something utterly grotesque. You could say the same about Christmas too, and how it's now all about shopping, but that would be off topic.

Should we Thais leave Thailand because a foreigner like you tells us to? Mind your own business, and you go home, I say.

Edited April 14, 2016 by dbrenn

[thaiduncankk]

You know I have been enjoying one of my favorite SongKrans to date. I know that there are many more so called experts on this forum wanting to reform the holiday. I have only lived here for 11 years I am a newbie. I am tired of listening to expats complain about their adopted country. I know this country is not perfect and neither am I. If you do not like Thailand then get the hell out. You do not need to complain anymore about how terrible it is here. Go back to Manchester ,or Melbourne , or Toronto , or New York City. Shit happens everywhere. For me I this that Songkran is a beautiful and enjoyable holiday. It is no different then Christmas or the 4th of July. People want to have fun and sometimes bad things happen. To all the haters, the airport is waiting

I don't like Christmas either.

[TKDfella]

I saw a similar incident last year and that too was just outside 711 parking lot. Guy in a pickup truck pulls in but he had his cab window open, and water went into the cab. Man, did he get angry and he stormed over to the group and probably would have done something nasty if two chaps having a coffee at the nearby booth hadn't have stopped him. Stupid driver, should not have his window open on songkran

[cangolfbuilder]

You know I have been enjoying one of my favorite SongKrans to date. I know that there are many more so called experts on this forum wanting to reform the holiday. I have only lived here for 11 years I am a newbie. I am tired of listening to expats complain about their adopted country. I know this country is not perfect and neither am I. If you do not like Thailand then get the hell out. You do not need to complain anymore about how terrible it is here. Go back to Manchester ,or Melbourne , or Toronto , or New York City. Shit happens everywhere. For me I this that Songkran is a beautiful and enjoyable holiday. It is no different then Christmas or the 4th of July. People want to have fun and sometimes bad things happen. To all the haters, the airport is waiting

My thoughts exactly,

lf you don't like it, stop complaining & bloody well LEAVE.

I'm Thai and a lot of Thais I know agree with me that Songkran has degenerated from a charming festival into an aggressive and disgraceful water fight, where the original tradition has been sadly lost and replaced by something utterly grotesque. You could say the same about Christmas too, and how it's now all about shopping, but that would be off topic.

Should we Thais leave Thailand because a foreigner like you tells us to? Mind your own business, and you go home, I say.

Sir I do not know who you think that you are but you are in a small minority of Thais that think Songkran is a waste of time. Like I said I personally love Songkran and think that it is a beautiful holiday. I have 2 boys who I love to experience this holiday with. You obviously never read my post properly. I never told any Thai's to leave. I never told anyone to leave. Peace and enjoy the rest of your holiday

[longtom]

Once again this confirms my argument that the Songkran festival of today can cause aggression and with conflicts arising. Very different to the tradition of sprinkling water on people than firing and drenching people. Brink back the old ways.

Indeed.

Was at a Songkran concert two nights ago at a Thai temple.

One minute, all fun and dancing. The next minute, life & death fighting among young men fueled by alcohol, machismo, and armed with knives. Crowd running for their lives. Concert canceled less than an hour after starting. Pickup trucks racing away to the hospital with bleeding bodies thrown in the back. Not exactly my idea of fun.

Liquor ban should be enforced at these events. At the very least, if you go, keep your street smarts about you.

Hope springs eternal.

That can happen at any fair around the country any time of the year. Nasty but that's how it is.

[Roomuck]

Once again this confirms my argument that the Songkran festival of today can cause aggression and with conflicts arising. Very different to the tradition of sprinkling water on people than firing and drenching people. Brink back the old ways.

Indeed.

Was at a Songkran concert two nights ago at a Thai temple.

One minute, all fun and dancing. The next minute, life & death fighting among young men fueled by alcohol, machismo, and armed with knives. Crowd running for their lives. Concert canceled less than an hour after starting. Pickup trucks racing away to the hospital with bleeding bodies thrown in the back. Not exactly my idea of fun.

Liquor ban should be enforced at these events. At the very least, if you go, keep your street smarts about you.

Hope springs eternal.

Boys will be boys.

Many Thai boys love fighting, high school verses high school, political fighting, Muay Thai (national sport), weapons, guns and knives, fighting at concerts and festivals etc etc it is just something they enjoy. Thai soaps always throw a bit in, they love it. A lot of girls go at it too, a good old slapping. Plenty of it on YouTube.

Just the way it is mate, not like in farang countries where the youth have gone a bit soft IMO, all wrapped up in cotton wool and are encouraged to express their feelings.

[Mudcrab]

Once again this confirms my argument that the Songkran festival of today can cause aggression and with conflicts arising. Very different to the tradition of sprinkling water on people than firing and drenching people. Brink back the old ways.

no sh*t sherlock!?

I am more of a Watson type but yes agree. Often adults around water get giddy and over excited and start acting like children. Songkran is a classic case. Elementary I would say.

So I am happy that the doors are hatched down and I am away from this infantile festival.

So are we

[Mudcrab]

I don't get why it goes on for days, I mean, OK, maybe fun for 5 minutes but throwing water on people for days? It's something maybe simple people enjoy.

or simple people don't understand

[Mudcrab]

I always go out of my way to be polite at this time of year

Asians can not handle drinking like us westeners

Their bodies are much smaller-

Wasn't a problem last night it would seem.Pissed as a fart and Thai mates too care of me!!!

[Bluespunk]

I saw a similar incident last year and that too was just outside 711 parking lot. Guy in a pickup truck pulls in but he had his cab window open, and water went into the cab. Man, did he get angry and he stormed over to the group and probably would have done something nasty if two chaps having a coffee at the nearby booth hadn't have stopped him. Stupid driver, should not have his window open on songkran

Yeah right, the drivers to blame.

[mick01827]

Songkran is a moronic monstrosity and an affront to polite social order. To be sure a stabbing is an overreaction, I just feel like punching people who throw dirty water at me.

How do you know if it's dirty or clean water that's been thrown at you?

[Roomuck]

Songkran is a moronic monstrosity and an affront to polite social order. To be sure a stabbing is an overreaction, I just feel like punching people who throw dirty water at me.

How do you know if it's dirty or clean water that's been thrown at you?

It is the same water that we shower with 99% of the time.. He likes looking down at the "moronic monstrosity" that is Thai culture as he describes it. But he isn't that stupid, he knows that if a farang were to punch a Thai at a songkran festival, then he would quickly relceive a quick lesson in Thai manners and an attitude adjustment.

I am starting to think he is a troll and also posts under the name of Asiantraveller.

[simon43]

Should we Thais leave Thailand because a foreigner like you tells us to? Mind your own business, and you go home, I say.

You seem to have adapted to your new citizenship with a passion...

[Fookhaht]

Songkran is a moronic monstrosity and an affront to polite social order. To be sure a stabbing is an overreaction, I just feel like punching people who throw dirty water at me.

How do you know if it's dirty or clean water that's been thrown at you?

The resulting eye infections are pretty good indications.

[HLover]

Songkran is a moronic monstrosity and an affront to polite social order. To be sure a stabbing is an overreaction, I just feel like punching people who throw dirty water at me.

How do you know if it's dirty or clean water that's been thrown at you?

His nationality gives him the power to me all knowing and never wrong.

[metisdead]

Some more off topic posts and replies have been removed.

A post containing comments on moderation has been removed as well.

[Cereal]

I don't mind having water poured on me. I'll even stop my motorbike so folks can pour water on me. I'll swerve to get wet if folks have their hose spraying water into the air over the road.

What a hate is when some people get carried away and do things that can hurt or harm. I find young boys - the 20 something crowd - the worst with regards to this.

Like throwing ice cubes, or putting water in little plastic bags and throwing them at your head a hard as they can. Get something like that in the eye or temple and you could very easily get hurt, perhaps badly. Especially if you happen to be driving a motorbike at the time.

Several years ago some young drunk punk threw a plastic bag of freezing cold water at me and hit me just below my right eye. Me and my wife and family were walking down the street and dude was maybe 3 meters away. It surprised, shocked and hurt like hell.

I am extremely weird about my eyes. Getting hit in the eye or losing an eye or something is a huge phobia. Before I knew it I had the guy in my grip and I swung with everything I had. My fist connected with his face with a resounding splat. Before my wife and family managed to haul me off of dude I'd connected a half dozen more times. He only remained standing because I had a grip on him. He was a mess.

We left and I have never left my village during Pi Mai (Songkran) again. In my village people have just as much fun, they simply don't act like morons.

In my opinion, anyone who does something stupid and potentially harmful, deserves whatever is coming. Other than that it's all fun and good times.

[George2]

When the whole country celebrates a day/week of throwing water at eachother you prepare yourself to get wet, use ziplock bags for your phone and anything else you don't want to get wet. Stop complaining and just prepare yourself.

I do. I drive everywhere :-)

Occasnally I get caught out though, a couple of times in smart work clothes, and that's when I feel a burning desire to start throwing punches.

Usually I just hurl insults instead.

Then invest in a poncho mate.

[Moonmoon]

I avoid songkran. I just stay at home n sleep. Its the best