Songkran when does the water action starts

[joecoolfrog]

3 hours ago, hawker9000 said:

All too often, no not really.  Pay close attention to who's actually out-of-control and causing the most mayhem.  Too many western losers just using Songkran as an opportunity to act out and be punks.  I suspect that every year there are incidents involving Thais who react badly to the abuse of these farang knobheads and we just don't generally get to read much about it.   Songkran simply isn't the meaningful tradition it used to be so much as just an excuse to harass, particularly for these pathetic western lamers. 

 

Yeh Thailand would be an absolute paradise without all those pesky foreigners , you excepted of course.

[JFtheman]

4 hours ago, Kabula said:

After 11 years of living here and almost losing an eye they can have their party!

Then stay home dude.  There's a risk in pretty much everything you do in life.  Some people are probably to afraid to go back home because it's possible the plane might crash.  

[SiSePuede419]

Water is dangerous for cars? Or Tourists? ?

[kannot]

15 hours ago, bbbbooboo said:

Personally I wouldn't drive anywhere during songkran. The roads are too risky and the dangerously stupid behaviour of people throwing water just adds to the risk.

And  on top of that the damage done to your car when the powder they use ? eats into the paintwork and needs to be cut  out.

[kannot]

11 hours ago, alex8912 said:

It's the best time of the year to be in Thailand. Have never had so much fun here  until I started to stay on for Songkran. This will be my fourth one but unfortunately will only be here until the 14 th. Does anywhere in Thailand start before the 13 th?? I heard Pattaya goes until the 19 th.  

Some poster commented on phones getting wet and an eye boo boo ? everybody I saw has a water proof plastic bag around their neck and most wear big eye googles, that takes care of those issues easily. 

Its more fun to get a huge gun that goes long distance because then you can hit someone 15 meters away and by the time it hits them you can be just an innocent bystander with your gun down and just looking around! 

Hitting crabby looking people on bikes is also a good one. 

Why do so many old farts not like to get wet and have fun. It really releases lots of stress at the end of the day if you get lots of good hits. Getting hit is half the fun too. Loosen up everybody or just hanker down and be miserable. 

Yes Im sure those in hospital with half their face  missing where they hit the dirt  will appreciate your kind  words and just laugh it  off, ho ho ho

[MyFriend You]

15 hours ago, smotherb said:

What a bunch of old fogies--too old to be a kid again. I have a great time every Songkran; it's fun, if you are prepared.

 

One friend has found a way he thinks works. He has a five-story shop building downtown--the building's water tank and pump is on the roof. He has created a covered roof area with a bar, BBQ, lounge chairs, and potted plants--a real party area in the sky. He simply fills buckets full of water and drops them on the revelers in the street. Never get wet unless you want too--but a water fight generally surfaces between the party-people on the roof.

 

I like riding my Harley through town--with a full faced helmet, of course--trying to see if can get from point A to point B without getting wet; I'm getting pretty good at it. Points A and B are usually local bars where you can sit and watch the action or get involved--your choice.

You must live in Pattaya  -  agree, it's a lot of fun, until a muscle bound Lady boy rubs some kind of powder in your face and you start sneezing and itching so bad you can't retaliate........happened to me, I hunted that SOB for a month - guess we are both lucky I didn't find him.  but for the most part, its fun.

[MyFriend You]

11 hours ago, SiSePuede419 said:

Water is dangerous for cars? Or Tourists? ?

High Velocity at close range  -  Yep!!

[bandito]

16 hours ago, JFtheman said:

It is a Thai tradition it's actually kinda fun to although last year I wasn't physically able to do all 3 days of it.  So I stayed home for part of it big deal.  Regardless we as foreigners choosing to live here can either go out and enjoy it or stay home.  There's also the option of whining about it online I guess but for those of you who hate it so much you can always go back home.  

 

It is not "a Thai tradition" of throwing buckets full of dirty klong water over people.

Or buckets full ice water for that matter.

Or drunken teenagers feeling up your daughters skirt.

I suggest you do some research about what Songkran is really about.

Google is your teacher.

 

[smotherb]

7 hours ago, TunnelRat69 said:

You must live in Pattaya  -  agree, it's a lot of fun, until a muscle bound Lady boy rubs some kind of powder in your face and you start sneezing and itching so bad you can't retaliate........happened to me, I hunted that SOB for a month - guess we are both lucky I didn't find him.  but for the most part, its fun.

I do not live in Pattaya or in any other tourist ghetto; living in such ghettos, I believe,  is a major reason for the problems so many farangs encounter. For example, the muscle-bound lady boy you mention is most likely there because of the tourists. If I do not want the powder--which I do not like--I simply say so and the Thais usually  respect my requests. It would be more like the farang to powder you even though you asked not to be. I haven't spent a Songkran in Pattaya for 40 or more years or in Bangkok for 30 years or more--used to like to rent long-tailed boats and have water-bucket jousting contests on the  Chao Phraya. I have gone to tourist-infested Phuket for a few recent Songkrans; a buddy has a VW van in which we fill a 55 gal drum with water and ride around enjoying the party. However, I usually go down to a friend's local bar--as I say, playing a game trying to get there on my bike and not get wet--the better of the big tubs there full of ice water hold cold beers.  

[Bangkok Barry]

You know Songkran is coming when the government begin their announcements that they are serious about lowering the death toll on the roads this year. You know Songkran is over when they announce that they failed to reach their objective.

[surangw]

avoid ingesting any water,  ( eyes too)  its not the same stuff we get in bottles  some is even siphoned up from the gutter during the "fun"

[hawker9000]

16 hours ago, smotherb said:

I do not live in Pattaya or in any other tourist ghetto; living in such ghettos, I believe,  is a major reason for the problems so many farangs encounter. For example, the muscle-bound lady boy you mention is most likely there because of the tourists. If I do not want the powder--which I do not like--I simply say so and the Thais usually  respect my requests. It would be more like the farang to powder you even though you asked not to be. I haven't spent a Songkran in Pattaya for 40 or more years or in Bangkok for 30 years or more--used to like to rent long-tailed boats and have water-bucket jousting contests on the  Chao Phraya. I have gone to tourist-infested Phuket for a few recent Songkrans; a buddy has a VW van in which we fill a 55 gal drum with water and ride around enjoying the party. However, I usually go down to a friend's local bar--as I say, playing a game trying to get there on my bike and not get wet--the better of the big tubs there full of ice water hold cold beers.  

 "If I do not want the powder--which I do not like--I simply say so and the Thais usually  respect my requests. It would be more like the farang to powder you even though you asked not to be."

 

Precisely.  It's foreigners with a mean streak in them that simply use  Songkran as an excuse to act out and they've hijacked it, at least in the tourist areas.  'Wouldn't mind seeing a few of the hoodlums hauled off and locked up for a few days.  The spritz and a playful smile are no problem; the bucket of ice cold water thrown at drivers is beyond dangerous and powder - sometimes actually toxic - rubbed into the faces of passersby a physical assault.

[yogavnture]

On ‎3‎/‎7‎/‎2017 at 2:04 PM, lungnorm said:

What a stupid idea to travel Bkk to Chiangmai and back by road for Songkran. I did this trip on my first trip to Thailand many years ago and was travelling with a Thai family who should have known better. The road to Chiangmai was gridlocked for most of the way. Plus there was no way to dodge the water, even had some nut poke a water blaster thru a slightly open window to shower the inside of the van, However I was younger in those days and he ended up in hospital with a smashed face. However inside the car was soaked as it was a very large gun type water blaster. Best to leave well before Songkran and leave well after its all over.  

good way to get killed. have u seen the road death report during Songkran?

[yogavnture]

have u bought your squirt gun yet. I usuallly get a machine gun with a handheld if ammo gets low