The 2017 Pattaya Songkran FAQ (LONG)

[tropo]

3 hours ago, SurfRider said:

 

I am the only one who finds these Songkran road death stats annoying?

 

I had a quick look around for road death stats in Thailand and came up with a 2015 WHO figure of an average of 65 people die every day in traffic accidents.

 

The above table claims 55.7 died per day during Songkran, more than 9 per day UNDER the national average, possibly making Songkran the safest time of the year to drive.

[topt]

9 hours ago, JSixpack said:

 

2 days? How about the 11th? Did Songkran start on the 11th as usual or was it the 12th this year?

 

Seem a milder Songkran than even last year?

 

Were all the usual areas affected? Beach Rd & 2nd Rd . . . .

 

Traffic worse or better? Seems overall traffic was worse--more Thais cruising around.

 

How about the Taliban trucks w/ barrels of ice water & revelers menacing all? See them cruising around?

For me started on 3rd Road before 12. Could still get through on a mc taxi but hit a few times with water thrown from buckets - mainly Thai children. 2pm on Soi Buakhoaw was a different issue but where I was very good natured. Still do not understand Thai drivers with window open inviting their vehicle to be soaked  of which I saw a couple including a taxi with kids in the front passenger seat..

 

Soi 7/8 just a continual battle but again (at 4pm) no real "nasty" direct in your face merchants - or I may have been lucky.....

Beach Road around Central packed and lots of Thai guys dishing out the watered powder (Mud?) but in an almost gentle way as they walked through the crowd.

 

I did not get out last year but my impression compared to previous years was that it was a lot more restrained and consequently nothing to really moan about - apart from MC taxis charging a premium.........

 

So to directly answer your questions

Milder - I think so

Areas - yes

Traffic - I think maybe better

Taliban trucks - yes especially on Soi Buakhoaw and Third Road but maybe less than in the past?

[DMC1]

I took my side car out with the mrs/kids and other kids and we did a loop around 3rd, Klang and 2nd at around noon.

 

Definitely not as much traffic as experienced before and we seemed to keep moving fine, just the odd wait. Not really any gridlock as experienced before. We headed back home around 3-4pm and I can still hear some of the music trucks playing now at 8pm, but sounds like the volume has been turned down.

 

It did seem milder than before but as other people mentioned it seems to have gradually been going this way anyway.

 

As a side note I had a package delivered (DHL) to my house at 11.30am this morning and the delivery driver said the traffic wasn't too bad coming into Pattaya, which was surprising. He said he didn't leave the depot in BKK until after 9am.

 

[tropo]

There was a fair bit of water throwing going on along Thepprasit and Sukhumvit Roads between 8:30 - 9:00 pm. There were lots of Thai parties going on with extremely loud music and water hoses and buckets still in full service. There was even a bit of water throwing along some Sois on the Dark Side after 10 pm. An outstretched hand usually worked OK to avoid a soaking. There were a lot of drunk revellers about who weren't ready to quit. Pattaya Klang was clear of water throwers from Sukhumvit Road down to Big C Extra at 9:00 pm.

 

I don't know what was happening in the tourist zone but I would guess it didn't die down until quite late.

 

That's my last report until next year.

 

Happy Songkran-free days for another year.

[stravers]

Hello from Bang Sare. Only 20 km from Pattaya. The park had boxing, music, games for the kids, and street food galore. Most of the town was in the park. No water throwing and big smiles. My hotel cost only 499 baht/night.

[JSixpack]

And now we rise

And we are everywhere.

--Nick Drake, "From The Morning"

 

Victory! The water hooligans all buggered off. We cesspoolians successfully outlasted their annual 10 days' siege--again. We avoided accidents, injury, and infections. And most of us deprived the hooligans and peanut gallery of ANY sadistic fun at our expense, foiled utterly their evil little plan for our destruction—this, while enjoying and accomplishing things at home. Heh.

 

Good riddance to 'em. Meanwhile, WE'RE STILL HERE (or will be returning here shortly). The cleanup's begun; we can travel freely; and all the delights of Pattaya are moving back into position and awaiting our return. Massage? Buffet at the Hilton? Brews with views? It's a beautiful day to dive headfirst back into the cesspool. I'm gettin' back in!

 

I hope we all had a pleasant trip or hibernation.

 

Looks like the mildest Songkran in memory. YAY. 'Course part of that was no doubt owing to the mourning period. Police made a positive step forward at the end by banning water throwing after 8, though one poster said it resumed as soon as the cop left. DIdn't hear of any attempt to make Soi 6 and Walking St. "traditional" as touted. No, contrary to the rumors, Songkran wasn't extended in Jomtien through today.

 

For next year's FAQ I'll go through this thread again (and some others) and pick up anything that needs adding. This was also the shortest primary Songkran discussion thread in recent memory as well. Used to be 18 pages of contentious arguing. SO boring.

 

Tnx from me and on behalf of the members you posters helped by your informative and moral (if that's not too strong a word in connection w/ Sin City here) support. I'm packing up the web version of the FAQ till next year.

 

 

[balo]

It's been so relaxed for me , this year I stayed up in Chiang Mai and it lasted only 3 days. April 16 was just another normal day.  Shouldn't be so hard to reduce Songkran in Pattaya to 3 days only .

 

[Jingthing]

It's been so relaxed for me , this year I stayed up in Chiang Mai and it lasted only 3 days. April 16 was just another normal day.  Shouldn't be so hard to reduce Songkran in Pattaya to 3 days only .
 

Won't happen.

[tropo]

4 hours ago, JSixpack said:

And now we rise

And we are everywhere.

--Nick Drake, "From The Morning"

 

Victory! The water hooligans all buggered off. We cesspoolians successfully outlasted their annual 10 days' siege--again. We avoided accidents, injury, and infections. And most of us deprived the hooligans and peanut gallery of ANY sadistic fun at our expense, foiled utterly their evil little plan for our destruction—this, while enjoying and accomplishing things at home. Heh.

 

Good riddance to 'em. Meanwhile, WE'RE STILL HERE (or will be returning here shortly). The cleanup's begun; we can travel freely; and all the delights of Pattaya are moving back into position and awaiting our return. Massage? Buffet at the Hilton? Brews with views? It's a beautiful day to dive headfirst back into the cesspool. I'm gettin' back in!

 

I hope we all had a pleasant trip or hibernation.

 

Looks like the mildest Songkran in memory. YAY. 'Course part of that was no doubt owing to the mourning period. Police made a positive step forward at the end by banning water throwing after 8, though one poster said it resumed as soon as the cop left. DIdn't hear of any attempt to make Soi 6 and Walking St. "traditional" as touted. No, contrary to the rumors, Songkran wasn't extended in Jomtien through today.

 

For next year's FAQ I'll go through this thread again (and some others) and pick up anything that needs adding. This was also the shortest primary Songkran discussion thread in recent memory as well. Used to be 18 pages of contentious arguing. SO boring.

 

Tnx from me and on behalf of the members you posters helped by your informative and moral (if that's not too strong a word in connection w/ Sin City here) support. I'm packing up the web version of the FAQ till next year.

 

 

 

Thank you for your exceptional work. Previously Songkran threads were nothing more than annoying flame fests. How many years have you been at this now?

[JSixpack]

1 hour ago, tropo said:

Thank you for your exceptional work. Previously Songkran threads were nothing more than annoying flame fests. How many years have you been at this now?

 

The 2012 flame fest was the last straw so I started the FAQ in 2013. Seems quite a long time ago now . . . .