songkran has started !

[Captain_Bob]

 

Oh no! (LOL) it's in front of my recent/former place of business (Ginny Place/Cafe) and I'm guessing these are "Julie People" (young rowdy patrons of nearby Julie guesthouse). When will they learn? ;-) 

Edited April 8, 2017 by Captain_Bob

[heybruce]

Deleted, couldn't get the picture I wanted for a lame joke.

Edited April 8, 2017 by heybruce

[Damrongsak]

34 minutes ago, Chiengmaijoe said:

..."If that f@%$ing ball comes into my garden again I'll put a f@$%ing knife in it" ...

[joecoolfrog]

Its almost Songkran so I would laugh off a good soaking . Of course I would also expect my assailant to laugh off my kick up his arse !

Edited April 8, 2017 by joecoolfrog

[PGThompson1]

22 hours ago, sanemax said:

Try throwing a glass of water over someone in a bar and then just tell them "Its only water"

Get in touch with the group in the pictures and send them to a bar at night bazaar this afternoon, spray the customers who are sitting outside and see what Basil's reaction is!! After all, it's only water.

[dave2]

9 minutes ago, PGThompson1 said:

Get in touch with the group in the pictures and send them to a bar at night bazaar this afternoon, spray the customers who are sitting outside and see what Basil's reaction is!! After all, it's only water.

dont be silly they wouldnt allow rif raf like them in the red lion :)

 

and chiangmaijoe

 

im far from an angry old man coz i can have anything i want and go anywhere

i want without even thinking about it :)

 

but the numb nuts group in the pics who i didnt want to get near

 

were well out of order to the chinese tourists !

 

dave2

[sanemax]

23 hours ago, Kerryd said:

When a car would come the soi they'd stop it, splash some water on it and a couple talc powder handprints and that was it. If a motorcycle came down the soi they'd stop it, pour some water down the backs of the driver/passengers (who would patiently hold their phones off to the side) and dab a little talc powder on their faces. If people walked down the soi that weren't "playing" (no water guns or "Songkran" gear on) they'd be stopped and given a little splash and dab.

That sounds like a great laugh .

Where will you be doing it this year ?

I want to come and join in with the fun 

Could I pour some water over people as well ?

Its going to be great fun

 

[bazza73]

I think I'll head for Chiang Rai - perhaps there are fewer idiots up there.

 

Actually, given the respective populations of CM and CR, that's an apodeictic statement.

Edited April 9, 2017 by bazza73
Addition

[KhonKaenKowboy]

20 minutes ago, bazza73 said:

I think I'll head for Chiang Rai - perhaps there are fewer idiots up there.

 

Actually, given the respective populations of CM and CR, that's an apodeictic statement.

Give Phayao a try....some fun late night spots and superb cuisine...CR is just a microcosm of the failures of CM, complete with aggressive ladyboys, and raunchy massage....and of course bad western food.

[balo]

If anyone try to do that with me when I'm on my bicycle on the road,  I will stop  and give them a slap on the face . And then call the police.   It's ok during Songkran but not 6 days before,

 

 

 

 

[Throatwobbler]

On 4/8/2017 at 3:46 AM, rogeroc said:

Regrettable they look like they are probably British as well. Something very offensive about coming to a foreign country and then trying to dictate the rules of a local festival. They should be ashamed.

It is interesting that you say about coming to a foreign country and trying to dictate the rules. In a few days all we will here from people on here is how the Thais are doing Songkran wrong and that it is meant to mean this. 

[Throatwobbler]

On 4/8/2017 at 7:10 AM, EricTh said:

 

One should only spray others holding water guns and not everyone on the street.

 

The original festival is actually to go to Buddhist temples, doing merits and bathing the Buddha.

 

People have distorted the tradition.

 

 

Ladies and Gentleman I give you my first example of someone telling the Thais what their festival should be. There are plenty of old photos from Chiang mai that show it has been a free for all for a long time. Pretty sure you do not care about that.

[Throatwobbler]

On 4/8/2017 at 10:59 AM, CGW said:

Kindly define what you define as "a good beating"? broken bones, severe bruising, loss of teeth, black eyes and a broken nose, maybe a little brain damage and a few broken bones? This is real life, not the movies, maybe just talking to them would work? if not maybe? you could justify opening up that can of whoop-arse!

Personally I hope the people wishing physical harm on fellow humans are the ones who receive it. A few backpackers started a bit early and they were wrong but the people who wish that they got a beating are the scarier people.

[Throatwobbler]

On 4/8/2017 at 3:26 PM, NanLaew said:

All of the above with the pièce de résistance of sticking their bloody squirt guns where no light shines.

I hope when you do one thing slightly wrong the same happens to you. Maybe a few months hospital time for you.

[Scott]

Whether you like Songkran or not is up to you, but regardless of your opinion, please post in a civil manner or face a suspension.  

 

Advocating violence on others is not permitted.  

 

 

[Kadilo]

If anyone try to do that with me when I'm on my bicycle on the road,  I will stop  and give them a slap on the face . And then call the police.   It's ok during Songkran but not 6 days before,  

 

 

 

 

Call the Police so they can arrest you for assault. Cool move.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect

 

[Dipterocarp]

Staring early, even though it is just a little squirting mid-day in Backpacker central, whatever. During Songkhran the same types however will be the ones dumping buckets on dry people after dark.  Cornering and soaking elderly British tourists on way to airport begging to be left alone, and purposely shooting in the eyes/ears with high powered ice water guns, laughing when they crash  bikes. I like a little water fighting but the whole thing is out of hand. These people have no idea of the true spirit and meaning of the festival  and I wish they would have a little consideration and decency in their drunken indulgence.  There is an element of malice that gets into some of these these people during Songkhran.

 

 

[EricTh]

On 4/8/2017 at 8:59 PM, Sig said:

I don't get it... you see these clueless tourists apparently out for what they think is a great fun Thai traditional holiday. 

 

Songkran was not a 'fun traditional holiday' as perceived by most non-Thai.

 

But somehow this tradition got distorted into a 'water party'.

 

Read

 

http://www.chiangmai-thai.com/songkran.htm

 

Edited April 10, 2017 by EricTh

[Ramen087]

Distorted is the correct word.  It's devolved into a bastardization of the original holiday.

[balo]

6 hours ago, Kadilo said:

Call the Police so they can arrest you for assault. Cool move.

 

I love the police so I'm ok with that

. 

 

 

[Genericnic]

On 4/8/2017 at 11:25 PM, dave2 said:

already sorted weeks ago ! 

 

dave2

Same here. Heading out of Thailand for six days in Penang. There is actually a quite nice Thai temple in Georgetown and they do Songkran there. One day and it is over. Plus it is held in the courtyard of the temple. If you walk around the edge you don't get wet. If you get bored with that, there is also a very nice Burmese temple right across the street. They don't do songkran. :)

 

David

 

[scottiejohn]

5 hours ago, balo said:

I love the police so I'm ok with that

Is it the uniform that attracts you to them?

[EricTh]

1 hour ago, Genericnic said:

Same here. Heading out of Thailand for six days in Penang. There is actually a quite nice Thai temple in Georgetown and they do Songkran there. One day and it is over. Plus it is held in the courtyard of the temple. If you walk around the edge you don't get wet. If you get bored with that, there is also a very nice Burmese temple right across the street. They don't do songkran. :)

 

David

 

 

When did you book your air-ticket? How much is it roughly?

 

I'm too late to book a ticket out of Thailand for songkran. I hate getting wet.

Edited April 10, 2017 by EricTh

[Sig]

On 4/8/2017 at 10:40 PM, dave2 said:

your joking right ?

 

ohhh dear another newbie keyboard warrier whos not thinking things through 

 

how sad

 

you want a 67 year old weedy old man who doesnt like thai hospital food ( been there done that for a week ... yuk )

 

and has a ticket to hong kong and a hotel booked on the 22 nd

 

to politely inform a group of possibly drunk young men who are built like brick s###hoses that they are doing wrong and might pizz a few of the locals off by their behavior and advise them to stop it ?

 

are you serious ? ...i have all the time in the world ...but im not stupid !

 

dave2

 

ps ... you stop to help at thai accidents ? . oh dear oh dear oh dear

Resort to name calling when you know virtually nothing about me... very cute. It shows your lack of creativity, not only in how to comport oneself in society in order to have a reasonable conversation with people, who may even be drunk (complete speculation), but also at 67 you haven't yet learned how to respond to criticism that you disagree with well either and lash out in name calling instead. It also shows how high indeed that horse must be that you can't seem to climb down.

[Sig]

On 4/8/2017 at 1:04 PM, morpho said:

I must be getting grumpy in my old age, but I never have enjoyed this holiday. Almost got in a fight with 2 backpackers who soaked me 2 days before Songkran officially began several years ago. After that, I just decided to was best for me to get outta LOS at this time of year and let everybody have their "fun". Fly out on Wednesday morning but need to go down to Loi Kroh for money exchange on Monday afternoon and will be in avoidance mode.

Have you tried Sakol Money Exchangers? They usually have the best or nearly the best rates and they are in a little less crowded area than Loi Kroh central, although right by Loi Kroh Rd. They are on Charoen Prathet Road, just near the entrance lane to the Iron Bridge. Nearly neighbors with the reggae looking bar. I haven't exchanged money for many years, but I drive by there frequently and see they are still there. Never know of course, but I think the odds of getting splashed there may be less than in the more busy area of Loi Khroh....

[Sig]

12 hours ago, EricTh said:

 

Songkran was not a 'fun traditional holiday' as perceived by most non-Thai.

 

But somehow this tradition got distorted into a 'water party'.

 

Read

 

http://www.chiangmai-thai.com/songkran.htm

 

Thanks for the link Eric. You'll also note that I never said it "is a 'fun traditional holiday' as perceived by most non-Thai". I said that the tourists were "out for what they think is a great fun Thai traditional holiday." And the form of what "they think" is the fun part, doesn't jibe with the traditional origins, certainly. Although it largely is such, a 'fun holiday' that is,  these days even for Thais, whether that is 'fun' in taking part in receiving blessings from the office boss and dabbing powder on co-workers faces or 'fun' in doing likewise with grandpa and grandma at home. And of course there is the 'fun' that countless Thais take part in on the streets all over the country, along with throngs of foreigners in tourist areas. And then there's the beauty pageant and various temple activities that are also 'fun'. Or you could say 'enjoyable' if that suits you better. It is a celebration after all. So, outside of the definition that was apparently in the minds of these ignorant tourists, it could still be accurately called a 'fun traditional holiday'. But, yes, as you say, 'water party' is an unfortunate distortion. Although, at the same time, 'water parties' can be rightfully fun too when done in the right manner, place, and time.

[balo]

5 hours ago, scottiejohn said:

Is it the uniform that attracts you to them?

No , it's helping them to solve crimes, even minor ones. 

 

[Chiengmaijoe]

14 hours ago, Ramen087 said:

Distorted is the correct word.  It's devolved into a bastardization of the original holiday.

 

Certainly the water-throwing has changed in terms of the 'weapons' used but it is the Thais that changed it. I expect the guys with irrigation pumps in the river with 4-inch pipes spraying everyone will be setting up on the Chiang Mai - Lamphun rd as they have for the last 4 years or so. What started as 1 is now 3 , or at least that was the case last year. The guys there start drinking at about 10am so by 5pm they are very drunk and guys will be walking into the middle of the road to stop bikes to drench the drivers. They'll be spraying onto car windshields which will blind drivers momentarily. Not a farang in sight. The images posted here are extremely tame compared to stuff like that, and yet ..... no-one will be threatening to have anyone beaten up!

 

More importantly, water-throwing is just a very small part of Songkran for most Thais . People will be paying respects to their elders by washing their feet and asking forgiveness for their sins, all kinds of events and ceremonies will be going on at the temples, which will be packed, and of course there will be a big parade of Buddhas through town. Sadly, most tourists will seee nothing of the real Songkran activities and will completely miss the point as to what Songkran is and how important it is to the Thai people. Water-throwing is fun for most, but it's only a small part of a very important festival. To most tourists that's all it is.

 

It's good to see that some people that don't like it have chosen to either leave for a few days or, like myself, stay at home (although I may have one afternoon with the grand-kids near the moat). I have no complaints with those that don't like it and do something about it, it's the people that not only don't like it but get very angry about it, to the point of threatening violence, that amaze me. Has it never occured to you that when everyone else is enjoying themselves and you're not, that maybe you are the one with the problem? I don't particularly like Songkran but when everyone else around me is so looking forward to it and having such a good time, why should I be the miserable old git, moaning and complaining about it? It's their New Year, after all.

 

If you are planning on living in Thailand you should start realising that if you find yourself getting angry about something and no-one else is, it's you that has the problem and has to accept things or adjust. I used to complain about the noise in shopping centres at the weekend, especially during festivals. Announcements, jingles/promotions over the speakers on a 1 minute cycle, people with megaphones, guards blasting whistles. I would complain to the manager, and then one day I twigged - no-one else was bothered, just me. The solution was simple, I stopped going to those places at the weekend and went mid-week instead. I realised, that I'm the one that's different so either I accept things or find away around them. Most of these problems are the result of Culture Shock. If you don't know what that is, look it up, accept the fact that at times it will apply to you and figure out what you're going to do about it. The alternative is to be  unhappy, angry, irrational and even prone to aggressive tendencies. There are a few posters here displaying the classic signs......

 

Here endeth tonight's sermon.

[Throatwobbler]

16 hours ago, Ramen087 said:

Distorted is the correct word.  It's devolved into a bastardization of the original holiday.

Are you Thai? Or are you just another immigrant telling the locals how to run their holiday?

[Throatwobbler]

56 minutes ago, Chiengmaijoe said:

 

Certainly the water-throwing has changed in terms of the 'weapons' used but it is the Thais that changed it. I expect the guys with irrigation pumps in the river with 4-inch pipes spraying everyone will be setting up on the Chiang Mai - Lamphun rd as they have for the last 4 years or so. What started as 1 is now 3 , or at least that was the case last year. The guys there start drinking at about 10am so by 5pm they are very drunk and guys will be walking into the middle of the road to stop bikes to drench the drivers. They'll be spraying onto car windshields which will blind drivers momentarily. Not a farang in sight. The images posted here are extremely tame compared to stuff like that, and yet ..... no-one will be threatening to have anyone beaten up!

 

More importantly, water-throwing is just a very small part of Songkran for most Thais . People will be paying respects to their elders by washing their feet and asking forgiveness for their sins, all kinds of events and ceremonies will be going on at the temples, which will be packed, and of course there will be a big parade of Buddhas through town. Sadly, most tourists will seee nothing of the real Songkran activities and will completely miss the point as to what Songkran is and how important it is to the Thai people. Water-throwing is fun for most, but it's only a small part of a very important festival. To most tourists that's all it is.

 

It's good to see that some people that don't like it have chosen to either leave for a few days or, like myself, stay at home (although I may have one afternoon with the grand-kids near the moat). I have no complaints with those that don't like it and do something about it, it's the people that not only don't like it but get very angry about it, to the point of threatening violence, that amaze me. Has it never occured to you that when everyone else is enjoying themselves and you're not, that maybe you are the one with the problem? I don't particularly like Songkran but when everyone else around me is so looking forward to it and having such a good time, why should I be the miserable old git, moaning and complaining about it? It's their New Year, after all.

 

If you are planning on living in Thailand you should start realising that if you find yourself getting angry about something and no-one else is, it's you that has the problem and has to accept things or adjust. I used to complain about the noise in shopping centres at the weekend, especially during festivals. Announcements, jingles/promotions over the speakers on a 1 minute cycle, people with megaphones, guards blasting whistles. I would complain to the manager, and then one day I twigged - no-one else was bothered, just me. The solution was simple, I stopped going to those places at the weekend and went mid-week instead. I realised, that I'm the one that's different so either I accept things or find away around them. Most of these problems are the result of Culture Shock. If you don't know what that is, look it up, accept the fact that at times it will apply to you and figure out what you're going to do about it. The alternative is to be  unhappy, angry, irrational and even prone to aggressive tendencies. There are a few posters here displaying the classic signs......

 

Here endeth tonight's sermon.

Thank you for putting into words far better than my replies.