Midweek rant: Dear Songkran revelers – any chance of leaving me alone?

[webfact]

Midweek rant: Dear Songkran revelers – any chance of leaving me alone?

 

 

I accept that it is virtually impossible to completely get away from Songkran.

 

There seems to be a mindset that it is some kind of joyous celebration for everybody and you must be some kind of misery if you dislike it.

 

Well you can count me out – I hate it.

 

Now I am not trying to dictate what you do. Splash away – all day and all night for all I care.

 

I shall be doing my level best to avoid you, but if I do have to go out, you know do a bit of shopping or take the dog for a walk could I just ask for a bit of bloody consideration.

 

If I am on a motorbike could I ask that you don’t throw a bucket of water in my face or hit me with a high powered water gun.

 

You see, it could cause me to die and render my children fatherless. I know it is inconvenient for you, especially when an easy prey foreigner comes along the street but please give it a try.

 

I don’t mind a bit of powder and a few sprinkles. How about let me stop first rather than dash out on the skiddy wet road causing me to slide to an early death?

 

If you at least do that, I promise to smile, even if through gritted teeth.

 

If I am dressed up, perhaps have a phone in my hand and obviously going somewhere important would it be possible to let me pass. I know this might be culturally odd but again, sometimes people have things to do even at Songkran.

 

It shouldn’t spoil your day too much – you might even make mine with your consideration.

 

And might even help restore some faith and belief that the festival still is a traditional celebration of everything that is good in Thai culture. Like good manners and thought for others.

 

You see, I don’t dislike Thai culture. In fact I love many aspects of it, just like you do. But wouldn’t we all agree that Songkran has gone a bit far on occasion?

 

Would you not accept that the timeless tenets of “grengjai” and consideration for others are just as important a part of Songkran as at other times of the year?

 

To drivers would it be asking too much when transporting people around in your pick-ups to stay sober for the good of your passengers? You see it is not just about you.

 

It’s also about the children in the back who have no say in the matter. We know Thais love kids so that shouldn’t be too tough an assignment, would it?

 

Some more of you might even get to celebrate and do it all again next year.

 

To police can I ask that you don’t let obviously drunk drivers back in their vehicles. You see, they are not just a danger to themselves – incredible as it may sound, innocent people can get caught up in the accidents they cause.

 

You may be spoiling their fun by making them and their passengers find another way home but isn’t that better than a trip to the morgue.

 

And do make guilty drivers visit the morgue like you did last year – just keep them there for a week rather than a few minutes to make sure they have got the message.

 

To parents please teach your children how to behave well at Songkran. If you are not sure about that, ask an older person, they might remember what it was once like in Thailand in April.

 

Amazingly parents, children tend to copy their folks so if you behave well who knows they might even follow suit in the future and you can be proud of what you did.

 

To especially young foreign visitors – try to learn a little about the traditions of Songkran. I understand that at times it looks like war and you want to pretend to be Rambo with a water gun but you really would cover yourself in more glory if you didn’t add fuel to the fire.

 

Some locals are bad enough as it is without you making it worse because you think you can do exactly as you like holiday.

 

And to everybody, if people who clearly don’t want to play ball are sitting inside somewhere please don’t bring Songkran off the street. Just stay out there in your own mayhem and leave us to our depressing little lives.

 

And when the fat lady has sung in Bangkok can you pack up on time and put the water guns away for another year.

 

If you still haven’t had enough you could just go to Pattaya.

 

They will welcome you and you can continue being a total idiot down there for another week.

 

Khop khun khrap (Thank you)

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2017-04-12

[Minnie the Minx]

To all in Thailand, time to get out of Dodge City if you haven't done it already. That or lock yourself up in your house.

 

I went through it in one of my three years there and never again. 

 

Let's just say there were pics of me soaking wet in a white T-shirt somewhere I never want to see again lol.

Edited April 11, 2017 by Minnie the Minx

[jaywalker]

56 minutes ago, Minnie the Minx said:

To all in Thailand, time to get out of Dodge City if you haven't done it already. That or lock yourself up in your house.

 

I went through it in one of my three years there and never again. 

 

Let's just say there were pics of me soaking wet in a white T-shirt somewhere I never want to see again lol.

 

"And when the fat lady has sung in Bangkok...."

 

Are you that fat lady I saw singing on the last day of Songkran a few years back?

 

Just joking!

 

I went thru the Pattaya mayhem ONCE & it was a novelty.

 

I've despised it every since then.

[Scott]

I prepare for Songkran the same way I used to prepare for a big blizzard.   Get stocked up, stay at home and venture out at your own risk.  

[alex8912]

The answer to most of those questions is a big NO. If you hate it so much you just had an entire year to plan and go somewhere else and make plans to not be on your bike for 3 short days in BKK and even then the morning is very dry and after 11 pm or so it's dry. What I think some haters should do is buy a big super soaker tonight maybe the 5500 model and go out tomorrow and the next day and and take some of your pent up anxiety out on the revelers you hate so much. I have never had such a therapeutic day after finally staying in Thailand for Songkran 2 years ago and last year. It's so fun and everybody is in such a great mood. I highly suggest Silom because it has a great mix of people and I have not seen anyone that drunk at all. It's truly good clean fun.  All ages participate. 

BTW I would never stay indoors for a blizzard either. I love those 60 centimeter New England snow storms. 

[Wilsonandson]

If you are a farang "foreigner" and outside in Bangkok during the Songkran festival then you are going to get wet. It's only 3 or 4 days, prepare. If you have to wear nice clothes somewhere then either get a taxi there or carry the clothes in a waterproof bag and change when you get there. As for mobile phone, leave it at home, take a cheap 300 baht phone with you wrapped in a plastic bag. Traveling by motorcycle. Well, do so at your own risk. Not a good idea during the Songkran festival. You are going to get drenched and have a very high chance of having an accident. Avoid and maybe use a bicycle or if you want to stay dry, use a taxi.

[overherebc]

I agree with the OP especially after turning a corner on a bike and getting a bucket of water in the face. Even with a full face helmet it blinds you for a few seconds. That was a few years ago and since then I have stayed a way from the streets.

10am to 6pm should be enough and would at least allow normal life to go on.

 

[Laughing Gravy]

It is alright saying it is Thai culture and that it is for 3 days a year so be prepared. What if you do want to go somewhere not dressed like a Khao san backpacker wearing trousers, flip flops and  a T shirt that has holes in it. What if you want to wear a shirt/trousers or if you have business and your in a suit. Why should you have to get drenched and often covered in white paste. It is just pure, dam right bad manners, poor etiquette, selfish and offensive. If someone went and slapped someone in the face and said it was my culture, would they be happy? No and rightly so. The way forward for this is to have designated areas for water fights so those who want to play like children can. Any other area should be made illegal and thrown in jail for a week. that would be a deterrent.

 

I have had the unfortunate situation were I had to go out in a suit over Songkran and the amount of people who tried to go out of their way to soak me was unbelievable. My opinion of these people, they are A holes.  Now I lock myself in which I believe it to be wrong but until the mentality changes, is the best option. BTW it wasn't like that 16 years ago. progressively it has gotten worse and since more foreigners have got involved the play fighting with water has become much more aggressive.

[smotherb]

Not another cry-baby Songkran rant. It seems so simple; if it hurts, don't do that.  Go out of country for Songkran. Stay at home for Songkran. If you have to go out; drive your car, or wear a raincoat and goggles.  

[alex8912]

4 minutes ago, Laughing Gravy said:

It is alright saying it is Thai culture and that it is for 3 days a year so be prepared. What if you do want to go somewhere not dressed like a Khao san backpacker wearing trousers, flip flops and  a T shirt that has holes in it. What if you want to wear a shirt/trousers or if you have business and your in a suit. Why should you have to get drenched and often covered in white paste. It is just pure, dam right bad manners, poor etiquette, selfish and offensive. If someone went and slapped someone in the face and said it was my culture, would they be happy? No and rightly so. The way forward for this is to have designated areas for water fights so those who want to play like children can. Any other area should be made illegal and thrown in jail for a week. that would be a deterrent.

 

I have had the unfortunate situation were I had to go out in a suit over Songkran and the amount of people who tried to go out of their way to soak me was unbelievable. My opinion of these people, they are A holes.  Now I lock myself in which I believe it to be wrong but until the mentality changes, is the best option. BTW it wasn't like that 16 years ago. progressively it has gotten worse and since more foreigners have got involved the play fighting with water has become much more aggressive.

Honestly relax and take a damn taxi!  I bet you and tens of others REALLY have a business meeting in Thailand on the 13 th, 14 th or 15 th. Please stop it.  You were just younger 16 years ago. That is the only difference.  Did you ever stop and think that Songkran revelers thought that YOU were an a hole for tramping around in a suit during a WATER festival and not in your car, a rented car or a taxi ??  It goes both ways.  Why shouldn't people be able to relax , play and enjoy Songkran on their own streets and in their own neighborhoods where many have done it for decades.  There are two ways to look at your misery. 

[overherebc]

9 minutes ago, smotherb said:

Not another cry-baby Songkran rant. It seems so simple; if it hurts, don't do that.  Go out of country for Songkran. Stay at home for Songkran. If you have to go out; drive your car, or wear a raincoat and goggles.  

On the other hand why should others dictate to me how I spend my day.

[alex8912]

2 minutes ago, overherebc said:

On the other hand why should others dictate to me how I spend my day.

Because if you don't know this by now it's been a tradition here for a massive long time!! Jees like I said earlier , arm yourself and have some fun!!! 

[smotherb]

4 minutes ago, overherebc said:

On the other hand why should others dictate to me how I spend my day.

No one is dictating to you how you spend your day. If you get wet, you made the choice to be there.

[sungod]

Blah blah blah. same old tripe every year. Majority of people on here aren't happy unless they are moaning about something.

 

Its what happens here, I'm not a great lover myself, just learn to live with it for a few days of the year.

[rodney earl]

LIKE YOU I HATE THIS TIME OF THE YEAR WHERE DRUNKEN IDIOTS MAKE THIS TIME OF YEAR A DISASTER. I STAY AT HOME FOR THREE DAYS!!!

[DrTuner]

No chance, suck it up.

[JerryinTH]

Even worse for those in Pattaya? It's a week long or what are the Pattaya dates - the unofficial ones? Today until the 20th? 

[smutcakes]

So many moany people. I can only wonder what important business people have which is so critically important it cannot be done before or after when everything is closed down anyway. Just get a taxi, drive your car, spend a weekend away in a hotel resort, you have had the whole year to plan. It's as if people have been gearing up all year to whine about it.

 

in Pattaya the water does not start mainly until later. Plenty of time in the morning to go do critical things which cannot wait.....

Edited April 12, 2017 by smutcakes

[smotherb]

1 hour ago, rodney earl said:

LIKE YOU I HATE THIS TIME OF THE YEAR WHERE DRUNKEN IDIOTS MAKE THIS TIME OF YEAR A DISASTER. I STAY AT HOME FOR THREE DAYS!!!

What did you say? Can't hear you.

[bt2017]

Every Songran we get the usual 'fors and against" what I find is the selfishness in most of the posts as it's all about them. Last year and probably this one too Northern Thailand has had a serious drought many farmers had there water either cut off or faced severe restrictions weeks before Songran began and so they watched as their crops and living went literally down the drain! Imagine as a farmer coming to CM and seeing the total waste of the most precious commodity being flushed uselessly away. My GF only lives 40klms. south of CM but her water has been restricted for at least 4-5 weeks.

So yes have some fun but please have some thought to!!! 

[GarryP]

1 hour ago, smotherb said:

Not another cry-baby Songkran rant. It seems so simple; if it hurts, don't do that.  Go out of country for Songkran. Stay at home for Songkran. If you have to go out; drive your car, or wear a raincoat and goggles.  

Why should I have to pay to go out of the country for Songkran? Why should I have to be housebound for Songkran? Why shouldn't I have the right to choose whether to participate and that right respected by others. Why can't I go out to do some shopping or visit friends without some idiots soaking me? Don't say it is a cultural thing. It is not. It has got progressively worse and worse. As another poster says, there should be designated areas for those who wish to enter water battles and it should be strictly controlled or banned elsewhere. 

[dazzz]

1 hour ago, smotherb said:

Not another cry-baby Songkran rant. It seems so simple; if it hurts, don't do that.  Go out of country for Songkran. Stay at home for Songkran. If you have to go out; drive your car, or wear a raincoat and goggles.  

This is for you and the other people who have no idea what they are talking about. This is NOT thai culture. Songran is whern all the people go to the temple marching through the streets putting scented water ,flowers and powder on you to wash away last years sins .
 3 yrs ago i was driving the udon to nong khai 3 lane road when after passing parked truck 2 days before songran  2 little boys ran out and threw a bucket of water with ice. I was doing about 80kph. It knocked out 2 of my front teeth, smashed my visor damaged my neck which still hurts . Their parents just smiled like it was fun even though i wanted to punch the teeth out.
 Next year was driving my skylab tuk tuk but never thought that the engine was between my knees causing the water to steam and burn my legs quite badly .Later that day i was driving slowly thorugh a village . I sa  a water place ahead but when i got close a motorbike came from the other direction . 2 little girls about 5 not seeing me run out right in front of me to get the bike  . I could not stop so drove of the road overturning my tuk tuk . I was unhurt but 5000 baht damage to my tuk tuk.
  In the  villages by 5pm most of the water is thrown by drunk teenagers . There IS a group every year near my house . They put ice in the water . I have seen the urinating and putting vixol toilet cleaner in the water . THIS IS NOT SONGRAN !
This adulterated version of songran is carnage . Death and injury all over thaialnd . It is not like kaosan road most of it is on fast roads where it is madness to throw water esp with ice at passing motobikes . It is only fun to drunk people , all the thais i have spoke to , not one says they like the new songran esp older people

[overherebc]

Two things that don't appear at Songkran.

1. Common sense.

2. Compromise.

[smotherb]

7 minutes ago, GarryP said:

Why should I have to pay to go out of the country for Songkran? Why should I have to be housebound for Songkran? Why shouldn't I have the right to choose whether to participate and that right respected by others. Why can't I go out to do some shopping or visit friends without some idiots soaking me? Don't say it is a cultural thing. It is not. It has got progressively worse and worse. As another poster says, there should be designated areas for those who wish to enter water battles and it should be strictly controlled or banned elsewhere. 

Why should you? So you don't act like a cry-baby.

 

What makes you think you have a right to change a Thai custom? And, it is a Thai custom no matter what you say. 

 

Many things in Thailand are getting worse and worse; so, what is your point?  

 

Gee, is Prayut that other poster? I believe the Thais are trying to have designated areas for celebrating the water festival part of Songkran. I am sure they will be happy to hear you agree.

[Thaidream]

The posters who stated the festival was gentler decades ago are correct- what has changed is the attitude of people who now throw water, ice and some of it filthy at anyone and anything. It used to be when you indicated not to splash water- people complied. Today, they ignore a reasonable request . It is they who are selfish and without manners. I used to enjoy Songkran but no longer. It has evolved into a drunken expression of everything that is wrong with people in their me only attitude. I will still go out anywhere and everywhere because I know how to avoid the drunks and fools who waste water while the Nation needs it for crops. When the prices go up later in the year for vegetables and basic commodities- the smart people know why and the water wasting fools can't figure it out.

[smotherb]

11 minutes ago, dazzz said:

This is for you and the other people who have no idea what they are talking about. This is NOT thai culture. Songran is whern all the people go to the temple marching through the streets putting scented water ,flowers and powder on you to wash away last years sins .
 3 yrs ago i was driving the udon to nong khai 3 lane road when after passing parked truck 2 days before songran  2 little boys ran out and threw a bucket of water with ice. I was doing about 80kph. It knocked out 2 of my front teeth, smashed my visor damaged my neck which still hurts . Their parents just smiled like it was fun even though i wanted to punch the teeth out.
 Next year was driving my skylab tuk tuk but never thought that the engine was between my knees causing the water to steam and burn my legs quite badly .Later that day i was driving slowly thorugh a village . I sa  a water place ahead but when i got close a motorbike came from the other direction . 2 little girls about 5 not seeing me run out right in front of me to get the bike  . I could not stop so drove of the road overturning my tuk tuk . I was unhurt but 5000 baht damage to my tuk tuk.
  In the  villages by 5pm most of the water is thrown by drunk teenagers . There IS a group every year near my house . They put ice in the water . I have seen the urinating and putting vixol toilet cleaner in the water . THIS IS NOT SONGRAN !
This adulterated version of songran is carnage . Death and injury all over thaialnd . It is not like kaosan road most of it is on fast roads where it is madness to throw water esp with ice at passing motobikes . It is only fun to drunk people , all the thais i have spoke to , not one says they like the new songran esp older people

So, what in your poorly written response negates anything I said?

[Epidemiologist Dave]

1 hour ago, alex8912 said:

Because if you don't know this by now it's been a tradition here for a massive long time!! Jees like I said earlier , arm yourself and have some fun!!! 

The use of high power water guns, buckets of ice etc. has not been the tradition for 'a massive long time'.Songkran used to be a much more gentle tradition splashing water as a mark of respect particularly for your elders NOT a potentially lethal water war.

[smotherb]

6 minutes ago, Thaidream said:

The posters who stated the festival was gentler decades ago are correct- what has changed is the attitude of people who now throw water, ice and some of it filthy at anyone and anything. It used to be when you indicated not to splash water- people complied. Today, they ignore a reasonable request . It is they who are selfish and without manners. I used to enjoy Songkran but no longer. It has evolved into a drunken expression of everything that is wrong with people in their me only attitude. I will still go out anywhere and everywhere because I know how to avoid the drunks and fools who waste water while the Nation needs it for crops. When the prices go up later in the year for vegetables and basic commodities- the smart people know why and the water wasting fools can't figure it out.

I think you may have explained it, you said, "I used to enjoy Songkran . . ." People's attitudes change with age; some people anyway.

 

My first Songkran was in 1967 or '68. We hired long-tailed boats and had jousting contests at high speed up and down the khlongs--guess where we got the water.  Most of the revelers were drunk, some used ice-water, and some let you pass if you asked. The major change factor I see is age.

[NoshowJones]

"We know Thais love kids". I would dispute that on a lot of occasions, what about the ones who give their motorbike keys to their underage offspring, and allow them to ride their bikes on busy main roads? I see this all the time upcountry where I live.

[sanemax]

2 hours ago, alex8912 said:

 Jees like I said earlier , arm yourself and have some fun!!! 

But you must understand, some people, myself included, do not consider having a water pistol fight, to be fun . it may be fun for 30 minutes in a park or something , but it takes a certain kind of mentality to laugh every frew minutes for four continuous days, when you exchange water with randon passers by