Tourists jump the gun as Songkran celebrations in Chiang Mai begin

[jonclark]

4 hours ago, samsensam said:

 

it is for the children, teenagers, low class and low educated adult thais and various foreign idiots.

 

educated, middle/upper class thais dislike and avoid what songkran has become as much as the rest of us normal people

I do love the smelly of good honest old fashioned snobbery.

 

I am sure the middle and upper class Thais are delighted that you speak for all of them. Their little farang pet springing to the defence of their sensibilities.a So cute.

[smotherb]

31 minutes ago, losername said:

No.  I'm not sure of the boundaries of the thread either.  Previous contributors have alleged that I am trying to tell Thais and their visitors how to celebrate their festival.  I am not, but I do think that there is mileage in exercising an element of discretion.  Various agencies have designated times, places and styles of the celebration.  I support all of that and would happily shut up if there was a return to traditional styles of celebration that would allow me, simply, to join in or not as I choose.

Then I suggest you find Mr. Peabody's Way-Back Machine, or Dr. Brown's copy-cat DeLorean; times have changed, the tradition has moved on. 

[losername]

3 minutes ago, smotherb said:

no, we limited ours to ice buckets of cold water; so I fail to see your point as well

My point is "I think you are making his point for him".

[losername]

1 minute ago, smotherb said:

Then I suggest you find Mr. Peabody's Way-Back Machine, or Dr. Brown's copy-cat DeLorean; times have changed, the tradition has moved on. 

Then it's not tradition is it?

[losername]

I'm finished here.  Good night everyone. 

[smotherb]

1 minute ago, losername said:

My point is "I think you are making his point for him".

Re-read post #9--the post to which I replied.

 

He said,

" . . .  it is for the children, teenagers, low class and low educated adult thais and various foreign idiots.

 

educated, middle/upper class thais dislike and avoid what songkran has become as much as the rest of us normal people"

 

What part of what I said is proving that point--we were all older educated middle/upper class enjoying Songkran--the way it is. 

[smotherb]

3 minutes ago, losername said:

I'm finished here.  Good night everyone. 

Well, at least you know when to fold 'em 

[jonclark]

15 minutes ago, losername said:

Then it's not tradition is it?

Traditions are a product of the times. They are organic and ever changing. If they fail to adapt to the increasingly dynamc times they become obsolete and irrelevent. 

Only diehards cling to the belief things were better in the old days. They were not. They were just more relevent. (And the diehards younger and more optimist to boot)

Edited April 13, 2017 by jonclark

[ChakaKhan]

As a grumpy gus and a self admitted hater of songkran i promised to try and stay positive

so i went out yest and today on bicycle---naturally got soaked--ice buckets as well.....

 

As noted the thais are more mellow and the tourist love to blast me in the face as my brakes

get wet and i wear glasses---yep--water jacked right into my eyes----that i dont like either

 

I just think it goes on too long--even on a bike i could barely get into the city on the perimeter

Once inside it seemed pretty mellow....also shutep rd seems to be a safe zone as well.

 

So i refuse to stay locked up...just wish it stayed at 2-3 days--isnt that enough...???  

 

The quick downpour seemed ironic at 6pm....as if i couldnt escape the water as it was.....

[Marcel1]

Stay home stay home stay home hahahaaaaa crying miserable ppl... Whole year to prepare and still know to write complete rants.

Songkran isn't my favorite but there are two options. Either stay home or join.

Some years I decide to stay home and some years I join.

Today we joined around the moat in Chiang mai and even though I definitely don't like the use of dirty water from some, it is still a freaking fun happening for once a year

[geriatrickid]

15 hours ago, psyvolt said:

Not your country, nor for you to tell Thais and its visitors what they can or cant do during their celebrations. Don't like it, then either bugger off and let ppl that enjoy life have some fun, or stay in your house and be a sad sack.

In case you missed it, the Thais have attempted to rein in the stupidity this year. Apparently, you do not believe that co-operation with the Thais is worthy of your consideration.

[kurtmartens]

17 hours ago, samsensam said:

 

it is for the children, teenagers, low class and low educated adult thais and various foreign idiots.

 

educated, middle/upper class thais dislike and avoid what songkran has become as much as the rest of us normal people

As others have said, I think its a bit much to generalize the way you have.  My family would be upper class by any standards here or outside Thailand and we enjoy a day or two with the kids splashing water around in front of our soi.  Yes, some folks take it too far ... but am pretty sure its not just "low class and low educated" folks who do.  Folks are free to stay inside, go on vacation, etc during Songkron.  But, to generalize and say "low class and low educated" is rude and off mark.  Maybe you just hang around with the nouveau rich too much who look down on folks.

[kurtmartens]

12 hours ago, Marcel1 said:

Stay home stay home stay home hahahaaaaa crying miserable ppl... Whole year to prepare and still know to write complete rants.

 

Well said!  

[moe666]

18 hours ago, samsensam said:

 

it is for the children, teenagers, low class and low educated adult thais and various foreign idiots.

 

educated, middle/upper class thais dislike and avoid what songkran has become as much as the rest of us normal people

Thank you for you well informed opinion

[psyvolt]

7 hours ago, geriatrickid said:

In case you missed it, the Thais have attempted to rein in the stupidity this year. Apparently, you do not believe that co-operation with the Thais is worthy of your consideration.

Didnt realise you were hard of reading too. Maybe re-read my post numbnuts, as I said nothing of the sort of rubbish you say I do. Pathetic attempt at diversion thou.

[ChakaKhan]

Just sending in my update on day 3 as i had to take my mbike out to pick

up a clueless chinese gal that thinks this place is paradise and wonderful..UNTIL

I had to drive her around with her pack and she would scream NOOOOO to the thais

as i tried to navigate the city..like thais were gonna say OKOK no PLOBLEM.....

 

As Noted i HATE songkran but have joined in..not to bad on a bicycle and once you

get OUTSIDE or INSIDE the ring of fire its ok...even Huay kaew seemed mellow today

 

SHUTEP rd seems to be a COMPLETE safe zone....dont think i saw ONE water ninja

 

The BIGGEST thing is the LARGE amounts in the FACE and ICE WATER...seemed to

me it was MORE ICE shots than WARM ones.....and the EYE thing..even with glasses

that is a problem....i can attest as i expd it my glasses get covered..water pours INTO

my eye socket and wet brakes...no a good combo----blast in the EAR as well...mai dee

 

Did see and hear plenty of police but seen NO arrests or control tactics really--seen a mbike

go down and medics dabbing up somchais leg at wat prasing.....big deal over a knee scratch.

 

So 2-3 days then end it....stop with the damn ICE and face shots---its not amusing to me....

 

 

[midas]

22 hours ago, ChakaKhan said:

As a grumpy gus and a self admitted hater of songkran i promised to try and stay positive

so i went out yest and today on bicycle---naturally got soaked--ice buckets as well.....

 

As noted the thais are more mellow and the tourist love to blast me in the face as my brakes

get wet and i wear glasses---yep--water jacked right into my eyes----that i dont like either

 

I just think it goes on too long--even on a bike i could barely get into the city on the perimeter

Once inside it seemed pretty mellow....also shutep rd seems to be a safe zone as well.

 

So i refuse to stay locked up...just wish it stayed at 2-3 days--isnt that enough...???  

 

The quick downpour seemed ironic at 6pm....as if i couldnt escape the water as it was.....

 

will it keep going on until Monday night when the holiday finishes ?

[ChakaKhan]

Im really hoping sunday wraps this up--

 

just got in and the thais are still going hard--

 

isnt 6 days enough to get pissed???..maybe the rain

will slow em down--u know ..rain=sickness to thais+ac

 

doesnt the whole thing get a little boring after 3-4 days???

 

Is what it is...i refuse to be a prisoner--i will go out everyday

even tho i let some tourists have it after coming home soaked

taking a hot shower and walking with umbrella to go eat..i was

dressed nice and NO "weapons"  they..just..had..to..spray...me,,

[Blackheart1916]

On 13/04/2017 at 9:34 PM, psyvolt said:

You didnt have to say it expressly, but that's exactly what ur rant was about.

You live in Thailand whilst songkran is in, expect to get splashed. Dont like it, like I stated above, bugger off for the weekend, or stay at home.

My two cents, i thought his original comment was not about Songkran but the early start to the Songkran like festivities, that caught people unaware as they were going about their normal business before the water throwing was meant to start.

[ChakaKhan]

Well day 5 and i thought i was free and clear--was proud of myself of getting inside the city and

OUT as well without any buckets on me..maybe one  small squirt as i was coming out...meh

 

THEN right at my final stretch  on nimman---a hotel with a bunch of OLD people...guns--buckets

and a HOSE---they let the guy in front of me pass and i was bone dry--think they let me pass???

 

NOPE--soaked with a blasting HOSE--soaked..they thought it was hilarious--i beg to differ...

If looks could kill..so im showered and will go out to eat--god help anyone brave enough to

splash me again..if so i will stand there and just stare them down or if i go back and its the

hotel a**holes i will simply walk into hotel lobby and track all the water they ALLOWED their

GUESTS to stand out there all day and give them UNLIMITED water--hoses and pernission..

 

5 days...lets wrap this sh*t up...what other holiday goes this damn long with drunks and H2O??

 

Ive been involved and tolerant of it--even getting into the mix--I havent even SPRAYED anyone

[ChakaKhan]

ITS OVER!!!!!!! I SURVIVED SONGKRAN 2017
I went for a bike ride sans headphones--plastic bags-etc

expecting to get soaked BUT as soon as i hit old city........NOTHING!

 

It was sureal--as if all a dream---no trash--calm--not one person out

Spooky feeling...as if i never happened--thailand--all about extremes--all in or all out

 

What i dont get is i was never sure when it would END but seems THAIS got a memo

i never got....i was always looking for dates---etc....did they all get a SMS from the PM? :)

 

I was actually expecting it to at least go today as it was a sunday and hope it ended then

so still being the weekend its still kinda sinking in after a drenchfest for 5 damn days straight

and then POOF...not a sign..if i arrived in CM today i would have never known about it..odd

 

Anyhoo MAYA sound stage is still trying to squeeze that last baht out as the stage was

blasting hip hop dropping F bombs into the whole area as families and kids mill about

 

I must be getting old.as i dont know how the hell thais can get sh#tcanned 5 days straight

i guess today is the national hangover as it sure showed on my bike ride around the city

 

Good Riddance Songkran--NONE of the rules were followed--as IF i expected them to....

 

To all that persihed---Do i say i guess Buddha just doesnt like you--karma or just ignorance?

[balo]

5 days ? After 3 days it was over I think in most areas. Never went to the old city or Nimman so that probably explains it.

[Ulysses G.]

On April 16, 2017 at 4:09 AM, ChakaKhan said:

 

 

What i dont get is i was never sure when it would END but seems THAIS got a memo

i never got....i was always looking for dates---etc....did they all get a SMS from the PM? :)

 

 

They always know the exact date it will end and I have never seen it go beyond that. I always asked my employees when it would be over and they never made a mistake. 

[ChakaKhan]

5 hours ago, Ulysses G. said:

They always know the exact date it will end and I have never seen it go beyond that. I always asked my employees when it would be over and they never made a mistake. 

 

On 4/17/2017 at 11:22 PM, balo said:

5 days ? After 3 days it was over I think in most areas. Never went to the old city or Nimman so that probably explains it.

Rode my biccycle daily into the city and still do....i recall yelling at tourists by tae pae as it was

TUESDAY and 3 of them were there with waterguns and yep...get the farang on the bike--bonus !

 

So tuesday--wed--thurs--fri-sat---5 days soaked with ice water every single day--almost did it

without a soaking but of course there were the tourists on nimman--hotel hose--water non stop

 

I was actually shocked on sundays drive as i was ready and in the city i was like a ghost town

 

The city square is the zone--once inside or outside of it its not bad--the deadly ring of water