Songkran - The Water Works Begin

[Gaybutton]

Most of you are aware of the Songkran holiday in Thailand. In Pattaya the major water tossing festivities will take place on Thursday, April 19. Some "farang," including me, love the holiday and fully intend to be here in Pattaya for the entire event and enjoy getting soaked (while watching all those boys getting soaked as well). It seems that most "farang" avoid Pattaya and anywhere else in Thailand where the water tossing takes place.

 

In Pattaya it has already begun. Today I began to notice a few children out there with their squirt guns already dousing passers-by. It will escalate over the next several days until it reaches its peak on April 19.

 

 

[Guest Geezer]

Already started huh? I guess that means we

[Guest mauRICE]

It has begun in Chiang Mai, albeit on a small scale, and will peak on the three official Songkran days (13, 14 & 15 April). In Chiang Mai City, the last day for water throwing is Sunday, 15 April but I understand that it may continue for a few more days in the outlying areas.

 

Please note that Monday, 16 April and Tuesday, 17 April are government and bank holidays.

[Guest lvdkeyes]

I read a week or so ago that the Minister of Culture (or some such thing) has said Songkran this year will be different, there will be "culture streets" etc. to get back to the old traditional Songkran. Everyone who believes that stand on your head and poop out gold coins.

 

The nearly full week of this absolute madness and being soaked and slapped with colored paste made from talc and water everyday 2 years ago was enough to keep me away from Thailand during this time. Last year I went to KL, but made the mistake of coming back on the last day of Songkran. It took 4 1/2 hours to get to Jomtien from the old airport.

 

This year I am escaping to Malaysia, KL, Penang and KK on 12th and returning on the 21st.

 

All you people who love this craziness enjoy yourselves while I enjoy nice guys who are not after my money in Malaysia. The 3 times I have been there I have not paid a single guy. In fact, I have been taken to dinner on more than one occasion. Am I gloating? You bet.

[Gaybutton]

All you people who love this craziness enjoy yourselves

 

That's exactly what I intend to do. Of course, one of my friends pointed out that I have a car and don't have to get soaked unless I want to get soaked. I'm wondering just how many of you who can be in Pattaya for Songkran will be in Pattaya for Songkran. Other than myself and one other friend, just about everyone I know has either already made his escape or are getting ready to make his escape.

 

The beach is getting "deader" by the day. Not only have a great many "farang" left, but many of the boys who constitute the daily eye candy have also left, but not for the same reasons. They want to be with their families during Songkran. I read somewhere that there was even a juvenile prison break, motivated by the desire to be home for Songkran.

 

Is there anyone other than my friend and I who intends to be in Pattaya for Songkran? Out of that number, is there anyone who intends to be out there rather than hiding out in his hotel or condo room?

[Guest MissMarples]

I'm out of here. f****** place. Hate it. Its madness

 

Oh, this is a polite board. It won't let me f****** swear

[Gaybutton]

Oh, this is a polite board. It won't let me f****** swear

 

Gee whiz. Gosh darn it all anyway. Judas priest! It just gets me friggin' PO'd. Oooooh, it gets me so mad I could just spit. Well, maybe if you ask GayThailand and/or Stef nicely, they'll turn off that feature and let people swear to their hearts' content.

[Gaybutton]

In Pattaya some of the Songkran water tossing and powder puffing has begun. Today (Friday) I saw several pickup trucks, loaded with people and water barrels, cruising through the city. However, they were dousing only each other and leaving everyone else alone, although a few motorcyclists and pedestrians were caught in the crossfire. Collateral damage . . .

 

I was not on Second Road or Beach Road today, but I've heard that the water works have greatly escalated in those areas and right now that's the area where you are most likely to receive a dousing.

 

Right now, Pattaya reminds me of a ghost town when it comes to the presence of "farang." Many have already made their escape and more will be doing so throughout the week. Some have already gone into hibernation in their condo or hotel rooms. The beach, restaurants, and gay venues are not exactly bursting at the seams with customers right now.

 

There really hasn't been all that much Songkran activity yet due to the weather. We've had quite a bit of rain, along with flooded streets, lately, so not that many people are out there with their water shooters. Maybe they're afraid they'll get wet . . .

 

This year, the city is forbidding water tossing along Sukhumvit highway and the police are out there enforcing that. The reasons are to cut back on accidents and to allow a traffic flow. I'm glad of that. In the past the revelers would shoot water at motorcycles passing at high speed and that caused many serious accidents and injuries. However, the real test of whether such enforcement is really possible will be next Thursday, the main Songkran day.

 

So many "farang" really hate the Songkran holiday and all the revelry that goes with it. Not me. I truly enjoy it. Aside from myself, though, I know of only one other "farang" who truly enjoys it all and intends to be right here in the thick of it. Are we the only two?

[bkkguy]

So many "farang" really hate the Songkran holiday and all the revelry that goes with it. Not me. I truly enjoy it.

 

my first experiences of songkran many years ago were water fights for one day, maybe 2 and be nice to people who were not out playing, and it was great fun! and even now I can put on some old clothes and grab a water gun and go out for a few hours and have some fun too (and the eye candy is great) but ...

 

I live in a soi that has a few restaurants and shops and every one of them decides to "play songkran" on a different day and most "play" very aggressively, soaking people obviosuly not dressed to play, and even if you get through the soi you are on a main road that has a constatnt stream of people walking and pickups passing full of people throwing water and powder indiscriminatly and this goes on for 5 days from 11:00 am till 1:00 am and there is music blaring the whole time from the pickups or the shops

 

so for 5 days you can't relax in your apartment and listen to music or TV and you can't get out to buy a newspaper or go to the supermarket or have lunch or dinner without getting soaked, and if you don't have a car there are rarely taxis coming through the soi so if you don't want to walk it is a motorcy taxi or a tuk tuk and you still get soaked, and even home delivery is a problem - the pizza guy last night almost crashed his mototcy coming down the soi when someone threw water straight in his face

 

at what point in this 5 days of "fun" am I finally allowed to break down and say I hate songkran and not get called a boring old falung?

 

bkkguy

 

 

[Gaybutton]

at what point in this 5 days of "fun" am I finally allowed to break down and say I hate songkran and not get called a boring old falung?

 

Just because I enjoy it doesn't mean that you have to also enjoy it. I haven't had such experiences, so I have no reason to feel as you do.

 

Meanwhile, you might feel a little better knowing that your misery has company. The following appears in the PATTAYA CITY NEWS:

 

for photos, click: http://www.pattayacitynews.net/news_14_04_50_4.htm

_____

 

Safety Concerns as Songkran Starts Early Here in Pattaya.

 

Despite the fact that the official day for Songkran here in Pattaya is 5 days away the festivities have already begun in some areas around the City. We went to Soi

[Guest buaseng]

urge everyone to use their common sense and play safe.

Do they have words for 'common sense' in Thai ?

[Gaybutton]

Do they have words for 'common sense' in Thai ?

 

Actually, according to http://www.thai-language.com , there are three words for it.

 

I've never heard any of those words actually used . . .

[Guest xiandarkthorne]

I love Songkran in Phuket. And I intend to try it in Pattaya next year if I can. The simplest solution, I have found, is to walk from my hotel to the beach wearing little more than running shorts over my swimming trunks. I also pack a clean dry T-shirt in a waterproof pouch for when I might need it (so far I haven't).

 

The easiest thing to do is to simply go with the flow. And if you get smeared with wet rice powder, wipe it off and smear the person back. I did some years back and ended up dancing in the streets with ladies, ladyboys, American GIs on furlough (I got to grope them by pretending to smear them, too) and by the time some German and Japanese tourists started filming us, we were all wearing little more than rice powder. The poor traffic policeman kept his eyes averted under his canopy-sized raincoat and goggles, I am sure.

 

What I wouldn't give to enjoy Songkran in Thailand again!

[Guest namjai]

I came here specifically for Songkran and am having a great time. I guess it is each to his own liking.

[colmx]

I too am here for Songkran... and having a great time so far...

We're off to Bangsaen now to join the songkran festivities there for the afternoon...