Gaybutton Posted April 1, 2010 Posted April 1, 2010 I've had a few people ask when the "big" Songkran day will be in Pattaya this year. It will be Monday, April 19. I think most of you know that about April 12 some of the water splashing will start and will escalate daily until the 19th. Then, somewhere between 7:00pm and 9:00pm on the 19th it will all stop (or at least almost all of it will stop). Some of the bars are announcing they will be closed on the 18th and 19th and some will close on the 17th too. I know many of you loathe and despise Songkran and many who live in Pattaya either hibernate or go elsewhere. Not me. I love it. I'll be out there on the 19th, getting soaked but also having a hell of a time with all those boys shirtless and in wet T-shirts. Some things are worth it . . . Beginning on the 12th I advise you to make sure you protect anything you carry with you that water can damage. Get yourself some Ziploc bags or something before the stores run out of them. If you're traveling to Pattaya at that time, bring some with you. If you happen to be new to Thailand and don't know what takes place during the Songkran holiday, especially here in Pattaya, just get on YouTube, search for Songkran, and you'll quickly know what we're talking about. Quote
Guest lvdkeyes Posted April 1, 2010 Posted April 1, 2010 Happily, we are leaving Thailand early on the 12th for KL, Melakka, JB and SG and returning on the 20th. Quote
Guest gay_grampa Posted April 1, 2010 Posted April 1, 2010 and watch out for those drunk drivers. Songkran has the highest death toll for any time of the year due to road accidents caused by drunks. Quote
Guest blkinkorea31 Posted April 1, 2010 Posted April 1, 2010 looks like tons of fun! I'll miss it this go'round; I get in April 23rd. Quote
Guest Hereforme2 Posted April 2, 2010 Posted April 2, 2010 looks like tons of fun! I'll miss it this go'round; I get in April 23rd. You are very lucky ...You will not be here for the worst! Quote
Gaybutton Posted April 2, 2010 Author Posted April 2, 2010 Other than myself, I know only 3 other farang who love Songkran. Are we alone? Anybody else out there besides us enjoy Songkran, especially in Pattaya? Quote
Guest lvdkeyes Posted April 2, 2010 Posted April 2, 2010 I would enjoy Songkran too if it were only one day of madness and fun. Quote
Guest Posted April 2, 2010 Posted April 2, 2010 Other than myself, I know only 3 other farang who love Songkran. Are we alone? Anybody else out there besides us enjoy Songkran, especially in Pattaya? I LOVE it. I have already rented a truck for the water fights. It is my absolute favorite holiday in LOS. Quote
Guest badcdn Posted April 2, 2010 Posted April 2, 2010 I absolutely love Songkran and a trip to Thailand at any other time of year is just not the same. The only downer is trying, for a whole week, to get into a bar dry. In Bangkok, the crowds in Silom can be a bit much. I missed Songkran in Bangkok and Pattaya last year as my timing took me from one to the other as things were winding up in Pattaya, Bangkok was done. This year I'll be in Pattaya for the whole week. Yeehaww... Thanks for posting the official dates and if you're short any water warriors, shoot me a PM, I'd consider it an honour to help drench the crowds. Quote
colmx Posted April 3, 2010 Posted April 3, 2010 count me amongst the Songkran Lovers too! 5 days till I leave Ireland for the Soakfest! Quote
Guest cdnmatt Posted April 3, 2010 Posted April 3, 2010 Another Songkran lover here! Well, I've only ever experienced it once, and it was by a total accident. Was planning to stay in Indonesia for a month or two, but that went south, as I wasn't able to find a decent place with internet at the time, so I quickly booked it to Thailand. Ended up in Pattaya the night before the big day. Had no clue what Songkran was, or that it even existed, until the next morning after I was drenched with water. :-) So there was a reason after all the lady at the hotel was urging me not to take my laptop to an internet cafe to check e-mail. I was pleasantly surprised though, and had an absolute blast that day. I'm actually looking forward to this one. Been though one in Pattaya, so I know what that's like. I'm curious to see what Songkran in Khon Kaen looks like. Quote
Gaybutton Posted April 9, 2010 Author Posted April 9, 2010 You'll find everything you want to know about Songkran 2010 in the following PATTAYA MAIL article: http://www.pattayamail.com/current/news.shtml#hd2 Quote
Guest Astrrro Posted April 9, 2010 Posted April 9, 2010 I only caught the beginning of one Pattaya Songkran and got drenched on a 2nd Road baht bus on April 12th. Then went to Ko Samet for a week. So am curious, say from the 12th-17th, will a walk from 3rd Road and Pattaya Tai to TukCom be splash free in the daytime? At night? How about Sunee after sundown on the 12th-17th? I know on the 19th it'll be a madhouse everywhere, especially on GT's truck! Quote
Gaybutton Posted April 9, 2010 Author Posted April 9, 2010 So am curious, say from the 12th-17th, will a walk from 3rd Road and Pattaya Tai to TukCom be splash free in the daytime? At night? How about Sunee after sundown on the 12th-17th? It's hard to predict. My experience has been that along Pattaya Tai there will be some splashing going on, and it will escalate over the week, but until the big day there won't be very much. If you walk close to the businesses and as far from the street as you can, there shouldn't be any problem. They don't splash the businesses. It's mostly vehicles splashing each other until the big day, so you'll probably be ok for the most part from the 12th to the 17th. I wouldn't want to bet the rice farm on it, though. You never know what some people, especially drunken low-life farang, might do, so even though you probably won't get splashed in that area it is still a good idea to protect anything that water could damage. You should be safe in Sunee. They all know the farang don't come there to get splashed and the boys don't usually splash each other very much in Sunee. But again it can't hurt anything to protect anything prone to water damage. During that 12th to 17th (and 18th) period, the most likely areas to get splashed will be along Beach Road, especially along the north part where the open air girlie bars are. That's where a lot of farang hang out and start splashing people, especially those in baht buses. The same thing happens along Second Road, also in the area close to Central Road (Pattaya Klang). This year will be the first time that the new Central Festival has been a factor, so it's anybody's guess what may go on. Another problem spot is on the way to and from the beach. As soon as you pass the Thepprasit Road intersection, that's usually where the trouble starts, again more by drunken farang than by Thais. Once you're at the beach there is never any splashing. The best solution, if you don't want to be splashed, is to ask the baht bus driver if you can sit up front with him. If he says no, wait for a baht bus on which the driver says yes. Pattaya also now has those taxis, which might also be a solution. It really shouldn't be that bad until about the 17th, but again you just never know. You might recall that last year the Red Shirts caused major disruption in Pattaya just before Songkran. I posted daily reports of my own observations beginning on the 13th last year. If you review that thread it may give you an idea of what to expect: Meanwhile, Songkran in Pattaya Also, don't forget that when it comes to mealtime, if you're reluctant to go out, there's always Waiter on Wheels and Door-2-Door. They do quite a bit of business during Songkran. Quote
Guest lvdkeyes Posted April 9, 2010 Posted April 9, 2010 We were on the first soi north of Central Festival heading to Beach Road and this obviously stoned out prostitute stepped in front of the car and proceeded to smear that white paste all over the hood of the car. So, the bullshit has already started and it's only the 9th. So glad to be getting out early on the 12th. To answer Astro, I would be surprised if you walked anywhere in Pattaya from the 12th through the 19th without getting soaked, not splashed - SOAKED. Quote
Guest painai Posted April 9, 2010 Posted April 9, 2010 The best solution, if you don't want to be splashed, is to ask the baht bus driver if you can sit up front with him. If he says no, wait for a baht bus on which the driver says yes. I have found waiving a 20 baht note at the driver (more I guess if you're desperate) will get you a seat in the cabin with the driver. I hate Songkran, mainly because of the Farangs that shoot water at you in the evening while walking to and from Sunee or anywhere in Pattaya. No soi is safe starting the 12th/13th through the 19th. I plan to get out of town on the 16th for 4 nights, but am stuck here from the 12th through the 15th. Quote
Gaybutton Posted April 9, 2010 Author Posted April 9, 2010 No soi is safe starting the 12th/13th through the 19th. Actually, there is one. Pattayaland Soi 3, the soi where The Ambiance and Le Café Royale are, is perfectly safe. No water splashing is allowed in that soi. Not ever, not even on "the big day." Of course, getting to and from that soi . . . . Quote
Gaybutton Posted April 10, 2010 Author Posted April 10, 2010 Pattaya Songkran Festivities announced at Press Conference 10th April 2010 On Friday Afternoon at Central Festival Pattaya Beach, Khun Itipon, the Mayor of Pattaya led a press conference to announce the local activities for the Pattaya Songkran Festival. (Click the link for specifics): Pattaya Songkran Quote
Gaybutton Posted April 12, 2010 Author Posted April 12, 2010 Today, Monday, April 12, virtually no Songkran splashing was going on. A friend reported that there were a couple kids in the age 5-8 bracket with squirt guns and that was about it. Realizing that I'm closing the barn door after the horse has left, today was the last day that the immigration office will be open this week. Sorry, but I did not know that until just a short time ago. The office will reopen on Monday, April 19. From what I understand, all the immigration offices in Thailand will be closed this week, with the possible exception of border crossings. It did strike me as strange that the Pattaya office will reopen on April 19. That's the big Songkran madhouse day in Pattaya. Who's going to immigration on that day, of all days? Nevertheless, that's when they'll reopen, so the officer told me. I was there today myself getting my 90-day address report out of the way. Quote
Guest painai Posted April 12, 2010 Posted April 12, 2010 Today, Monday, April 12, virtually no Songkran splashing was going on. A friend reported that there were a couple kids in the age 5-8 bracket with squirt guns and that was about it. Just wanted to let you know that I just returned from walking the distance of Beach Road from the Dusit Hotel to Walking Street. You will be glad to know that the water throwers are out in full force this afternoon (the 12th) , especially the beers bars near Poppy's just before Central Festival. What you would really like is that the Baht Buses get stuck in traffic. That gives the Farangs plenty of time to shoot everyone at close range with the long pipe water weapons that vendors are selling. Also, plenty of time to shoot the motorbikes at close range. What fun! A big crowd was gathered on the beach side to watch the baht bus passengers get soaked, one by one. Again, this is only the 12th. Quote
Gaybutton Posted April 12, 2010 Author Posted April 12, 2010 You will be glad to know that the water throwers are out in full force this afternoon (the 12th) , especially the beers bars near Poppy's just before Central Festival. Then it's started, at least in that area. As far as I know, based on your report, that's the only area in Pattaya where there was any water throwing. Naturally enough, apparently most of it from drunken low-life farang. Just once I'd love to see somebody get angry enough to beat the shit out of some of them . . . Quote
Guest Posted April 12, 2010 Posted April 12, 2010 Yes they are. I got wet headed toward Central. Quote
Guest cdnmatt Posted April 12, 2010 Posted April 12, 2010 The 12th was the big day for us in Khon Kaen. Songkran started on the 8th, with the fair everyday which has a bunch of games, eats, fun stuff for the kids, and of course the nightly Issan concerts. Today was the big water day though, and honestly, it didn't really seem to be that big of an event. I spent most of the day in the village, so may have missed it, but from what I seen in the city, they definitely don't overdo it. You still get drenched at all times and everything, but it was quite tame compared to my only other Songkran experience, which was in Pattaya. Even in the village it didn't seem to be that big of a deal. There were probably more people playing hi-lo, then celebrating Songkran. Ends on the 15th here though, so we still have a couple days left, and we'll see what those bring. Quote
Guest cdnmatt Posted April 13, 2010 Posted April 13, 2010 Nevermind, I spoke too soon about Songkran in Khon Kaen being tame. Yesterday was our big day, today was huge aswell, and I guess the next two days (not one) are going to be the same. They go all out here too though, but I have to say, it's much more enjoyable than my Pattaya experience. You still can't walk around anywhere without getting drenched and everything, but it's different. Everyone's out having a great time, but there doesn't seem to be too many idiots, whereas Pattaya is full of them. For example, I noticed if it's an older lady or small child, nobody will throw a bucket of water in their face. Instead, they'll run up and pour it on their back. Loads of people are having drinks, but nobody is sloppy drunk. That type of thing, makes everything much more enjoyable, because you know everyone else is having fun too. Then for the most part the water is always warm, but every once in a while a bucket of cold water will come your way. I don't mind that though. The one thing that does irritate me is that in the very rare case, some idiot will decide to put detergent in their water. Talk about a sting to the eyes. Really, who the hell thinks that's a good idea? All in all, gotta say Songkran in Khon Kaen is great! We just setup shop at a Thai BBQ restaurant close by one one of the main streets, where there's loads of people. Stood around, had some beers with the staff, and threw water on the tons of passer byers. It was actually great, and both the BF and myself had a blast. Then the boss lady came by, and bitched that we were using the restaurants water that she had to pay for, so that ended our fun. Tomorrow it's off to the village again, because there's some big Buddhist thing happening where the entire family gets together, and I'm getting dragged to. Don't particularly feel like getting up at 5am, but it's expected of me, so what the hell. Then the day after, Khon Kaen city for another water fight, then Songkran is over. Should be good! Quote
Gaybutton Posted April 13, 2010 Author Posted April 13, 2010 Apparently, in Pattaya so far most of the water splashing has been confined to a small area along Beach Road. PATTAYA ONE is reporting that tourists on baht buses who did not expect any of this just yet were quite angry and went to the police. The police were out there confiscating the water guns. You can view the story and a few photos on PATTAYA ONE. And who do you see in the photos busy shooting water at people? You guessed it . . . mostly drunken farang. Pattaya Songkran-related water fighting begins Quote
