Songkran. Worth it or just skip?

[Flashermac]

Songkran is fun the first time. Then it rapidly grows old. It's a northern holiday which unfortunately has spread everywhere, even the far south now.

 

Chiang Mai Songkran can be fun - but lasts officially for 6 days. Songkran starts early in Khao San Road, where backpackers come to Thailand just to go wild. A first timer might like that. An expat would like to call in an air strike.

 

As VK says, Songkran used to be a pleasant respectful holiday. If you didn't want to "play", people left you alone. You still find some of that ... away from the tourist areas. Last year some folks in my neighbourhood asked it they could pour scented water on my hands. I said yes, so they did - then wai'ed me. I wai'ed back. That's the way it USED to be.

 

 

p.s. Note that Songkran more or less ends with sundown. It's quite easy to avoid it by staying indoors until the sun sets.

 

[cavanami]

For the past ten years or so, it has seemed to get worse...I see more motorbike crashed because someone has doused them with water while that were on Sukhumvit (or wherever) driving along at 40 ~ 60 Km...then bang! hit with water, ice cubes, chili peppers, etc and they lose control and crash.

Of course it is *** illegal *** to throw water at a moving vehicle, but TIT, the laws are ignored.

Last year (?) the roaming trucks throwing barrels of water were suppose to be illegal, but once again, TIT and the police do nothing!

 

I board up the ranch and stay in for a few days. If I do venture out, it is earlier in the day, before the idiots are out throwing water or later at night.

Last year one on the cheap/farang hotels near me had their gang of moron farangs out throwing buckets of water. They were trying to block the road to make me stop but no way, I just plowed on thru the azzholes!!!

[Mekong]

Pizza sales peak during Songkran, its the only fast food that can be slid under the door.

[chuckwoww]

 

Last year one on the cheap/farang hotels near me had their gang of moron farangs out throwing buckets of water. They were trying to block the road to make me stop but no way, I just plowed on thru the azzholes!!!

 

We'll get you next time.

 

[cavanami]

Time to mount the tasers, 50 cals, scuds on to the motorbike!!!

 

Maybe dress up in an orange robe and try to fake being a monk?

[dave32]

Well, find out tomorrow (hopefully) if alternate vacation dates that would cover Songkran are approved.

 

Hmmmm.

 

Hmmmmmmmm. Not sure what I'll do.

[Flashermac]

A USAF vet who was stationed in Ubon around 1972 told me the airmen really got into the spirit. Seems some of them wandered down town and had folks throwing water at them. So they went back to the base and got a fire engine. Came back and used a fire hose on the Thais.

 

 

[Faustian]

I stay in and order pizza.

[bust]

Go to Rangoon.....they use fire hoses.

[Flashermac]

Yeah ... but not just for Songkran.

 

The Songkran water bit apparently derives from Holi and spread to Chiang Mai when the north was ruled by the Burmese. Be glad they leave out the paint, dye, piss, crap etc in Thailand!