Songkran is finally over, well almost because Pattaya the party city in Thailand have its own special Songkran day. All government agencies are open while the rest of the town trying to get as wet as possible. If the Thai government has counted the death toll for Songkran, they might have to count one more time after today. Pattaya Songkran is a very pointless day because the Songkran in Thailand and Pattaya started over a week ago and 3 days is more than enough.
Yesterday actually saw some Police out on the streets but they did not stop many people because over 90 % did not have helmets. Do they think that water make the head harder when it hit the ground or something? I can tell you from my own water experience that I had today because I had no choice to go out. I was lucky I had a full helmet and did not react that much when they put cold water in my face. However, naturally you close your eyes for just a second when the water come and people are stepping out in the street like morons so one second is all that it takes you to drive on someone. I almost ran over two kids on the way back because they were playing in the middle of the street with no adult looking after them.
I am not suggestion people should stop celebrate Songkran but we should zone it to Silom in Bangkok maybe and to Walking Street and Beach Road in Pattaya and leave the rest alone. We will probably get a problem with draught in a few months and I am sure people will complain but they will not remember how much water they spilt on the streets.
Nevertheless, if you still not wet enough and love Songkran, Pattaya will have one more day of party and it is very crazy.
Today is what they call the first day of Songkran but the real exodus from Bangkok started last Friday when people started to get out of Bangkok. The numbers of death are just starting today and so far, they have 114 killed and many more injured just on the first day. This is more than last year and I can understand why the rule of law is gone.
No law in Thailand
I think because the situation in Bangkok the people think they can do what they like and the police does not want to get wet. The high-pressure pipe water guns are selling like hot cakes but they are so dangerous for motorbikes that are moving. Most of the Thai people leave you alone if you ask nicely but the drunken stupid foreigners are a menace.
Give me the old Songkran back
I have not celebrated the Songkran water festival for a long time because of the lack of the old tradition and this year my dislike has gone to hate. I really try not to hate anything but when it causes so much death and sadness, I really cannot stop myself. How many lives have to be lost before the government step in and do something about it?
I drove someone over
Yesterday on Second road in Pattaya, a foreigner man drunk with a high power tube gun managed to flip over two motorbikes within maybe 5 minutes. He stood in the middle of the road (not on the side, as you should) and blasted the water straight into the face of the drivers. When the motorbike fell over the people at the same bar cheered him on and nobody helped the people who fell. I was coming the same way since I was avoiding sides and he was in my way in the middle of the street so I did what anybody else would have done I drove straight at him. I guess he was a bit surprised when the motorbike hit him and once he fell over my shoe managed to find his face, by purely accident off course. When I drove off I could not stop myself from smiling. Is this what Songkran have come to kill or be killed? BTW i did not help him up.
This was not the only moron standing in the middle of the road stopping traffic and creating accidents there was a few of them. Maybe we should take on Songkran shirts and make sure they never cause an accident in Thailand again.
For all of you that every year flees Songkran I wish you all a very happy traditional Songkran.
As you might know, now most people working in Bangkok are not from Bangkok but just come to work in the Thai capital. Most of the workers are from the poorer north Thailand and some from south Thailand. Every Songkran they do an Exodus from Bangkok and leave it almost empty. Most shops are without staff and close down for the holidays and even the bar districts look empty and deserted.
If have picked these days to travel you have probably picked the wrong day because the bus stations look more like a rock concert then a bus stations. Nevertheless, many extra buses put in and most people get tickets after some waiting.
I thought this great song from the almighty Bob Marley could be nice to listen to when you travel out from Bangkok.
The water festival in Thailand does not start until the 12 April or something this year but my belief is that from the 9 of April you will see people leaving Bangkok and not coming back until Monday the 19 of April. Pattaya, Phuket, Bangkok, and North Thailand have all officially different dates that you should be splashing water but nobody cares anymore.
So what can you expect from this water festival if you never been here before? You can probably see warning to not dress to sexy and that all big guns are banned and that all whatever other rules they put out will not be enforced. Who is going to arrest a girl to showing too much skin when everybody is on holiday and drenched in water? You can also expect a few hundred of dead and thousands of injured when people trough ice cubes in the faces of people on motorbikes with no helmets. You can also expect people driving drunk and killing them and few other people each time.
The normal Thai tradition for the older Thai people and a gentle splash on the head is all gone and are celebrated this week. Now it is everyone for fun and revenge instead. You can also expect that much of the water put on your face is not water but urine and it is not fresh water but old smelly one.
You are actually by law forced to bring your passport out with you in Thailand but bring a copy it will be to wet also bring a plastic zip bag for mobile phones and cameras. Nobody will care if they ruin your 1000 USD camera and I mean it. If you say no they will just splash anyway and laugh about it.
If you living in Thailand you can expect all services to stop working and all problems to be fixed after the holidays nothing will work during the festival. Do not believe anyone tell you that they will come and install and deliver anything during Songkran festival.
You are totally right I do not celebrate Songkran festival at all I did it a few years ago when could go out and play and it will stop at night. Now people have to stand and work (some people actually have to work) in wet and smelly clothing all day. People lost all respect for the old tradition and many Thai people are going abroad at this time of year. I think a no should be respected and if I do not want to have a golden shower forced upon me I should have to and nobody else either for that matter.
To many people die each year in stupid accidents for this to be a holiday of joy and since they old tradition of Thai New Year is gone I do not celebrate Songkran but you are welcome to if you want. We also have a lack of water in Thailand and I think the water should be saved for the dry season and not wasted on the streets.
