Songkran? Give my portion to Somchai
It's done, I'd almost say. Only I survived. Songkran in Hua Hin only lasts one evening and the next day. But that's enough to piss me off. What misery, what stupidity and what a waste.
Every year the Bible proverb strikes me: Unless you become as children, you will not enter the Kingdom of Heaven (I only remember Bible texts if they suit me). Songkran is nothing but a carnivalesque children's party, where you can throw others wet. Demure because of the mourning for the deceased king? In Hua Hin there was little sign of this. Plenty of boenzeboenze music and thousands of people going completely crazy. With all the excesses that entails. I'd like to see the birth numbers nine months after Songkran. In the past, the capacity of the birth clinics in the Netherlands was adjusted to nine months after the construction industry holiday.
Powerguns with water are rightly banned by the government. Thai have found the following solution: the high-pressure sprayer. Seen up to twice in the hands of children in Hua Hin…
Media reports of throwing plastic bags (there are plenty of them), filled with urine or used engine oil. Even with fish, miscreants seem to want to kill others. A helmet is only difficult with water and chalk, so there is plenty of opportunity to pour a bowl of ice water over the scooter rider. And fun they have. I share the view that cooling off at the height of the Thai summer seems attractive, but this way? Traffic is stuck for hours, scooter riders die in droves, while millions of liters of good water disappear into the sewer. Let this chalice pass me by.
Not a bad word about the foreigners who pretend that bullying others is the most normal thing in the world. In their own country they have had to follow their boss's orders for years. Now they can take revenge. Lord, forgive them, for they know not what they do.
The following about the fatal accidents. Every year, 18.000 or more people die in traffic in Thailand. That's 50 a day. If the risk remains the same, 350 people may die, calculated over the seven dangerous days. Nothing to worry about, while everyone screams bloody murder when this number is reached. I would even venture to say that with Songkran, measured by population displacement, there are relatively fewer deaths. Because traffic is standing still most of the time.
You are only talking about the nuisance.
But also look at it from the side of the fun, which apparently a lot of people get out of it.
And no, I don't need that water either, but luckily I have trained the youth in the village well and I normally come home dry from my walk.
At most some talcum powder stains on my face.
Well, you also have to be willing to accept something, of course.
I think it's a great party for young and old.
That's why I also stand along the road every afternoon to throw water.
I have been doing this with the family for 14 years with pleasure.
Of course with a drink and party afterwards everyone goes back to the city to earn money.
Isaan people look forward to this family gathering every year.
So cheers and enjoy the party in these temperatures.
At the moment I am in Korat and indeed see nice family parties. And very touching a few children, throwing a bowl of water or standing ready with a garden hose. No special excesses!
Only at the Wat's no parties because of the deceased king.
Be curious how you will react if they throw a plastic bag filled with urine or motor oil on your head, because for some it is also the time to teach the Farang (who can live more luxuriously than them) a lesson. Plus, you never know who did it.
Currently in Hua Hin and nothing that fun yesterday and this afternoon with Songkran. What fun those children, their parents and family have. Indeed here in Hua Hin yesterday (the 13th) was the highlight. 1 Day only "burdened" by water and sometimes also white powder. T-shirts and shorts dry up in no time, right???
This is tradition here, so "country wise" country honour. Wanted us in the Netherlands to honor our traditions a little more.
Good advice: if you know so much about Songkran and it annoys you in advance, go to Thailand at a different time. Improve the world and start with yourself.
It is and remains a waste of water, especially when you know that in some Soi's they hardly get any water. The day you will have to buy your water via the tanker you will talk differently.
In fact, I live in Thailand. Already 11 years. I'm slowly over my fun peak and also see the negative sides. But as reported: if you do not become like children….
Hans, if you are so annoyed by the Songkran celebration, why don't you just stay at home those days, I will too, and from April 16 everything will be as it was
Dear Hans, it's about their New Year's party, right?
Compare that with that in the Netherlands, a lot of misery with pets.
A lot of rubbish from uncleaned fireworks waste.
the loud bangs and air pollution cost millions in December
Don't whine enjoy the good things.
Otherwise come back to the Netherlands, here it will also be different than you were used to.
Plastic bags filled with urine or motor oil...water with ice blocks...dirty powder in your face, eyes and ears...I don't understand what people like about that at all. Good thing it's over tomorrow...
Diagonally opposite my house (in Hua Hin) extremely loud “synthetic” music, Wednesday from about 6 pm until midnight, yesterday luckily it ended at 8 pm, a relief. During the “performance” it was impossible to listen to the TV
Who watches TV with songkran?
It's a folk festival just like Carnival here (which I don't care for, that running in a string after each other, with music by Andre van Duijn in the background: I have very large cauliflowers). . No, I like Songkran a lot more. Join the party, integrate with the locals. But it shouldn't take too long either. I think 3 days is more than enough, actually after 2 days I've had it myself. The Thai people (and most of the farangs) are enjoying themselves as little children again. Wonderful to see.
Most Farangs do not enjoy this so-called party at all. A lot of people leave during this "fun family party" to other places on this planet. Eight boys injured in a shooting and hospitalized in, I thought Hua Hin. Nice party, join us.
I wish every Thai that pleasure. But 5 or more days of throwing and throwing water in some places is really not a tradition. That is something from the last 5 to 10 years for the benefit of tourism.
Tomorrow I'm going to see if I can still get wet without a shower but with congratulations.
So many people and so many different opinions and a good thing I guess 🙂
I completely agree with Hans Bos' opinion.
Throwing water is fun and refreshing, especially during this hot time of year, but it doesn't stop there.
Some push the boundaries of the impermissible and revelry turns into fighting spirit.
The “f” of FUN has become the “f” of FEAR in Chiang Mai.
Look forward to next Monday when the “madness” is over.
You forgot the water pistols that are currently being sold…. Just get a beam in your eyes or worse right in your ears and you can go to the hospital hopefully with no permanent damage. Is that still a tradition... I don't think so!
Songkran or the Thai New Year is an event celebrated throughout the country on various holidays. From the 13th to the 15th of April (with a slight variation here and there according to the region) the whole of Thailand is in a festive mood where delicious old traditions meet more modern and boisterous pleasures. For the tourists it is a unique opportunity to attend respectful rituals, but also to take part in crazy water fights in the streets of the various towns and villages. For the Thai, this is the time of fun family gatherings where everyone goes to the temple to do good deeds and keep tradition alive.
But Mr. H. Bos doesn't like it now I wonder what inspires such a man to speak negatively about this, it is a tradition every year. Like Sinterklaas in the Netherlands, we will immediately ban Zwarte Piet?
Came here extra with songkran to celebrate with friends and Family, I have also been living here in this wonderful country for 14 years.
With fri.gr. Robert from Isan where it is pleasant.
Dear Robert,
It's a bit like comparing apples with oranges, I gather from your response that you are staying in the Isaan.
I myself stay in Chiang Mai and have never experienced Songkran in Isaan myself, but I can imagine that celebrating Songkran is completely different.
I have planned to spend the next Songkan in the northeast of Thailand.
I would say come and celebrate Songkran in Chiang Mai or in Bangkok and you know exactly what Hans means. 🙂
Happy Songkran.
Dear Robert48 I don't often agree with Hans Bos, but in this case completely. If you talk about traditions then the current Song Kran has nothing to do with traditions. Under the influence of tourism it has just become an ordinary mess and if you don't realize that after 14 years of living in this beautiful country, that's very sad for you.
I think Songkran is something that is celebrated with great pleasure by the Thai every year. Who are we, farang, to say anything about that. Let those people enjoy and don't interfere. It's their country. And if you can't accept that, I would say in the words of our Prime Minister Rutte: cheer up and go to the country where you come from.
Incidentally, I see enough old farang who like to participate in this party with a huge water pistol. Childhood resurfaces.
It is unfortunate and sometimes criminal how a certain group of Thai people (often young people) are busy with the Songkran celebration. If you delve into this, you will come to know that it is a family event that in the past could be described as pleasant and fun. Nowadays it is a different story and it is commonplace that groups of young motorbike ladies are forced to stop and then assaulted as part of an oh-so-fun event. Such an attack was on TV this morning, but had already been widely cited by the government as one of the complaints about the undisciplined behavior of those who apparently need to exhibit this kind of behavior. The Thai who does what he or she feels like and doesn't care what anyone else thinks about it. You should not give this space to a people who do not care about rules and who regularly show how things should and should not be done, because by definition this will end badly, as we observe every year. At the end of the week we take stock again and a lot of people can cremate their family again or visit a hospital because of the suffering they have suffered. This is just part of the fun behavior, you would almost think if you didn't know any better. In its current form, this is no longer possible and a self-respecting government will have to take measures to turn the tide. As far as I am concerned, the folk festival does not need to be abolished, it is simply the Thai New Year, but reduced to normal family proportions.
Roportions.
It is outrageous of all that wasted water and that they turn off the tap so that people have to go without for several days.
To me, it's not normal people who play this game.
These kinds of blogs make me so despondent. With all due respect, I don't understand how you lasted 14 years here.
Fortunately, there are also many positive reactions from Thailandblog readers at the party. And that makes me happy again. The Thai people really live here once a year, just like in the Netherlands where in the rural villages Fair is celebrated all weekend once a year, especially in North Holland.
It's nice to read all the different reactions from our readers. The way they react says more about how they feel about life than about the festival songkran itself.
I want to last another 14 years here with my sweetheart of a woman and I think Mr. Inquitsiteur should get out of his chair and go out into the street and cool off with some water poured over him.
With all due respect to you stories about the Isaan, sorry I experience that every day because I also live in a village and speak and understand Thai and do not have to ask my wife everything Ohhh what does she say???? I'll last here for a very long time.
With fri.gr. Robert from the isaan where it is still pleasant!!!
It is probably pure coincidence that Songkran is getting out of hand in those cities where many "farang" have settled.
That's right, where social control is lacking, the big city and in touristic places, one can go too far in relative anonymity and it becomes unpleasant. In the small residential areas around the towns and villages, including De Isaan, there is still classic social control and things rarely, if ever, get out of hand. There it is politely indicated in "body language" that you get a cup of water over your head and a careful wipe with white talcum powder over your cheek. There, Songkran is still a really enjoyable party, also for the farang.
According to statistics, it is precisely the male youth from these small villages who drive drunk after their nightly parties and die and get injured in droves. In my opinion, social control is completely missing there. But not much happens during the day. That's true.
Here in Narathiwat it is NOT celebrated. The party is banned by the local government. If you don't like songkran, I'd say come here next year.
Then add that Songkran is celebrated in a different way there. Not with squirt guns and fireworks, but with real weapons of war and real shrapnel bombs. In that case, I'd rather have a splash of water poured over me than always having to be on my guard for a much greater danger, which after all doesn't last 2 days, but lasts all year round.
Fikkie doesn't get my portion. I like it way too much myself. Songkran is a wonderfully innocent party here in Lampang. I've lived here less than 14 years, but only 14 weeks and find Songkran a relief compared to the completely out of hand New Year's parties in the Netherlands. I'd rather see pointless water throwing than pointless fireworks and brawls. By the way, getting wet at 40 degrees is very pleasant.
Today Songkran in the village near Lampang where I recently moved. A "parade" with 6 chariots with dancing people in between and a temple-building competition with sand. Touchingly simple. I can last here for the next 14 years, especially with Songkran.
Photos Lampang: https://www.flickr.com/photos/135094751@N06/albums/72157680488902751
Photos Nang Lae: https://www.flickr.com/photos/135094751@N06/albums/72157680795235800
Sorry, but what negative reactions from some. This is a Thai festival, in Isaan families come together, especially during Songkran. Some drive more than 1000 km for it. There will be quite a few unpleasant things happening here and there, but that cannot be ruled out, I am now experiencing Songkran for the 6th time in Thailand, in Isaan, and it is a pleasure here! A great party!
Children with a big smile on their faces and a water pistol make me happy. Those idiots in a trunk with freezing water don't make me happy/let sonkran be sonkhran let those children spray you, those drunks in those pickup trucks will meet each other one day, just look at the statistics. and no, there are more every year, just wait until the crazy 7 days are over
If you love it like I do, it's big fun indeed. Hua Hin was great. In the bar streets it was a real fun affair with friendly smiling people, spraying each other and at the same time the nice Thai girls provided their cheeks with a colorful chalk paste ... bliss. At the major intersection at the traffic lights, the police were directing traffic with their own sound system with full music. Two cute cops with wireless microphones orchestrated the traffic. There was also a dance in between. Really top super thai.
Yes….there may be foreigners who are not happy with this…that don't like to be here…there are plenty of opportunities for them to avoid this water party, they don't have to worry about it there either.
Hua Hin, 8 people were shot.
Even if you live in Thailand for years, it would be completely crazy that you should like everything here just because you live here as an expat. If you read some of the comments, then it's already almost an angry one, if someone just says his opinion. You immediately read between the lines that if you have a comment on something, you should actually leave the country. Certainly there are possibilities not to participate in such parties, but someone may suddenly no longer have an opinion of his/her own even if he/she does not participate.
If we were to only read stories of roses and moonshine and everything that is so wonderful, without anyone reading anything else, many people would rightly get the impression that we are talking about everything here, or maybe a little bit wrong. be the calcification. Many who used to think critically in their home country and have expressed this are now often lonely somewhere among the rice fields, writing their positive stories about the host country, everything that does not suit our taste is kept quiet, or in any way possible. defended. As far as Songkran is concerned, I wish everyone their enjoyment, but when I see adults who uselessly fill themselves with alcohol and constantly participate in childish water slaughter, I doubt whether they have understood the real meaning of Songkran. And then the many drunken people who drive a vehicle despite their condition, and who are partly to blame for the annual drama of many deaths and injuries, give me at least the feeling to question the way in which this festival is celebrated. .
Since two years we have decided to leave this crazy work for what it is. April 10th we always leave on a trip for ten days.
On the other hand, I also find the football madness in Europe out of all proportion…..but well this aside.
Had my first Songkran experience yesterday and I enjoyed it. In Thai clothes on a float behind the band and the dancing people to the temple. Didn't have any negative experience. Just exuberant happy people, lots of food and lots of booze. Occasionally a child with a water gun. Not many pictures were taken of me even on my wedding day. Thumbs up and smiling people everywhere.
I wasn't opposed to Songkran until a few years ago I was showered with icy water every day on my way to the market or 7Eleven; about 5 or 6 times a day by young people from the loso neighborhood who were usually drunk. Then the fun started to fade a bit. I know I'm a target for Thai celebs because I'm a foreigner in a predominantly Thai neighborhood.
I myself think that Songkran has strayed too far from the real intention (I wonder which younger Songkran celebrant has paid respect to his parents and/or grandparents) and that the fun and associated excesses (drunkenness, drug use , fights, bullying, throwing waste oil, somtam pala, took puncture and even shooting with live ammunition at passers-by, etc.) have become predominant. The consequences are disastrous, although many Thais are (too) laconic about it. And I'm not just talking about the deaths and injuries caused by road accidents, but also the masses of (more wealthy) Thais who are fleeing the country because of Songkran. If this continues, Songkran will become a party of (loso) Thais and the foreigners (tourists and expats) and will resemble the conditions during Champions League football matches.
So the Songkran vieder has to go back to his/her cage without detracting from the real fun and the tourist attraction value. Unintentionally, this year is already a bit of a harbinger, especially in the extremely quiet Bangkok. A number of measures could be further expanded in the coming years. A few suggestions from my side:
1. limit the water festival to certain squares and streets, also at a local level
2. limit the water party to two days: day 1 the traditional way and day 2 the fun. The other 5 days are then normal holidays.
3. Prohibiting throwing water outside the designated areas and days
4. free public transport during day 1 and 2 (the fun day)
5. Prohibition of alcohol in designated areas.
One evening and one day to undergo this! That is a heavy, irresponsible attack on the privileges of a farang who then still has to pay to be allowed to stay in this country. One evening and one day you must lock yourself up in your ivory tower where no villain can attack you. That heavy waste of water, water for which you, as a farang, still have to help pay for.
Schrijver will probably never have experienced carnival in Europe. This "pagan" festival must also have fallen outside his repertoire of festivities. With tons of confetti, sometimes even with confetti cannons, the houses, with an open window, blown in. Isn't that a waste? Traces of it can still be found weeks later. Throwing this from the water, one finds little or nothing afterwards.
Let people have their fun and if you don't like it: there are several ways to escape it…. and… you can expand your “biblical proverbs” with: “blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of the King”.
Quite right, I also prefer to sit at home behind the geraniums with a good book, than to look up the fun outside with the Thai community celebrating a traditional party.
We didn't come to Thailand for that…
In De Isaan I like to go out with Songkran, in NL you certainly won't see me on the street on New Year's Eve. Water is fun, but getting hit by fireworks certainly isn't.
Neither is being hit by a bucket of dirty water with ice clumps in it. Many years ago I picked up my then 6 year old daughter from school with the motorcycle and was hit full of a bucket of water. Didn't fall for happy but that's fun? Or to laugh?
Oh well… I'm not a big fan of the Songkran “celebration” either, but oh dear, what a pathetic comment from some… 365 days -5 = still 360 days a year to thoroughly enjoy everything this country has to offer. has to offer.
don't forget the nine months after carnival and the unnecessary waste of water in blessings and baptismal rituals, which leaves you with an original sin that you can never get rid of. Just a birth gift, you should not have become a child.
I don't believe there are still so many baptisms and blessings. And if at all, that means a maximum of two cups of water. If every Thai throws, sprays or spills 7 liters of water in 10 days, 4,2 billion liters of good water will be thrown away during this Songkran holiday. In a country with a serious water problem, this should give food for thought, at least for the government.
In the Netherlands, the king teaches his children to turn off the water tap when they brush their teeth so as not to spill water unnecessarily. And the top manager of Nestle wants to privatize all the water in the world. Then Songkran is immediately over.
Indeed, Songkran can best be compared to Carnival in the Netherlands and Germany.
3 or 4 crazy days, a lot of Alcohol, a lot of rubbish on the street, a lot of noise. actually little difference. And not everyone likes carnival either