January 2Jan 2 Active Members I’m thinking of visiting Bangkok in April but I want to avoid the Songkran Festival. Google tells me the festival dates are 13 to 15 April. A question. Is it definitely over by then? On 16 April is the water throwing and other activities over?
January 2Jan 2 I’ve just started thinking about Songkran plans as well. By 16 April, the water fights and chaos should be mostly over, even in Silom. You will still get the occasional water truck or group of youths but easily avoided. Last time I stayed riverside to avoid the water throwing. There is a defined water zone outside IconSiam, usage of water guns is not permitted in the mall, and there are sheltered walkways from boat dock to mall. We had a pleasant water-free stay.
January 2Jan 2 For those planning on heading South East, then this year's Extended dates in Pattaya are between Saturday 11th April and Monday 20th. To misquote Eric Idle, "This is a time for laying down and avoiding".
January 2Jan 2 13 minutes ago, BjornAgain said: For those planning on heading South East, then this year's Extended dates in Pattaya are between Saturday 11th April and Monday 20th. To misquote Eric Idle, "This is a time for laying down and avoiding". Chateau Wogga Wogga!
January 2Jan 2 20 minutes ago, BjornAgain said: Extended dates in Pattaya are between Saturday 11th April and Monday 20th. Extended dates?! I can’t think of anything more hellish 🥴
January 2Jan 2 14 minutes ago, BjornAgain said: No, Perth Pink. Not a wine for drinking - this is a wine for laying down and avoiding
January 13Jan 13 On 1/2/2026 at 8:35 AM, sydneyboy1 said: On 16 April is the water throwing and other activities over? Absolutely not. At it's height in Pattaya on the 19th (possibly a different name).
January 13Jan 13 On 1/2/2026 at 6:18 PM, Keithambrose said: Chateau Wogga Wogga! I was down in Wagga Wagga last week ,so hot and plenty of Country boys on Grinder 😜
January 13Jan 13 On 1/2/2026 at 1:35 AM, sydneyboy1 said: I’m thinking of visiting Bangkok in April but I want to avoid the Songkran Festival. Google tells me the festival dates are 13 to 15 April. A question. Is it definitely over by then? On 16 April is the water throwing and other activities over? As said above it stops promptly in Bangkok but continues in Pattaya. In Bangkok it can start the evening of the 12th when the official start date is 13th.
January 13Jan 13 1 hour ago, zoomomancs said: As said above it stops promptly in Bangkok but continues in Pattaya. In Bangkok it can start the evening of the 12th when the official start date is 13th. Ohh it can start as early as the 11th in Chiang Mai and in the suburbs of Bangkok and unlike in years gone by where the water throwing is usually over by 8 PM, these days it can go on well into the night. But except for Pattaya, festivities in the major cities will end by the evening of the 15th. Out of curiosity, when does the water throwing begin in Pattaya?
January 13Jan 13 37 minutes ago, mauRICE said: these days it can go on well into the night. Yes, and that is what bothers me the most. I also have the feeling that it is the foreigners Asian and western, that misunderstand the tradition.
January 13Jan 13 1 hour ago, iendo said: Yes, and that is what bothers me the most. I also have the feeling that it is the foreigners Asian and western, that misunderstand the tradition. Nope. The local boys totally get evolved.
January 13Jan 13 2 hours ago, BjornAgain said: Nope. The local boys totally get evolved. They evolved into foam? 😱 Did the long-in-the-tooth fairies in the complex cast a spell on them with their wobbly wands? 🫣
January 14Jan 14 In Pattaya it all starts by 11th and goes on and on until 19th. It is all ridiculous and I hate it. I hide in my condo until 16th when I flee to a quiet and dry Bangkok until 20th.
January 14Jan 14 3 hours ago, Ruthrieston said: In Pattaya it all starts by 11th and goes on and on until 19th. It is all ridiculous and I hate it. I hide in my condo until 16th when I flee to a quiet and dry Bangkok until 20th. Try Bangkok Silom soi 4. Dry of water (NOT dry of alcohol) for the first three days -- will be packed and dry with mayhem and madness outside the end of the soi on Silom.
January 14Jan 14 14 hours ago, mauRICE said: They evolved into foam? 😱 Did the long-in-the-tooth fairies in the complex cast a spell on them with their wobbly wands? 🫣 Maybe they evolved into merboys --- I see no legs.
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