floridarob Posted April 8 Posted April 8 Seen on an expats group on social media: Ruthrieston, splinter1949, vinapu and 1 other 3 1 Quote
Popular Post Londoner Posted April 8 Popular Post Posted April 8 There's only one week in the year when I'd rather be here at home than in Thailand. tm_nyc, bkkmfj2648, PeterRS and 3 others 3 1 2 Quote
BjornAgain Posted April 8 Posted April 8 3 hours ago, Londoner said: There's only one week in the year when I'd rather be here at home than in Thailand. Couldn't agree more, that's why I'm LHR bound on the 14th. AndyUK 1 Quote
vinapu Posted April 8 Posted April 8 2 hours ago, BjornAgain said: Couldn't agree more, that's why I'm LHR bound on the 14th. enjoy your flight BjornAgain 1 Quote
mauRICE Posted April 8 Posted April 8 8 hours ago, floridarob said: Seen on an expats group on social media: As I understand it, Songkran in Pattaya doesn't really get going until the 17th or 18th and it's over in other cities by the 15th so Pattaya residents and residents of the other cities can easily do a swap and escape Songkran altogether. Quote
jimmie50 Posted April 8 Posted April 8 2023??? Just a little behind time, aren't we?!? lol. vinapu and floridarob 2 Quote
vinapu Posted April 9 Posted April 9 2 hours ago, jimmie50 said: 2023??? Just a little behind time, aren't we?!? lol. sharp eye ! floridarob 1 Quote
PeterRS Posted April 9 Posted April 9 At least it gives some idea of what goes on in Bangkok during Songkran. This is the advance official link for 2026 and not a young man in any of it! But lots of pics from previous years can be found on the web. https://www.gcircuit.com/ vinapu 1 Quote
Popular Post Ruthrieston Posted April 9 Popular Post Posted April 9 I hate Songkran in Pattaya, and it starts 11th to 12th and does not end until 19th!! I usually hide in my condo until 16th and then I flee to Bangkok, but this year I am going to my favourite place in Krabi, Railay Beach. The death rate over Songkran is appalling, as stupid drunk farang throw buckets of water onto people riding motorbikes and they fall under moving cars. When I made my first visit in 1998 I arrived for the last two nights of Songkran and it was more civilised, and all water throwing stopped when the sun went down and you could go out for dinner quite safe. I have lived in Pattaya now for over fourteen years and I absolutely hate Songkran here. bkkmfj2648, ChristianPFC, Travellerdave and 2 others 4 1 Quote
floridarob Posted April 9 Author Posted April 9 Normally I'd go to Thailand after Bali, but luckily someone reminded me Songkran was during this time and I changed to go to India first then Thailand, then back to India for my flight to USA.... in my 27 years visiting Thailand, last year was my 1st Songkran in Pattaya and I HATED it..... won't make that mistake of being there for another. BjornAgain and Travellerdave 2 Quote
BjornAgain Posted April 9 Posted April 9 For those up for it, then the 19th is this year's Jomtien Complex day / night. If you ever needed a reminder of last year's shebang, then:- mauRICE 1 Quote
Popular Post Londoner Posted April 9 Popular Post Posted April 9 It's not just that I loathe the rowdy, selfish behaviour of some of the participants- though I do-but that I have a rather old-fashioned view concerning ancient cultures and their struggle to survive the current disintegration of social values that we see all around us. Everywhere. Yes, you've guessed it; I'm getting old. When I first met my beloved, he regaled me with stories of his life back in Kamphaeng Phaet and the traditional values with which he was brought-up. Songkran in his village was celebrated in the traditional way and one of those traditions was that the young visited elderly relatives and sprinkled water on them. Sprinkled, not drenched with high-powered water-guns. My experience of Songkran- and it was a week before the actual event, something which I have never suffered- was a bucket of ice and water thrown at me while riding a baht-bus from Jomtien. Later that day, I was in Pattaya Second Road when I was by approached a Thai family; parents plus a boy of about eight years old. He pointed a water-pistol at my face. "No," I said, "don't you dare." Very sternly, you will understand. He did dare. But what really annoyed me was that his parents laughed. So there you have it; the old values and the new. Yes, I'm getting old. ChristianPFC, jimmie50, bkkmfj2648 and 2 others 5 Quote
mauRICE Posted April 9 Posted April 9 2 hours ago, Londoner said: ...Yes, you've guessed it; I'm getting old.... ...Yes, I'm getting old. "Getting"? What do you mean? 🤔 Quote
mauRICE Posted April 9 Posted April 9 1 hour ago, Londoner said: ....When I first met my beloved, he regaled me with stories of his life back in Kamphaeng Phaet and the traditional values with which he was brought-up. Songkran in his village was celebrated in the traditional way and one of those traditions was that the young visited elderly relatives and sprinkled water on them. Sprinkled, not drenched with high-powered water-guns. They still visit their relatives and conduct the powdering and water sprinkling rituals. The water splashing is an expansion of the old rituals and has been around for the last forty years at least and the water guns and massive partying and boozing perhaps the last twenty-five or so. I was just reading about it recently. Let me see if I can find the article. Here's a bit of Songkran trivia: the month of April traditionally sees the highest number of unwanted pregnancies in Thailand as a result of the rampant boozing, partying and unprotected casual sex. Londoner and BjornAgain 2 Quote
BjornAgain Posted April 9 Posted April 9 3 hours ago, mauRICE said: ...Here's a bit of Songkran trivia: the month of April traditionally sees the highest number of unwanted pregnancies in Thailand as a result of the rampant boozing, partying and unprotected casual sex. Expanding on your Songkran trivia fact, statisticaly in the UK, the 26th September is recorded as the date having the most births across the year. Interestingly, Nicholas and Noel aren't the 2 most popular boys names choosen. Quote
mauRICE Posted April 9 Posted April 9 22 minutes ago, BjornAgain said: Interestingly, Nicholas and Noel aren't the 2 most popular boys names choosen. I believe one of them is Muhammad. BjornAgain 1 Quote
mauRICE Posted April 9 Posted April 9 29 minutes ago, BjornAgain said: Expanding on your Songkran trivia fact, statisticaly in the UK, the 26th September is recorded as the date having the most births across the year. I see Santa is bearing a different kind of gift down the chimney. BjornAgain 1 Quote
Londoner Posted April 9 Posted April 9 At least Loy Kratong remains a family occasion. The last two we spent on Jomtien beach with mainly Thai families. The children trying (not very successfully) to launch their kratongs into a choppy sea, a few fireworks, lanterns sailing serenely out to sea in the breeze. No loud music. Beautiful. Ruthrieston, splinter1949 and bkkmfj2648 3 Quote
Travellerdave Posted April 10 Posted April 10 I visited Pattaya nearly 20 years ago the second time and it was my first and only experience of Songcran. I had no idea of what was involved. I had only two weeks available from my work and looked forward to sex with boys and more boys. Instead a good proportion of my stay was wiped out by the 24 hour days of crazyness and wetness Never Again ! vinapu, Ruthrieston and ChristianPFC 3 Quote
ChristianPFC Posted 1 hour ago Posted 1 hour ago On 4/8/2026 at 12:50 PM, Londoner said: There's only one week in the year when I'd rather be here at home than in Thailand. Better to avoid the entire month of April. Songkran and one week before and after (business closed). And the weather in Thailand (and elsewhere in SEAsia) is awful. I'm out of Thailand the entire month of April, if I can arrange it. To China, where it is springtime! Link in OP doesn't work. But from description, I think I have seen this picture. Quote
