Songkran 2012 Greeting

[Marie]

On the occasion of Songkran let me greet everyone

สวัสดีปีใหม่ไทยค่ะ

[alvinkhoo]

ขอติดกระทู้หน่อยด้วยนะครับ Marie
สวัสดีปีใหม่พี่น้องปากน้ำทุก ๆท่านครับ

[Nymphaea]

สวัสดีปีใหม่ค่าาา ทุกคน ขอให้มีความสุขมากๆนะคะ

Happy Thai's New Year everyone!!

Let me post one of the Thai classic new year songs for this occasion ~

[Tod-Daniels]

I want to wish everyone a Happy and SAFE Songkran Holiday too!!

These people (the Thais) are some "tightly wound" people during most of the year. Due in part to ingrained social and cultural restrictions put on "forms of conduct" and "rules of interaction" by Thai society.

I am all for them "un-winding" and letting their hair down for a coupla days. I totally understand and accept Songkran, its origins, its meaning and its significance to the Thais.

I am less thrilled with the "mandatory participation" in this festival, as in there's no "opt out" shirt, pin, button or badge to wear to let Thais (and insane foreigners, who are now worse than the Thais in my area) know you're a "non-combatant", just tryin' to get to the store, etc.

Perhaps they should change the name from สงกรานต์ to สงครามน้ำ.

Still Happy Songkran everyone. ...

[ian71]

Happy Songkran Thailand, but i have to agree with Tod, i feel like a prisoner in the day here, i normally stay phuket, 13,14,15 finish so i get involved, here in Pattaya 12th started and onwards to the 19th!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I love it but i need to build myself up to cope with a week of it and yes would be great for a opt out dry zone, i was out last night in swimming shorts and vest with my water proof bag just encase, i was told they stopped about 8pm last night but tonight not sure so be prepared to get wet!

Im staying a few minutes walk from Central shopping mall i would like to go to the Cinema buts its not gonna happen as getting wet before a ice cold 2 hour cinema experience probably wont happen, so Battle ship your gonna have to wait!!

Love it or hate it if your in Thailand you gonna get wet this time of the year but near on assaulted with high powered water pistols in the Face blatantly and also aiming for people on bikes is not cleaver, shame on you if that's your idea of what the water festival is about.

Also i would like to point out its not just farang who go near crazy this time of year over the top, i do believe a better example of the whole thing needs to be explained though, as its gone way past the whats meant and this has to start with thais themselves telling the farang whats not exceptable or leading by example.
enjoy

[Wolfy]

I consider myself fortunate to have been to be in Thailand 3 times during Songkran, twice in Pattaya and once up in Phitsanulok. A very enjoyable,very wet experience but great fun all the same. Wish i was there now to be honest.

Anyway to all in Thailand, Happy Songkran !!

[djaidee]

Happy Songkran!!!!!!!!!

สุขสันต์วันสงกรานต์นะครับ ขอให้ทุกๆ ท่านมีความสุขในปีใหม่ไทยนะครับ

Songkran 01.jpg Songkran 02.jpg

Happy Songkran.jpg

[trangam]

I just love the mood during Songkran...its fantastic

[Marie]

สวัสดีปีใหม่ค่าาา ทุกคน ขอให้มีความสุขมากๆนะคะ

Happy Thai's New Year everyone!!

Let me post one of the Thai classic new year songs for this occasion ~

Such a beautiful song! Easy to follow too. Would anybody like to translate it to English so we can appreciate it better?

[Tod-Daniels]

As I said, I love what Songkran's about and that it gives the Thais a chance to "unwind".

Thankfully, it's been sort of controlled chaos around here, although I've mostly curtailed my walk-abouts to the early morning hours. It would seem after 7 years on this Soi the Thais finally have given me a "free pass" to get by 'em without the obligatory soaking. Even the Thais who worked all nite long at Insomnia Club near the mouth of my Soi, and who were still drinking at 7 this morning let me get past unscathed (although I was definitely pushin' it by using that particular "short cut" to the Sukhumvit)!!

Sadly the same cannot be said for the "foreign contingent", and yesterday whilst smoking a cigarette in front of Robinsons; where I was clearly within the well defined "no soaking zone", I had to threaten a foreigner with bodily harm to dissuade them from turning their "super soaker" on me.

Actually all I said was, "Listen you dumb s**t, I don't let Thais get me wet and I'm not gonna let a foreigner do it either. You squirt me and I swear I'll beat you with this cane, so go play somewhere else." Obviously that was a little over the top as far as aggression, but it did the trick; even though he cursed me (after he was out of reach of my cane).

Still Happy Songkran to everyone, Thai and foreigner alike!!
Have fun, but be safe out there. ..

BTW: If you happen to see an older foreign guy wearing a black KISS t-shirt, a KISS logo'd ball cap and walking with a cane (that looks like a baseball bat), please DON'T squirt water on him. (He can be unpredictable!!)