It’s Sunday in Thailand. Today is Songkran, the Thai New Year, the third of the three New Years here, after January 1 and Chinese New Year. Like January 1, it’s a fixed date, not lunar. Songkran is actually three days, April 13, 14 and 15, but since today is the first one, it is THE New Year’s Day, but all three days are really lumped into one. And since today is a Sunday, Wednesday the 16th is also a holiday, to compensate.
But this is a holiday you either love or hate, and unfortunately I hate it. Hands down my least favorite holiday. The hallmark of Songkran is everyone going crazy and dousing each other with water. This is the middle of our hot dry season, even though we did get a shower or two in the past week, and traditionally it’s been believed that if you show the gods how little you care about wasting water during the rainless season, they’ll relent from withholding the rains and bring them back. And sure enough, every year the rainy season does return, albeit a month or three after Songkran. All well and good, except it’s a huge free-for-all, and you venture out of doors at your own risk: a risk of returning soaked and covered in powder, which they also use. 
Sounds like fun – HOT as all get out right now and so go get soaked with water – and it CAN be fun, IF you’re looking for it. But they never stop when you’ve had enough. Locals will roam the streets in the backs of pickups with big tubs of water. Extra points for soaking farangs and anyone dressed up. Little urchins lurk behind every corner with Super Soaker water guns. Many an unwary tourist has had some very expensive camera equipment completely ruined. It’s pure madness.
So I’m a Songkran Scrooge. So is the wife. It’s stay indoors and take taxis everywhere if we must venture out. We used to leave the country each year, but that’s not practical sometimes, like this year. I do know one Englishman who is in Japan right now hiding from Songkran. And even quite a few Thais leave; we know a two who left for Europe the other day to escape.
Like I said, it CAN be fun, and I suppose this is better than, say, hooligans in someplace like Lagos mugging you. Those of us who find we must venture out onto the street, especially if we’re a farang, are sure to wear old clothes only and keep important stuff sealed in plastic bags. Certain areas of the city go especially crazy. The backpackers on Khao San Road love it, as you can see here. Admittedly, there’s not many farangs in those photos, because a lot of Thais flock to Khao San for Songkran. That’s a great place to go if you want to be in the middle of it.
And there’s some good shots here of Vietnam War-era US soldiers enjoying it back in 1970 at U-Tapao, along Thailand’s Eastern Seaboard.
And more photos here and here.
One year when I WAS out in the middle of it, I was sitting in a beer bar near the Nana Plaza bar area toward evening, and we watched these two farangs strolling into the bar area. They were obviously newly arrived and had no clue as to what was going on, because they were dressed to the nines. Really nice suits, which is odd to wear at any time to the bar area, but they were clearly dressed to impress that night. No more than five minutes later, we’re rolling with laughter watching them RUN for their lives. They had become prime targets for the bargirls, who were dousing all of the customers.
So you see it can be great fun, IF you are a willing participant. So Happy New Year! And Bah Humbug. grumble grumble grumble
