GB's Annual Songkran Report

[aussie]

I arrived today from Bangkok on a Bell bus with only ten passengers. I had booked ahead thinking it would be full for Songkran. This is the quietest that i have ever seen Pattaya at Songkran time. Only the cinema area was busy at Central Festival. The shops around Ripleys Believe it or Not museum were nearly empty in the early afternoon. It will be interesting to see the crowds tomorrow. Maybe it was too hot to venture outside today. The air-conditioning in Central Festival was struggling to keep the top floors cool.

[Gaybutton]

This is the quietest that i have ever seen Pattaya at Songkran time.

That has been my observation too. There is a lot of water splashing going on, but it is in specific areas. I realize those of you who happen to be in those areas probably feel it must be the same all over town. It isn't. For most of Pattaya, if you wanted to participate in the water wars you truly had to hunt for where any of it has been going on.

Tomorrow is the "Big Day" and also the last day. It will be interesting to see if the whole town is out there splashing water. I hope so. I plan to be right in the thick of it - if I can find it.

I've had a few people tell me the expressways leading into Pattaya were jammed with traffic today. I'll be damned if I know where it all disappears to. I was on Sukhumvit earlier today. There was hardly any traffic at all. It's almost eerie. The massive traffic jams I was expecting never materialized. As a matter of fact, it was precisely the opposite. Traffic has been significantly more free flowing and clear than most other days.

Even normally crowded stores were much quieter than usual. I was in Big-C Extra today. There was hardly anyone in the entire complex. I didn't even have a line at the cashier. Several cashier lines were empty and the cashiers themselves had nothing to do but stand there and wait for customers.

Meanwhile, I haven't seen so much as one word in the English language media even mentioning how subdued this year's Songkran has been compared to previous years. I almost feel sorry for those who spent a lot of money to escape from Pattaya this year. With the exception of those few areas where the splashing was going on, there was no need to go anywhere.

I can't explain it. The only thing I can think of is most people heeded the government's plea for a subdued Songkran. If there is another explanation, I have no idea what it might be.

Unless anyone can provide an explanation, this entire Songkran week in Pattaya is on my "I Don't Get It" list.

[windwalker]

Quite a bit of activity on Pattaya Tai in front of Krungthai bank nearby Wat Chai. Loud music, dancing, drinking, water throwing, etc. Otherwise did not notice anything too unusual in that vicinity.

[mahjongguy]

Noon on Jomtien Beach Road: gridlocked in both directions. At least two dozen music trucks parked along the road. Usually it doesn't get this congested until mid-afternoon.

[Gaybutton]

My experience was quite different from mahjongguy's. They all were out there today, but it was still quite subdued compared to previous years. On Sukhumvit traffic was moving at a snail's pace in the far left lanes, both northbound and southbound. That's where the splashing was happening. The rest of the lanes were free and clear. You could drive just as fast, or even faster, than most days. No delays at all at the tunnel construction site. My expectation for massive traffic jams turned out to be totally wrong. Good!

I wanted to go down Pattaya Tai and head toward Boyztown. I couldn't. That was the one soi that was totally jammed with traffic. If I tried to enter Pattaya Tai, I'd still be stuck on Sukhumvit trying to make the turn. All the other sois leading into the city were flowing without any traffic problems.

Usually the cars and motorbikes are covered with powder. Today there were none. Not a single vehicle I saw had any powder on them at all. There were only a few spots where people were putting the powder on other people's faces - mostly motorbike riders.

I asked several Thais, including a professional tour guide, why Songkran in Pattaya was so significantly subdued this year. They all noticed it, but none of them had any more idea why than we do. I suppose it will remain a mystery and another item for my "I Don't Get It" list.

I ended up spending a couple hours driving up and down Sukhumvit and many of "The Dark Side" sois. Plenty of shirtless boys everywhere. You know where I saw the sexiest, my type boy of all? Two doors up from me on the other side of the street. Yesssss! You'll have to excuse me for awhile - I'll be outside to at least ogle him and perhaps try my luck . . .

Today is the last day, folks. By tonight it's all over for this year.

[windwalker]

Many pickup trucks on Pattaya Tai tossing water and lots of loud music. By far the wettest day (19th) . Traffic in area of Wat Chai seems to be moving without delays or back ups.