Songkran dates - Bangkok and Pattaya

[Mancs]

I know some of you hate Songkran but I like it. What are the main dates for it this year in Bangkok and Pattaya? And I'm not staying in the Tartawank Hotel. I will be in Sathorn, as usual, so I can walk past Babylon every day, on my favourite route to Silom. ;)

[Up2U]

Bangkok, 13-15. Pattaya the big water day is the 19th, but the bars (and customers) start playing a few days before that.

[rollingstone2]

I do not like Songkran.
One thing I want to say is, do not travel to Pattaya on the last day of Songkran celebration.
I was stuck in traffic for six hours from BKK airport going to Boyztown a few years back. The revellers occupied the streets (and highways!)

[Manforallseasons]

Yes indeed Pattaya has always been and surely will be a fucking dissaster expect it to slowly begin on the 14th and the worst day as noted will be the 19th. Many expats leave Pattaya for Songkran, as usual I will be one of them.

[colmx]

BKK:
Last year they only allowed Songkran in Bkk on the 13th due to water shortages

I arrived the night time of no.13.
We went to Silom on afternoon no.14 => Dead and no Songkran
We then moved on To Khao San Road => Dead no Songkran same
Eventually found a street party going on at Siam... but that was about it


Pattaya:
Seeing as the OP is a Songkran fan, I can recommend going to North Pattaya on the 18th
Just don't take a songtaew there as it will take ages to get to the Dolphin roundabout (where it all starts)

On the night of the 18th there is usually one of the biggest Morlams of the year on 3rd road... and Songkran is usually played all night that night on Walking st. (and Pattayaland soi 1)

Of course no. 19 is usually the biggest day. Traditionally all traffic used to move south to Jomtien over the day... but more recently its been centered around Central.

Another tradition was that Songkran would stop at sundown on the 19th... and everyone would go home shattered... Pattaya would be a ghost town
Last year it continued until way after, there were street parties, and a big water party in Tiffany car park... We ended up in Tumnan Issan and people were still playing water and powder at 3am

[Up2U]

Yes, there is a parade and religious festivities in North Pattaya(Naklua) on the 18th. If you like water sports(?), the fun(?) moves to Sattahip on the 20th.

[Mancs]

Thank you for all the advice. Much appreciated. Last year was a blast outside X Boys, though a tad noisy at 5am in my hotel on third road.

[christianpfc]

I plan to spend this Songkran in Bang Saen for the sand castle festival. That will entail booking a room in advance, and arriving a day before and departing a day after mayhem. If it wasn't for the sand castle, which only takes place on Songkran, I would lock myself in in my room in Bangkok and sit it out.

Does anyone know where and when the sand castles will be?

Last year we (with friend with car) wanted to go, but traffic jam started already on Sukhumvit, so we returned to Bangkok.

[justaguy]

BKK:
Last year they only allowed Songkran in Bkk on the 13th due to water shortages

I arrived the night time of no.13.
We went to Silom on afternoon no.14 => Dead and no Songkran
We then moved on To Khao San Road => Dead no Songkran same
Eventually found a street party going on at Siam... but that was about it


Pattaya:
Seeing as the OP is a Songkran fan, I can recommend going to North Pattaya on the 18th
Just don't take a songtaew there as it will take ages to get to the Dolphin roundabout (where it all starts)

On the night of the 18th there is usually one of the biggest Morlams of the year on 3rd road... and Songkran is usually played all night that night on Walking st. (and Pattayaland soi 1)

Of course no. 19 is usually the biggest day. Traditionally all traffic used to move south to Jomtien over the day... but more recently its been centered around Central.

Another tradition was that Songkran would stop at sundown on the 19th... and everyone would go home shattered... Pattaya would be a ghost town
Last year it continued until way after, there were street parties, and a big water party in Tiffany car park... We ended up in Tumnan Issan and people were still playing water and powder at 3am

I can assure you that on the 14th of april 2016 there was full on Songkran in Silom. Not sure what time you did look, but I started my second Songkran day at 16:00.

The third day (15-4-2016) there was indeed no Songkran on Silom due to the festival being shortened to two days instead of three. There was Songkran around Nana on that day though.

[justaguy]

4309

14-04-2016 taken around 16:00 at Saladaeng BTS.

[colmx]

The third day (15-4-2016) there was indeed no Songkran on Silom due to the festival being shortened to two days instead of three.
Just checked my itinerary and you are correct, I arrived on the 15th and not the 14th as I had originally thought... But it sure was a subdued 15th (Bkk) and 16th,17th (Pattaya)
To make up for last year I will arrive on the 12th this year... Just to be sure to get at least some Songkran fun!
Staying at Raya this time, so should be pretty close to the heart of the action!

[justaguy]

Just checked my itinerary and you are correct, I arrived on the 15th and not the 14th as I had originally thought... But it sure was a subdued 15th (Bkk) and 16th,17th (Pattaya)
To make up for last year I will arrive on the 12th this year... Just to be sure to get at least some Songkran fun!
Staying at Raya this time, so should be pretty close to the heart of the action!

I arrive on the 7th, will make a quick dash to the inlaws in Lao on the 11th to be back in Krung Thep on the 12th. This year it looks we will get the full three days :)

[frequent]

... to be back in Krung Thep on the 12th

You do realise that Thais speaking English always refer to it as "Bangkok", don't you?

[justaguy]

You do realise that Thais speaking English always refer to it as "Bangkok", don't you?

No I don't and I don't really care, I refer to Bangkok as Krung Thep, deal with it.

[arsenal]

Such is frequent. Snottier than a buffalos' nostril. But slightly less appealing.

[bkkguy]

No I don't and I don't really care, I refer to Bangkok as Krung Thep, deal with it.

must cause some confusion when you ask for your morning copy of the Krung Thep Post :)

and if you are going to be pedantic about it I think you mean "Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahinthara Ayuthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom Udomratchaniwet Mahasathan Amon Piman Awatan Sathit Sakkathattiya Witsanukam Prasit"

bkkguy

[justaguy]

must cause some confusion when you ask for your morning copy of the Krung Thep Post :)

and if you are going to be pedantic about it I think you mean "Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahinthara Ayuthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom Udomratchaniwet Mahasathan Amon Piman Awatan Sathit Sakkathattiya Witsanukam Prasit"

bkkguy

Probably krungthepguy :)

[bkkguy]

Probably krungthepguy :)

that's krungthepphuchai to you :)

bkkguy

[arsenal]

So bkkguy and frequent:
Is it a Burmese python or Myanmarese python? Is it a Siamese cat or a Thai cat? Is it a Rhodesian Ridgeback or a Zimbabwean Ridgeback? Please please emlighten me.

[justaguy]

must cause some confusion when you ask for your morning copy of the Krung Thep Post :)

and if you are going to be pedantic about it I think you mean "Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahinthara Ayuthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom Udomratchaniwet Mahasathan Amon Piman Awatan Sathit Sakkathattiya Witsanukam Prasit"

bkkguy

Hmm I didn't intially see your claim of me being pedantic, one would have thought that accusation would better fit the poster I responded to, who seems to think that someone speaking English cannot use Krung Thep, when referring to Bangkok. A bit like telling me to order Papaya Salad when I actually mean Som Tam Lao.

In any case, thanks for the full name, which apart from Asanee Wasan, nobody actually uses, regardless which language they speak..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1P7EQ_kxRQY

[frequent]

No I don't and I don't really care, I refer to Bangkok as Krung Thep, deal with it.

Happy to consider you a complete ignoramus. I guess you eat Thai food with chopsticks too, as that's more "authentic"

[justaguy]

Happy to consider you a complete ignoramus. I guess you eat Thai food with chopsticks too, as that's more "authentic"

Give it a rest please, all of my Thai and Lao friends (and I have a shitload of them) use Krung Thep when refering to Bangkok. And yes some Thai dishes ARE eaten with chopsticks surprise surprise.

Wonder why you feel the need to be utterly annoying, guess you have a too much time on your hands. Might I suggest spending that time getting laid ? Your attitude might just magically improve :)

[Mancs]

I saw this on an anti-songkran site. I've not heard of the plastic pouches being stolen before:

"According to reports from Bangkok's main Songkran venues on Khaosan and Silom roads, thieves used knives or razor blades to slice the clear plastic pouches and steal the phones and money contained therein."

[Nirish guy]

I saw this on an anti-songkran site. I've not heard of the plastic pouches being stolen before:

"According to reports from Bangkok's main Songkran venues on Khaosan and Silom roads, thieves used knives or razor blades to slice the clear plastic pouches and steal the phones and money contained therein."

Thats been going on for years Mancs, actually myself and a Thai friend were partying over songkran in Khaosan road and HE got his plastic pouch stanley knifed open and they pinched EVERYTHING, his passport, ID card, wallet and all all sorts and he didn't feel a thing - and they didn't even touch me ! He thinks that they perhaps thought that I would have given him all my important stuff to carry as I would have been the obvious target and to put them off the scent etc so they robbed him actually expecting to get my wallet etc - that plan thankfully totally backfired and to say that he was livid with them for days to follow was very much an understatement !

[colmx]

Same thing happened me on Pattaya Beach road 2 years ago, they sliced the end of my plastic pouch and took my travel wallet out.

Last year I wore the plastic pouch inside my t-shirt on the busy days, feels horrible against wet skin... but better than the feeling of losing your ATM cards!

[FarangRuMak]

Same thing happened me on Pattaya Beach road 2 years ago, they sliced the end of my plastic pouch and took my travel wallet out.

Last year I wore the plastic pouch inside my t-shirt on the busy days, feels horrible against wet skin... but better than the feeling of losing your ATM cards!

Maybe we should keep our plastic pouches inside our shorts attached to our skin pouches so if someone starts to slice we will be aware of the fact very quickly and thus save our precious atm cards.