travel during songkran

[a447]

Hi,
I am planning to visit Bangkok and then leave on April 12 to go to Pattaya. I will then come back to Bangkok on 19 April.
Is this feasible during songkran or will the roads be chokkers?
Thanks.

[a447]

Would it be impossible to travel between the 2 cities by taxi or even a limo service? What if I left BKK on the 11th (Friday)?
Also, I know a lot of the bar guys go home for Songkran. I wonder when the bars are back to normal again.
I went to BKK last year and was told a lot of the popular gogo boys were back home in the country. Does anyone know how long the holiday lasts for? Is it just for a week or so?
Thanks.

Hi,
I am planning to visit Bangkok and then leave on April 12 to go to Pattaya. I will then come back to Bangkok on 19 April.
Is this feasible during songkran or will the roads be chokkers?
Thanks.
Two years ago traveled from the Bangkok Tarntawan to Pattaya on the main Songkran day - journey took two hours and ten minutes from Laem Chabang area of expressway to S. Pattaya and more than four and a half hours overall.

Not recommended (and highly dangerous as fattman says) to travel at this time, period

[a447]

O.K. I guess I won't be travelling to Pattaya.
How about flying up to Chang Mai? That would probably be feasible.
What is the gay scene like there?
Do they have gogo bars and hosts who you can "off"?
Are there any gay-friendly hotels you could recommend?
I have 2 weeks in Thailand I I don't just want to spend the whole time in Bangkok.
Thanks.

I seriously disagree with those other posters.
Yes you can travel at Songkran. Get a limo from Image. They will take you door to door. It may take a little longer than ordinary days of the year but now the roads are much better and there are more routes.
Image Limos will get you to and from in safety.

www.imagelimo.com/ (http://www.imagelimo.com/)

I seriously disagree with those other posters.
Yes you can travel at Songkran. Get a limo from Image. They will take you door to door. It may take a little longer than ordinary days of the year but now the roads are much better and there are more routes.
Image Limos will get you to and from in safety.

Sorry, that advice is very poor. Yes, of course you can travel by road on any day of the year. The point during Songkran is that the roads in Pattaya are taken over by literally thousands of people throwing buckets water and by extremely slow pickups, carrying drums of water, blocking the roads. It does not matter where you hire your car/taxi and unless Image cars have limos that fly they are subject to the same problems as every other car provider. Image cars are also not invulnerable from the actions of drunken drivers either.

Coatimundi has obviously no actual experience of what it is like to travel by car on the main Songkran days.

You take his advice at your extreme inconvenience and peril.

O.K. I guess I won't be travelling to Pattaya.
How about flying up to Chang Mai? That would probably be feasible.
What is the gay scene like there?
Do they have gogo bars and hosts who you can "off"?
Are there any gay-friendly hotels you could recommend?
I have 2 weeks in Thailand I I don't just want to spend the whole time in Bangkok.
Thanks.
You need to check on what dates Chiang Mai have their Songkran celebrations. Different cities/areas hold the celebrations on different dates.

Have never been to CM during that period but would imagine it will be the same as all the other big cities - absolute chaos and mayhem - why do you think that the vast majority of expat residents leave the country or choose to stay indoors for two or three days whilst the 'celebrations' are on?

The gay scene is not as big or centralised as Bangkok or Pattaya or Phuket. Most of the gay bars are widely spread around the city but, yes, there are gogo bars and host bars where you can off boys.

There are also a number of gay hotels/guest houses - check out 'Dreaded Ned' website for details.

[Nathan B]

I once travelled from Pattaya Boyztown to Bangkok airport in a limo in the early evening of the main Songkran day (though the fun had largely died down by then). It took about 15 minutes longer than usual to get out of Pattaya. Once on the main roads there were no problems at all. A blanket recommendation not to travel for a week seems extremely over cautious.

[paulg]

I once travelled in a limo from Pattaya Boyztown to Bangkok airport in a limo in the early evening of the main Songkran day (though the fun had largely died down by then). It took about 15 minutes longer than usual to get out of Pattaya. Once on the main roads there were no problems at all. A blanket recommendation not to travel for a week seems extremely over cautious.

My plane usually arrives 6-7am and I arrive in Pattaya before the chaos starts. My friend who has a daytime flight arriving between 10-11pm also has no problems. Both of us arrived in just under 2 hours from the old airport.
We intend to do the same this year. I believe the new airport is 20 minutes quicker

It therefore come back to you Do you want to sleep in and travel in the peak period of chaos or use your head
and time your arrival in the quiet period. If I was staying in Bangkok I would leave before 8am probably earlier

We usually sleep during daytime so miss the excesses of the water throwing.

I seriously disagree with those other posters.
Yes you can travel at Songkran. Get a limo from Image. They will take you door to door. It may take a little longer than ordinary days of the year but now the roads are much better and there are more routes.
Image Limos will get you to and from in safety.

Sorry, that advice is very poor. Yes, of course you can travel by road on any day of the year. The point during Songkran is that the roads in Pattaya are taken over by literally thousands of people throwing buckets water and by extremely slow pickups, carrying drums of water, blocking the roads. It does not matter where you hire your car/taxi and unless Image cars have limos that fly they are subject to the same problems as every other car provider. Image cars are also not invulnerable from the actions of drunken drivers either.

Coatimundi has obviously no actual experience of what it is like to travel by car on the main Songkran days.

You take his advice at your extreme inconvenience and peril.

Sorry, that advice is very poor
No, it is not.

Yes, of course you can travel by road on any day of the year.
Agreed

The point during Songkran is that the roads in Pattaya are taken over by literally thousands of people throwing buckets water and by extremely slow pickups, carrying drums of water, blocking the roads.
Not All of the roads - some are always open and the excellent Image drivers use their local knowledge and mobile phone to find the clear routes.

It does not matter where you hire your car/taxi and unless Image cars have limos that fly they are subject to the same problems as every other car provider.
It does matter where you hire :: Image train their drivers and ensure that they know where they are going, allow plenty of time and are always reliable. I can name you several other companies that do not have the same standards.

Image cars are also not invulnerable from the actions of drunken drivers either.
Agreed

Coatimundi has obviously no actual experience of what it is like to travel by car on the main Songkran days.
Wrong again - I have done so at least 6 times and have always arrived safely albeit sometimes a little late.

You take his advice at your extreme inconvenience and peril.
More nonsense - use a good company like Image, allow plenty of time and lock the car doors. Then sit back and relax.

I seriously disagree with those other posters.
Yes you can travel at Songkran. Get a limo from Image. They will take you door to door. It may take a little longer than ordinary days of the year but now the roads are much better and there are more routes.
Image Limos will get you to and from in safety.

Sorry, that advice is very poor. Yes, of course you can travel by road on any day of the year. The point during Songkran is that the roads in Pattaya are taken over by literally thousands of people throwing buckets water and by extremely slow pickups, carrying drums of water, blocking the roads. It does not matter where you hire your car/taxi and unless Image cars have limos that fly they are subject to the same problems as every other car provider. Image cars are also not invulnerable from the actions of drunken drivers either.

Coatimundi has obviously no actual experience of what it is like to travel by car on the main Songkran days.

You take his advice at your extreme inconvenience and peril.

Sorry, that advice is very poor
No, it is not.

Yes, of course you can travel by road on any day of the year.
Agreed

The point during Songkran is that the roads in Pattaya are taken over by literally thousands of people throwing buckets water and by extremely slow pickups, carrying drums of water, blocking the roads.
Not All of the roads - some are always open and the excellent Image drivers use their local knowledge and mobile phone to find the clear routes.

It does not matter where you hire your car/taxi and unless Image cars have limos that fly they are subject to the same problems as every other car provider.
It does matter where you hire :: Image train their drivers and ensure that they know where they are going, allow plenty of time and are always reliable. I can name you several other companies that do not have the same standards.

Image cars are also not invulnerable from the actions of drunken drivers either.
Agreed

Coatimundi has obviously no actual experience of what it is like to travel by car on the main Songkran days.
Wrong again - I have done so at least 6 times and have always arrived safely albeit sometimes a little late.

You take his advice at your extreme inconvenience and peril.
More nonsense - use a good company like Image, allow plenty of time and lock the car doors. Then sit back and relax.



Guys,


Coatimundi,


Do you own image taxis?????? joking.

Traveling to Pattaya on the dates mentioned would be OK. It gets worse as the days progress leading to total mayhem on the 17,18 and 19th.

The gentleman is talking coming down around the 12th on the expressway, I doubt he will have a problem caused by Songkran on the date, as the Pattaya end of it starts a little later.

The only problem I foresee, is returning on the 19th as the poster suggests, that would be difficult to say the least my friend, or virtually impossible, unless you can wait until the early hours of the 20th.

[a447]

Thanks everyone for all your advice.
So now I'm thinking of arriving in Bangkok on April 6 and going down to Pattaya on maybe the 11 (Friday). I could then miss Songkran in Bankok then leave Pattaya around the 16th.
In that way, I can get to enjoy both cities WITHOUT Songkran!
Does that sound more sensible?

Thanks everyone for all your advice.
So now I'm thinking of arriving in Bangkok on April 6 and going down to Pattaya on maybe the 11 (Friday). I could then miss Songkran in Bankok then leave Pattaya around the 16th.
In that way, I can get to enjoy both cities WITHOUT Songkran!
Does that sound more sensible?

Sounds pretty sensible......BUT some very energetic Pattayan residents and/or temporary foreign visitors will use every opportunity to celebrate their own mini-Songkran. There is no guarantee of staying dry between the 13th and the 20th. Of course the mega-waterfestival is on.........well fellow posters.....since the 19th is on a Saturday and the 20th on a Sunday.........which day will THE event be in Pattaya?

Does that sound more sensible?
YES!

Does that sound more sensible?
YES!

Touch├й Snowkat. a447, that new itinerary of yours is much more sensible.


G.

Two years ago traveled from the Bangkok Tarntawan to Pattaya on the main Songkran day - journey took two hours and ten minutes from Laem Chabang area of expressway to S. Pattaya

You were lucky. Try two hours and twenty minutes from the Dolphin roundabout (North Pattaya) to Naklua!!! Not an exaggeration.

To say that some roads are always open and that someone travelling on the 19th or 20th will only experience minor delays really is misleading in the extreme, although with the new expressway now fully open (four lanes) all the way it is possible that the "revellers" may stick to Sukhumvit and delays outside Pattaya may be reduced.

Image Limos - OK, but no better than Thai limousines or some others. I no longer use them as I found their drivers just too slow, unnecessarily adding about 40 minutes to the journey.

[colmx]

I could then miss Songkran in Bankok then leave Pattaya around the 16th.


As other have posted you are going to get wet in Pattaya anytime from April 1st onwards.... As soon the music festival finishes and the Hawkers start selling the water pistols!

April 17th is songkran day in bangsaen
April 18th is Naklua
April 19th is Pattaya
April 20th is Sattahip

Not sure what day they have in in Laem Chabang - but think it might be the 15th

So expect traffic jams after 10AM on all exits in and out of Pattaya on all those days

My flight arrives in at 7am on April 19th... hoping Taxi can get me to Pattaya before the roads go bumber to bumper. Or it will be a long and wet walk with my suitcase from Naklua to South pattaya!

[dave_tf-old]

IF you should change your mind and reconsider Chiang Mai, be aware that the airlines are very full during the holidays and all the days leading up to and following them. Book very early or you run the risk of not being able to get a flight.

Song Khran in Chiang Mai is is something of a gentle riot and seems to be mostly centered on the streets running parrelel to and adjacent to the moat. (the center of town) It also seems to taper off at sundown and I was able to get around quite well except for some farang kids having their mini celebration on the soi leading to my guest house.

I got the feeling that Shong Khran in Chiang Mai is less affected by drunken farang than Pattaya and I enjoyed the holiday.

Obviously not everyone likes it, but it is an experience to remember for even the mildly adventurous. Just take care of your vaulable papers and electronics at the minimum. At the maximum? Get out and have some fun.

... is entirely outbound. KL is pleasant at that time of year. The UK's still a trifle cold then