songkran '09

[thrillbill]

...A friend of mine wants to fly to LOS and see Songkran in action in Phuket this year ( I work here in LOS so I am not that fired up) ... but don't want to return to Bangkok when they are celebrating their water festival. I need to know when Phuket's, BKK's, and Pattaya's songkran dates are. (To Homi, Yes, I have Googled it and all I get is April 13-15 for all of Thailand which I know is wrong since I live here...and in Pattaya they celebrate it 10 days in a row.) I have a break from work, so I am getting out of Pattaya for sure. :clown:

[x in pattaya]

Theoretically in Pattaya it's from 18th to 19th, but...


Songkran In Pattaya


For every rule there has to be an exception and when it comes to Songkran it's Pattaya. Why is it that they celebrate the festival on April 19 while the rest of the country celebrates it on the 13th. It was proving nearly impossible to answer as no-one seemed to know why, it was just the custom. Finally a good friend and long time Pattaya resident, Khun Panga Vathanakul, Managing Director of the Royal Cliff Beach Resort told me the story behind this custom.

In Chonburi Songkran is celebrates Sonkran on a Wan Lai principal. That means the day floats and is celebrated in different cities on different days. Although Pattaya is Chonburi Provinces most famous town it is not the provincial capital, Chonburi Town is. It is quite natural that the first day of celebration should be in the provincial capital- Muang Chonburi. On 16th April it moves to Sri Ratcha, and on the 17th to Sattahip. The next day 18th April it is the turn of Banglamung and Naklua before it finally arrives into Pattaya on 19th April.

That is the theory but the problem is that there are so many visitors in Pattaya over Songkran who think the festivals start on 13th that there are street water battles for more than a week. And that is also during the Pattaya Festival April 14-19

...A friend of mine wants to fly to LOS and see Songkran in action in Phuket this year ( I work here in LOS so I am not that fired up) ... but don't want to return to Bangkok when they are celebrating their water festival. I need to know when Phuket's, BKK's, and Pattaya's songkran dates are. (To Homi, Yes, I have Googled it and all I get is April 13-15 for all of Thailand which I know is wrong since I live here...and in Pattaya they celebrate it 10 days in a row.) I have a break from work, so I am getting out of Pattaya for sure. :clown:
Hi there i will be in Phuket for the Songkran ,Yes your right they on different dates in other places someone did mention that in a post here ...

Pattaya is always 13 to 19th April - Not 3 days, Not 10 days ,just 1 week long enough to have fun from Monday to Sunday!

If the Government have anything to do with it, no-one will be having any "fun" at all: http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/local/1 ... -sales-ban (http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/local/11600/health-minister-and-deputy-at-odds-over-booze-sales-ban)

To Homi, Yes, I have Googled it and all I get is April 13-15 for all of Thailand which I know is wrong since I live here...and in Pattaya they celebrate it 10 days in a rowI'll be in our KL office for Songkran; I fly out of Bangkok on April 12 and fly back the following weekend. Every post I read these days about Pattaya reinforces my view of the place; yours is no exception. There's a Web site now called "Let me Google that for you" - http://lmgtfy.com/ - to which I have already introduced Smiles

[thrillbill]

...after a couple weeks I wrote this, now there has been a decision (???) made:

Alcohol Sales Banned on Songkran Holidays

The unofficial word is out. Alcohol sales are to be banned on Songkran Holidays from the 13th to the 15th of April this year.

Public Health Minister said the ban may be limited to certain areas with high risk and only during certain time frames.

The Office of Alcohol and Tobacco Control Director Samarn Futrakul said that after receiving suggestions from consultants of the Public Health Ministry, the office has unofficially decided that alcohol sales, only to Thai consumers, would be banned from April 13th to 15th this year.

Meanwhile, sales to foreign consumers will be allowed as usual. Director Samarn said Public Health Minister Wittaya Kaewpradai will review the policies before making the official announcement.

Moreover, roadblocks to arrest drunk drivers were found to be effective in reducing motor accidents during the holidays. Alcohol sales in areas where the most motor vehicle accidents occur will also be banned around times of heavy traffic. Policies will be evaluated and reviewed for next year.

If the unofficial decision is approved by Minister Wittaya, it still needs to be approved by the National Alcohol Control Policy Committee, of which the Prime Minister is Chairman, before it is officially announced by the Office of the Prime Minister.
http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Alcohol-S ... 45611.html (http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Alcohol-Sales-Banned-Songkran-Holi-t245611.html)
- TOC / 2009-02-25

In my opinion, Thais or whoever don't have to worry, nothing here seems to be enforced...the "no fireworks" ban in Pattaya during Loy Kratong; the "no smoking" in bars and restaurants; "no speeding" in the city limits...