Songkrang-mania - advice please

Hi all,

I was wondering if I could elicit the advice of the some of the more experienced board memebers please?

I have been to LOS many times before, but this will be my first time visiting during Songkran. I know folk tend to love it or hate it, this is the year I find out which side of the fence I sit on. I land on the 14th, and understand it will carry on in Pattaya until the 19th. So, my questions are...

1. I know I would like to spend most of it in Pattaya, but the whole week might be a bit much. If I spend a couple of nights in Bangkok first (probably Khaosan area) - will I struggle to then find a ride to Pattaya? (I have visions of mass infrastructure failure - am I making something of nothing?)

2. Where to stay? Previously I have tended to stay in Cafe Royale or Don Plaza, where I have been very happy. My concern is that during the day, these areas seem to be very quite. As I would like to be in the thick of the action - any thoughts or recommedations please?

3. Where to go? Once I'm armed and ready to go - where do I actually go (silly question?) Is there a particular road or area thats good to congragate around? Are the bars open during the day? If so, where's good to set up camp?

4. Last question, I read somewhere there is an 8pm armistice. After this, is Pattaya back to business as usual until the next day - or are there extra Songkran festivities laid on. If so, could anyone recommend any?

Thanks in advance for any feed back. I realise most of this I'll figure out/see for myself in a few months time - but I'm excited, and would like to know what to expect!

1) Traffic is pretty bad for the first 3 days and grid-locked on the 19th. If you travel outside of Pattaya do it sooner in the week rather than later.

2) Regardless of where you hang your hat you will be in the middle of things on the 19th which is Big Blast Day. Soi VC (Sunee Plaza) is a riot!

3) I like to wander through the waves of water to one on my favorite gogo bars to enjoy the festivities with shirtless boys with their soaked pants falling down to their knees. I guess some enjoy the Jomtien or Beach Road areas to witness the parades close-up. To each their own.

4) Yes, the water stops at 8:00 PM on the 19th. By the time the monks start wandering the sois in the morning performing alms the streets are almost completely cleaned. The sois around Beach Road and Walking Street amaze me in the wee hours of the 20th - presenting a mix of slow-walking monks, hungry soi dogs surfing through the trash for something to eat and the inevitable drunken farang staggering through the mix with his lipstick smeared whore...makes me think of Irma La Duce.

Splish - Splash

thanks for the tips Dodger, sounds like it will be an experience!

Songkran in Bangkok is celebrated on the 13th-15th. Khao San Road and Silom are ground zero. It would be difficult if not impossible to
arrive with your luggage to a hotel on Khao San Road on the 14th. If you plan on staying on Khao San Road, you will want to arrive before the 13th or
after the 15th.

Thanks for the tip Chaotou, straight to Pattaya it is then...

Flights booked, accommodation booked, appropriately loud hawaiian shirt ready - bring on the mayhem!