Johnny’s Songkran-explaining Guide.

Hello. I just wrote this on the Facebook network and thought it’d be helpful for anyone that’s just turned up in Thailand or is about to embark on their first Songkran. There’s some useful tips (possibly) and some helpful information (allegedly) on how to go about ‘play Songkran’. Enjoy.

The first thing to remember is that it isn’t a ‘fight’. It’s not supposed to be violent or aggressive like that. Nobody ‘wins’ Songkran in any respect. It’s meant to be fun. 

Where is it?

As for where it will be, anywhere pretty much. If youre feeling like being a typical expat/tourist-at-Songkran-wanker you could literally go anywhere you like and soak anyone you want regardless of whether they want to join in or not. If you feel like trying to get more into the spirit of the thing then generally only play where there are other people playing, which will be most places and you should have a good time. In Bangkok, the main place to ‘play Songkran’ is around Kao San Road, although again, you should find most places some people are joining in the fun.

Other places where it gets pretty hectic are usually where there are tourists, Chiang Mai, Pattaya etc.

For how many days?

Sometimes people who can’t wait to get started will start messing about on the 12th [April], though really it properly starts on the 13th [April]. That’s when most people join in. It carries on on the 14th [April], but by the afternoon of the 15th [April] most people have really had enough/are too hung-over to carry on, and it all winds down again.

What time to what time?

Whenever to whenever, I can’t remember if there’s actually meant to be any sort of rules about when you’re supposed to stop (there definitely are legal rules on some roads in Bangkok) – this being Thailand even if there are rules, nobody pays that much attention to them – but most Thai people begin in the afternoon and stop in the evening. Mornings and evenings are generally spent celebrating Songkran ‘properly’ with the family. On that note, it’s always a good idea to look up what Songkran is really for and why you’re really supposed to celebrate it – it puts everything much more in perspective. Usually in areas where young people tend to congregate in the evenings, however, the revelry can go on much later and get much drunker. 

How to play?

No rules really, which is both good and bad, obviously. Just try to be good, no running up to girls and squirting them in the chest like a big dumb-bastard farang kii-nok, stuff like that. This year you can actually get arrested for sexual harrassment if a girl thinks you’re taking it too far and they complain to the police.

Equally no matter how much fun you’re having, try to retain some common sense, throwing buckets of water and ice at people travelling on motorbikes can and possibly will kill them, which tends to ruin the otherwise party-like atmosphere. Dunking a gallon of ice-cold canal water on a 5-year old kid can have equally negative side-effects. And always remember just because someone else is being a dick doesn’t give you license to behave like a dick too, most of the time. Although of course if nobody else minds you behaving like a dick, then what the hell, go for it.

As for the nitty-gritty of ‘play Songkran’ (Tinglish) just turn up where others are throwing water, preferably with a water gun, bucket, hose etc (you’ll see other people using pretty much any and every possible method of soaking others) and join in the fun, you can probably play with anyone anytime, but just remember, like I said, be careful not too get too excited – if your new friends have had enough, then go and find some more instead, don’t try and carry on with people who don’t want to play anymore, it usually doesn’t work so well.

Hope that answers all your questions.