Songkran

In Thailand there is no shortage of holidays and festivals and if I have counted correctly I believe there are about 15 legal holidays per year. Sure beats the heck out of legal holidays back home.

For me though and most westerners the most dreaded of all the holidays is Songkran, which runs annually from 13-15 April with many employers giving their employees the full week off. It’s really a big deal to the Thai’s. They consider this their New Years though they also fully celebrate the western New Years of January 1 as well. They have the better of two worlds.

Three official days off for Songkran and two for New Years. They really enjoy their celebrations. Anything for a day off. I can’t fault them for that.

Originally Songkram was sort of a solemn Buddhist celebration where Buddha images are “bathed”. Also monks and elders at this holiday receive the respect of younger Thais by the sprinkling of water over their hands. It was really a family orientated holiday. It his now evolved into nothing more that a gigantic water fight that last for three or more days.

This year the holiday begins officially on Sunday, but Bangkok will start to clear out on Friday afternoon. By Sunday, Bangkok will resembles a deserted city as you would somewhat imagine after a nuclear holocaust. As I have said before over half of the residents of Bangkok are temporary workers from other parts of Thailand. They will all go back to their homes for this festive occasion. Bus, planes and trains will be jam packed along with every major highway in the country. Small pickup trucks with 10-12 people crammed in the back are not an uncommon sight.

Drinking during this period is also heavy and the highway death toll is tremendous , far exceeding what you would expect for a country with a mere 64 million inhabitants. For a nation of people who have a hard time driving in the first place, they sure don’t need to add alcohol to the mix. Many of the deaths will be motorcycle riders being run over by trucks. I will try and remember to post the daily dead count for any out of country readers so you will have an idea as to the seriousness of the problem.

In addition to the fact that you are taking your life in your hands by venturing outside, you will also surely become drenched with possibly contaminated canal water. At every corner, water throwers are set up to attack anything and anyone that crosses their paths. Trucks roam the streets looking for victims. Though mostly young people there are many adults involved as they also find it to be great fun. When you ask them what they are doing the reply is always the same. Play water.

I find it all to be rather boring so I just sort of hold up in my abode until the festivities subside. I’m sure Mee will travel to her village though and spend several days drenched to the bone. It’s oh such great fun you know.

For more information on Songkran see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thai_New_Year