When it comes to New Year's celebrations, I can't decide whether we here in Thailand are exceptionally lucky or extremely ill-fated. As with many things here, the line that separates the two seems blurry at times.
We just celebrated the dawning of the year with the international-style New Year, and I hope it was a good one for everybody. But we still have to get through two more celebrations before it feels like the year is well and truly under way.
Honestly, I have enough trouble getting through just one New Year's fete — three is way too much to ask of a crotchety old man like myself.
So anyway, one down, two to go. Blah, blah, blah.
International New Year is always a bit of a bummer for me. I'm not a fan of big parties, and frankly, after Christmas, I'm ready for a nice long nap anyway.
Chinese New Year isn't that bad, I guess. Not being Chinese, It's a pretty low-impact holiday for me. The only thing I'm really not fond of is that around that holiday there are lots of people burning things on streets everywhere. All that smoke really bugs my eyes, and I get paranoid constantly thinking that the house is on fire.
Then there's Songkran.
I've written in this space before that Songkran is not my favourite holiday. I like it just fine for one day. A little splashing can be fun and a nice way to cool down. But getting splashed day after day after day is just bit much.
I'm famous for doing one of those pre-disaster shopping trips before every Thai New Year. I stock up on everything I think I'll need for a week and then just try to stay off the streets as much as possible.
Actually, there is something good about living in a country that celebrates three New Years — I get to complain three times as much. I guess I'm pretty lucky after all.
Sean Vale
Editor
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