Editor’s Note

At the risk of making a lot of people angry, I have to admit that Songkran is not my favourite holiday. Some of my friends get really upset with me because I haven’t embraced what they consider the “funnest” celebration in the world.

This is my fifth Thai New Year in the Land ‘o Smiles, and I’ve celebrated the festivities in both Bangkok and Chiang Mai. The first year that I was here was certainly an eye-opener for me. I’d never experienced such a level of chaos in my life. My first day of Songkran was actually a lot of fun, and I got into the spirit of things pretty well, throwing water and acting silly right along with everybody else. By the middle of the second day, I was ready for it to be over with.

I understand the childlike joy of a good water fight — especially when the heat makes you feel like you’re standing three inches from the sun. But I guess I’m just too much of a stick in the mud to maintain my enthusiasm for very long. I mean, at some point you just can’t get any wetter. But that doesn’t stop the deluge.

My woes are magnified by the fact that I’m a big white guy who usually stands at least a full head taller than everybody else in the crowd. During Songkran, that’s like wearing a sign reading: “I dare you to splash me, dummies!” And splashed I get. Try as I might to stoop down and hide behind my friends, I’m pretty easy to spot and usually take the brunt of what seems like a year’s worth of pent up frustration from half the population of the kingdom.

And don’t even get me started about the powder.

But it’s not all bad. Songkran can be fun, and if I make sure I have enough breaks and don’t have to run to the store very often, I can get into the spirit of things. And there are a couple of things about it that are really good.

For one thing, it’s a long weekend, and I get paid for not going to work. Another great thing is that Bangkok really slows down during the holiday. There’s never another time of year when you get to experience the City of Angels with such clean air and so few cars on the roads.

So once again, I’ll make an effort to endure the things about Songkran that I’m not fond of — icy water down my back, screaming crowds and being touched by people I don’t know — and enjoy a few days off, breathing clean air and getting across town in less than two hours.

Have a safe and happy Songkran.

Sean Vale
Editor
seanv@bangkokpost.co.th