The greedy bastards at the Tourism Authority of Thailand have published their calendar for Songkran dates and events and TAT continues to ruin this holy Buddhist tradition.
See, Songkran is a time of year for the young to show proper respect to their elders, living or deceased, and celebrate time with family. For the Tourism Authority of Thailand Songkran is the World’s Largest Outdoor Water Fight.
Tourism Authority of Thailand Songkran
Normally, Songkran runs for three days from 13-15 April, but the Tourism Authority of Thailand has stretched this holiday/festival to more than two weeks all for the love of money.
In this Tourism Authority of Thailand article, Thailand gears up for traditional Thai New Year (Songkran) fun, you can see the dates of Songkran around the country.
Bangkok, 18 March, 2014 – The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is joining Thai people nationwide in marking the most important celebration of the Thai lunar calendar, the New Year Songkran Festival between 5-20 April, with unique activities and festivities that pay tribute to the role of water in Thai culture and society.
Sixteen days of insanity thanks to the Tourism Authority of Thailand.
For centuries, the Songkran Festival has been observed as a symbol of hospitality, love and the importance of maintaining strong relationships within families, communities, and society as a whole. Timed to coincide with the Aries period on the astrological chart, the auspicious occasion is intended to help people cool off from the mid-summer heat, show respect to family elders and receive their blessings and pray for near and dear ones who have passed away.
This is what it used to be until the Tourism Authority of Thailand ruined it. In my wife’s family, the first day will be spent going to the temple paying respect to the deceased family members. The second day will usually be a family BBQ and some drinking at our house and the third day will be recuperation.
Mr. Thawatchai Arunyik, Governor of TAT said, “Though a distinctly Thai celebration, Songkran has become popular with people from around the world who love coming to Thailand for this, sometimes boisterous, often moving festival.
The reason the Governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand is saying this is because he is trying to save face after the Tourism Authority of Thailand threatened to sue Singapore for also celebrating Songkran. The TAT Governor has it wrong though claimming that it is a distinctly Thai celebration. Thailand stole it from India and then proceeded to ruin it.
“This is a special time when families travel long distances to spend time together, perform traditional merit making ceremonies at the temples and reconnect with loved ones. Songkran allows everyone to take a well-deserved break and the TAT wants to ensure that both Thais and foreigners alike enjoy a happy and memorable Songkran.”
It is also a time of carnage on Thailand’s roads as way too many young men get drunk and then proceed to ride motorcycles without wearing helmets. The Seven Dangerous Days of Songkran, 11-17 April, is a time to stay off of Thailand’s roads.
Here is where you can go to get soaking wet and watch idiots get drunk all day and night. Or, if you are smart, these are places to avoid:
Khao San Road, Bangkok, 13-15 April 2014, 10.00-23.00 hrs.
Silom Road, Bangkok, 13-15 April 2014, 10.00-00.00 hrs.
Around the City Moat, Chiang Mai, 12-16 April 2014, 09.00-22.00 hrs.
Pattaya (North, Central and South Beach), Lan Bodhi Park Na Kluea and Chon Buri, 11-20 April 2014, 09.00-00.00 hrs.
Khao Nieo Road, Khon Kaen, 5-15 April 2014, 10.00-20.30 hrs.
Patong Beach, Phuket, 12-13 April 2014, 10.00-22.00 hrs.
Hat Yai Midnight Songkran at Nipat Uthit 3 Road, Sanehanusorn Road and Wat Mahatta, 11-15 April 2014, 10.00-23.00 hrs.
Songkran Ko Samui (Chaweng Beach), 13 April 2014, 09.00-22.00 hrs.
Note that here in Khon Kaen, Songkran runs for 11 days. This is crazy. Three days is bad enough. Also note that the Tourism Authority of Thailand says that Songkran in Pattaya is from 11-20 April whereas I have seen more reliable sources say it is from 10-19 April with the 19th being the day to really, really avoid Pattaya.
Here are the tips from the Tourism Authority of Thailand. Don’t be drinking anything while you read them or you just may splatter your computer screen:
Top Tips to get the most out of Songkran
In the morning, make merit and listen to temple sermons to gain their blessings. As this is a New Year festival, temple activities are the most important aspects of the celebration.
To purify the Buddha or other statues, water should not be poured directly onto the head, rather on other parts of the statue’s torso.
The custom of pouring water onto the hand of elders’ (people above 60 years old), is to show respect and seek their New Year blessings.
Water used to splash on others should be clean or mixed with Thai traditional fragrances. Avoid throwing water aggressively or using high-pressure water guns or hoses.
Women should be wary of wearing tight clothes or ones that are light in colour and/or made of thin fabric. When wet, such garments can become quite revealing, raising the risk of sexual harassment. There have been complaints about this in past years.
I find it really funny seeing the hypocrites at the Tourism Authority of Thailand claiming that this is a time to go to the temple to make merit when all TAT wants is money from foreigners.
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