Does Songkran Help Or Hurt Tourism

[azza33]

Luv the fun of Songkran with Thais...

 

Hate the stupid foreigners around who think its funny to spray filthy water at high speed towards faces.

[pdogg]

Bell Bus won't be doing Pattaya Hotel pickups or dropoffs on the 19th (and the 18th in Naklua)

 

 

 

Due to Songkran Festival

No Pick-up & Drop-off in Pattaya City

 on April 18^th (only Naklua area) and 19^th, 2014

 

 

 

On April 18

th

, 2014

 

There will be roads closed in Naklua area so we cannot pick-up and

drop off in that area from 11:00 a.m. onward.

@ From Pattaya to

Airport:

No Pick-up

from hotels in Naklua area for 

the

coach departure time

at 11:00 a.m. onward

.

@ 

From Airport to Pattaya:

No drop-off at hotels in Naklua area for

the

coach departure time at 10:00 a.m. onward

.

@ 

From Bangkok City to Pattaya:

No

drop-off

at hotels in Naklua area for 

the

coach departure time

at

09:30 a.m. onward

. 

Other areas will be served as usual.

 

 

 

On April 19

th

, 2014

 

 

On April 19 of every year, Pattaya city will celebrate Songkran

Festival and all the major roads in Pattaya city will be closed. People will

splash water all day. 

Then we

cannot Pick-up

or

Drop-off passengers

from and to your

hotels on April 19

th

.

 

 

Even though you have chosen hotel in Pattaya to be pick-up or drop-off, we

kindly inform you that we

cannot serve

you on

this date.

 

On this day, we can only pick-up or drop-off at hotels in

Bangkok city as usual.

 

 

 

           

          On both dates or during this week, we recommend all passengers to prepare take
an earlier coach in order to catch your flights as the traffic will be extremely
jammed. It might take up to 3-5 hours or even longer between Pattaya and the
airport.

 

 

We alopogise for any inconveniences and thank you for your kind co-operation.

 

Best wishes,

 

Bell Travel Service Team

[ciobha]

Fuckin' terrific,  I would imagine then, that the journey from airport to Pattaya may also take around 3 hours on the 18th.

[seven]

Fuckin' terrific,  I would imagine then, that the journey from airport to Pattaya may also take around 3 hours on the 18th.

You're not going to patts on the 18th, are you???

[ciobha]

I certainly am Mr.Seven  -  looking forward to it except for the whole songkran bit.

[pdogg]

Fuckin' terrific,  I would imagine then, that the journey from airport to Pattaya may also take around 3 hours on the 18th.

I think they are just trying to cover their

 

The highway should be OK.

 

The Pattaya streets will be open on the 18th albeit with lots of water play.

 

On the 19th the streets will be closed and Beach Road will have bands and mostly Thais with warm buckets of water rather than just idiot farangs with high powered guns.

 

I would suggest that you carefully wrap any electronic that could be damaged.

[ciobha]

Cheers Brother PD, good to hear.

 

I reckon on the 18th, the day I arrive, I will probably make my way down to the PBG at about 7p.m or so (if anyone is about and can brave a soaking, I will see you there) and then seek refuge back at HQ until the whole thing is over.

[seven]

I certainly am Mr.Seven  -  looking forward to it except for the whole songkran bit.

Oops, ciobha. Bring a good book :) 

Hope you have fun play water

[bumblebee]

Cheers Brother PD, good to hear.

 

I reckon on the 18th, the day I arrive, I will probably make my way down to the PBG at about 7p.m or so (if anyone is about and can brave a soaking, I will see you there) and then seek refuge back at HQ until the whole thing is over.

If I was in town I'd surely join you as that time would suit me perfectly.  Have fun pal, catch you next time.  I am sure EroticAdventurer will show you the Mouth Moy bar at some stage also.

[ciobha]

I shall look forward to it. Looking forward to meeting EA and of course Jaidee, provided they are available for a few cold one's, while I am in town.

[Eroticadventurer]

I shall look forward to it. Looking forward to meeting EA and of course Jaidee, provided they are available for a few cold one's, while I am in town.

The 18th at PBG 7 pm should be fine..haven't  been there since BB left.....I suspect the chance of me arriving dry is gonna be pretty remote from what I hear.

It will be my first Songkran and I stay closer to Suhkumvit Road Pattaya Klang so I may need a sherry instead of my normal Tiger Draught haha

[duke007]

BB left?...when was that?....lol

[ciobha]

See you then Mr.EA. If you want to PM me your number, I will contact you on arrival to finalise arrangements.

[bumblebee]

BB left?...when was that?....lol

Just bailed out for Songkran plus a week more or so.

[pdogg]

It helps the coffin business though

 

 

Massive Songkran festival travel spurs coffin business

Millions of people will travel out of the capital for homes in the provinces at the same period thus causing traffic jams on highways to the north, northeast and south.

 

The massive Songkran festival  travel will unavoidably bring highway accidents resulting in the high fatalities each year.
Forecast of this year’s road mishap  fatalities is about  300-400 deaths through the seven day period  described as ‘seven dangerous day of Songkran festival.

Last year only the first four day of the dangerous period  from April 11-14, 218 people have died from road accidents.
This year authorities were determined to bring down the figure with many campaign being launched.

 

However death couldn’t be avoided as long as massive festival travels continue.

 

But road accident death is making a businesses running, coffin making.

The business is lucrative during the period with coffin makers saying they  have had to stockpile their products in order to meet the demand.

 

 Workers at coffin making factories have had to increase their output especially during the period of Songkran and during the New Year as a result of the increased demand because of deaths from road accidents.

 

Coffin makers are thus one of the parties to profit from such unfortunate occurrences.

 

 “Coffins have evolved into many different designs with many varieties to choose from,” said one coffin maker Viroj Suriyaseni, a heir to Suriyaseni coffin supplier firm.

 

He said  the most popular are the white colored ‘Thep-phanom’ (with sculpture of deities, hands clasped in prayer adorning the covers).

 

At present, coffin makers are increasing their output to meet the demand during the so called ‘Seven Dangerous Days’ during festivals when traffic accident fatalities are the highest in the country, he said.

 

Coffins have become symbols of social status here in Thailand with price starting from 1,000 Baht for the regular white coloured ‘Thep-phanom’ coffins that have been popular for more than 50 years and some can fetch as much as hundreds of thousands Baht.

For example, coffins made from teak adorned with pearl inlays can cost as much as 600,000 Baht depending on the detail of the art work.

 

Normal demand for coffins is about one to two coffins per day but rises to seven or eight, or even 10 coffins per day during the ‘Seven Dangerous Days’ period which is a substantial increase.

That is why many suppliers start stocking up on coffins as early as March in order to keep up with demand, he said.

 

 Coffin manufactures  revealed that on top of the ‘Seven Deadly Days’ during major festivals in which many deaths occur, they will also have to shut down to allow workers to return home to celebrate with their families.

 

As a result of this, prior to major festivals, coffin making  will have to increase the production by at least 20 percent.

Many factory owners reveal that as of March, this year’s demand for coffins, especially pricy ones, have dropped significantly and distributors have had to lower their stocks. They say that demand for pricy expensive coffins have fallen by half and liturgy ceremonies which traditionally have been held for five days have now been reduced to only three days because of the economic down turn and the political unrest in the country.

 

 Every year during this period, coffin sales have been high especially in rural areas such as in the Esan or northeastern provinces. High demand for coffins during this period stems from the fact that many deaths occur on the roads because local people who have move to the cities to find work will take the opportunity during the festival to return home to visit friend and relatives and traffic accidents rise accordingly.

 

In fact, the Esan region is the highest purchaser of coffins during festivals and merchants say that the demand will only abate when the rainy season and the Buddhist Lent arrives.

 

 Coffin sales during the rainy season and Buddhist Lent drop significantly.

 

Another coffin maker said the drop is between 10 – 20 percent on average  due to fact that during Buddhist Lent, there is a lower percentage of alcohol intake resulting in less deaths on the roads.

 

The highest demand for coffins occurs during the cold season where we see the most deaths of the elderly from natural causes or otherwise in the country. The period from October to December of each year see the highest demand for coffins while during the ‘Seven Dangerous Days’ on every festival where people return to their homes in the provinces, coffin sales are very high in rural regions, he said.

 

The periods during festivals yield the highest statistics of death from road accidents. That is why they are known as the ‘Seven Dangerous Days’.

The main culprits are drunken driving, fatigue and sleeping at the wheel which as a consequence help to generate high demand for coffins which in hindsight is every human’s final resting place.

http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/massive-songkran-festival-travel-spurs-coffin-business/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=massive-songkran-festival-travel-spurs-coffin-business

[JaiDee]

Rained like a MFER here today, first time in more than 4 months.

 

   Wet season can't be too far behind.....

[Soc999]

I arrived in Pattaya at noon today. I was surprised that it was this fucked up.I am hoping it stops by 6 tonight.

[pdogg]

I arrived in Pattaya at noon today. I was surprised that it was this fucked up.I am hoping it stops by 6 tonight.

4/12 Must be tale of two cities as my experience on Pattaya Tai and my little soi was the complete opposite.

 

Many businesses closed as today is travel day to the provinces. 

 

It felt like a ghost town to me.

 

What parts of town are a war zone Soc?

 

Buackhaou, Sois 6-7-8?

[JaiDee]

Did my groceries, have everything else I need,  don't care one bit how fucked up it gets, I won't get one drop of water on me unless I jump in the pool!

[Jimslim]

 

 

Those big blue oil drum sized plastic bins commonly used as ammunition (water) containers during songkran spend 51 weeks of the year being used as waste-bins. They're due their annual rinse-out soon. Ear and eye infections will be plentiful, as always, not forgetting motorcyclists losing control as they get a face full as they ride by from some dumbass farang with a drainpipe sized water plunger hurling several gallons in a single go.

 

 

 

 

Luv the fun of Songkran with Thais...

 

Hate the stupid foreigners around who think its funny to spray filthy water at high speed towards faces.

 

That's it exactly the Thai's treat it as it is a fun water festival and the foreigners act like wankers .

[JaiDee]

I remember being outside the Pattaya Centre hotel, on that side soi which runs next to it.......some goofy German guys [are there any other kind?] were yukking it up and having a ball, and I was as well with a Ladyboy friend and some other Thais.  A very well-dressed, DRY, older Thai lady walks by, surely on her way to a job, and we all put our water pistols down so she could pass.  Except for those 2 Huns; they saw her as a target and blasted her with their water cannons until she was drenched.

 

Never seen dagger eyes like that, she was extremely pissed and let 'em have it..... Colonel Klink and his good buddy just kept laughing it up; assholes.

[bubba8221]

That's it exactly the Thai's treat it as it is a fun water festival and the foreigners act like wankers .

Lets not get carried away anointing Thais as being totally reasonable. I'll never forget the Thais standing most hours along the Hang Dong highway, just south of the airport in Chiang Mai, throwing water at anything moving. I read of a young lady going to work one morning on her moto when the morons tried to drench her. She swerved to avoid the water and was hit by a vehicle, either badly injuring her or killing her. (This was a few years back, details escape me.) Foreign idiots may rule in Pattaya, but Thais are everywhere.

[Eroticadventurer]

What a surprise!Today is the beginning of Songkran so I stocked up last night although not having ever been in LOS for these festivities am curious to see what it's like......so at 3 pm when I was saying goodbye to my current favourite LB I had expected to see water flying everywhere........not a drop to be seen  

Perhaps it's where I am staying off 3rd Road near Pattaya Klang.........looks as though it might rain though  

[SiamSam]

What a surprise!Today is the beginning of Songkran so I stocked up last night although not having ever been in LOS for these festivities am curious to see what it's like......so at 3 pm when I was saying goodbye to my current favourite LB I had expected to see water flying everywhere........not a drop to be seen  

Perhaps it's where I am staying off 3rd Road near Pattaya Klang.........looks as though it might rain though  

 

Venture out a few blocks below 3rd road. I guarantee you won't stay dry for long. 

[Foggy]

I did my first Songkran again in many many years ( maybe 20 odd ) in the back of a pick up truck with my GF and 5 other Thai's. We drove around for 5 odd hours from 10 am and it was a really good fun. 

 

90% of people including Farangs were taking it in the spirit it was intended and a pleasure to let the younger kids douse and powder this Farang's face every other stop. There was plenty of ice water delivered on me and all in the truck from the Thia's and we stopped a good few times and bought large chucks of ice too, to return the favour. All in good fun though.

 

I bailed out at 5pm ish to get home ( enough for me ) but I did see a Thai half under VW bettle and not moving with his scooter up the road a bit. Plenty of people drinking I guess and I even turned away many offers of beer too.

 

The morning after and going around the island there's absolutely no sign of what had taken place the day before..... perfect for me and now back to normal.

 

But then this Samui and its a whole diverent ball game to Pattaya.

 

Thankfully not all Pattaya Songkran people are wankers, but all Songkran wankers go to Pattaya