Last week was Songkran. From the 13th until the 15th, Thailand turns into a wet, drunken water fight as the whole country takes to the streets to celebrate the biggest holiday in Thailand.
Songkran has its roots in Buddhism. Its a celebration of the traditional new year, a time to clean and renew, for new hope and beginnings, to....OK. Just read all about it on Wikipedia because for most people, it means just one thing... Water fights, food and whisky. Yep, its party time Thai style!
So at 8.30 am, we did have a bit of traditional five minutes as we all went round to Grandmas house to dribble some 'blessed' water on her hands and say 'thank you' for err everything before heading straight onto the busy ring-road to 'play' water. One of Fon's 'uncles' had set up a tent, some huge water tanks, laid on some food and drinks and by the time we arrived at just gone 9 am, half the adults were already pissed! I forgot to mention. The music. That damned Thai music. Boom boom boom and lots of wailing at a BPM that would have Drum 'n Bass panting as it tried to keep up!
Songkran Instructions
So what you do is this: It's not difficult! You stand on the road, stop every vehicle that moves, and pour buckets of water over every living soul. For those that try to avoid the drenching, high-powered water guns take care of them!
Rinse and repeat until the whisky runs out or everyone is a drunken coma.
A final note before you reach the photos. My old Xiaomi 9 managed to take two of the finest photos I've ever taken...right before I got it soaked, which is why the last couple of pictures are rather blurred. If you'd been there and drinking, this is possibly what your vision would have been like later on in the day so I will just lie and say I did this on purpose for added realism!
I'm starting with my favourite picture! My old phone caught the moment perfectly, especially the closed eyes of the old guy as he looked away to miss the water!
The kids, and a few adults, were lined up at the side of the ring road, ready to ambush every passing car and bike.
Uncle had kindly provided a pair of 1000 litre water tanks to ensure there would be no water shortages!
The rest of the adults had gathered under the tent in the spectators gallery, simply enjoying the food, whisky and music...
...That was being pumped out of these two speaker stacks which were, in my opinion, rather too close to the water action for comfort!
The irrigation system was completed by feeding water from the two big tanks into two smaller water butts strategically placed right next to the road for fast top-up times!
Another of my favourite shots. Four people, including a baby, on one motorcycle about to get drenched under an avalanche of icy cold water! What could possibly go wrong?!
A post phone getting wet photo! The pack surrounds a defenseless woman and child on a scooter!
And if people don't slow down and stop, simply run into the road and stop them!
Everyone enjoying an epic battle with one of the many pick-up trucks who spend the day marauding the island armed with water butts and infantry divisions of water-gun toting conscripts!
And that was that for another year! I have to be honest. This was the first full-on Songkran for 3 years and normally, after over a dozen years here, I've grown to be rather bored of it and find it nothing but a hassle. This year though, with it all being fresh and new again, I had an absolutely wonderful day! Normal Scrooge mode will return next April!
Wouldn't it be nice if real wars could be settled this way!
PS If anyone wants to join in next year, I pinned our base camp to the wonderful 