Chiang Mai Death Trip – Songkran Celebrations
I get requests for guest posts from time to time here and typically I do my best to let others share their stories here. I think it lends some diversity to the blog and besides its just good karma to do so. Today I have a brief story from Colin at Farang in Thailand about Songkran in Chiang Mai and the return trip to Bangkok. I have to say that after celebrating Songkran in several places around the Kingdom over the years that Chiang Mai was definitely my favorite too. If you have the chance next year I would heartily recommend you take a trip up to Chiang Mai for Songkran.
Violently shaken out of my seat with hard cases of luggage falling on my legs, the screaming of passengers overloaded my senses, flickering lights added to the confusion and a wholly unnatural swaying movement to the surface I was sitting on distorted my thinking . Although this lasted only seconds I can remember every detail and it was my first near death experience in Thailand, but not last. The Valium suddenly had stopped working!
Like many have experienced and many of whom will validate, this is a common tale of the night bus from Chiang Mai to Bangkok. The bus driver had possibly fallen asleep or had avoided an animal and the bus violently swayed back and forth on the road causing the whole bus to panic and blood pressure to sky rocket. The bus driver regained composure and we continued our journey.
The night bus is a very popular service with backpackers traveling between the two cities as it’s cheap and runs every night. Running from 2100hrs it can take up to 10 hrs to reach Bangkok, over 700km away. During this particular trip my girlfriend and I had just spent the last four days celebrating Songkran in Chiang Mai with some friends, the coach was full of very tired people who had celebrated for days with water fights and obscene quantities of alcohol. That brief near death moment woke us all up and we had a long long journey back to Bangkok thinking about the last few days in Chiang Mai. Calling it a near death experience would be bit of an exaggeration, but scary as hell it was.
Songkran is the Buddhist celebration of new year held every April in Thailand involving massive water fights. The city of Chiang Mai is legendary for its Songkran celebrations and they can often go on for 6 days, with locals and farangs both joining in. The throwing of water started many years ago, a way to show respect to your elders, the water was often poured over Buddhas for a blessing, to obtain good luck for the next year. Over the years this turned into one mass water fight that centralizes around the moat the surrounds the old city.
People drive around on Tuk-Tuks, motorbikes and on the back of trucks throwing water at people who in turn target the vehicles driving around the moat. There are Thai entrepreneurs selling buckets and water guns from stalls set up on the side of the road and there are huge barrels of water placed on the streets so people can fill up their water guns and buckets. It’s a water fight on an epic scale and highlight of any trip to Thailand, I’ll definitely be doing it again. April is also the hottest month in Thailand and the water most definitely helps you cool down. Visit Chiang Mai to experience this iconic Thai festival, just be prepared to get very wet.
I’m moving to Chiang Mai in August 2011, I’ve grown a little bored of my life in the UK and I’m ready for a new challenge. I’ve been blogging about my move to Chiang Mai here at Farang in Thailand; the blog contains practical information about moving to Thailand and journals my personal experience of Thai music, Thai food, Thai people and traveling in S.E Asia. Follow me on twitter.
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This looks like a hell of a lot of fun, but for some reason I always seem to miss Songkran.
Songkran day is awesome. You can take it everywhere in Thailand.
I agree, I live in CM and 6 days of Songkran gets old very quick. I hate getting on my motorbike to go see a movie or out to a nice restaurant for dinner and being totally soaked by the time i get there. I’ve decided that April’s a good time to go and visit family in the USA. I’ll leave CM for the drunks and the tourists. Hopefully they’ll all be gone by the time i return in May. Have fun!!
This looks like a hell of a lot of fun, but for some reason I always seem to miss Songkran. I had to be in the UK this year and didn’t get back to Chiang Mai until the beginning of June, and next year I’ll be up working in Mongolia. I want to throw water!
Hopefully you’ll get the chance to experience Songkran at least once sometime soon, because it IS a hell of a lot of fun. I’ve been in Thailand 5 times for Songkran and can’t wait for the next one!
Dear Steve:
I am responding from the United States. I understand you are thinking of moving to Chaing Mai in August 2011.
Currently, I own a house in Doi Sakett. If you go to INFOCUS.com Real Estate, you will find the house under house for sale. My son Angelo Fragala passed away while I was speaking with him on Skype and left this cute house. Presently, I am trying to sell it. If you are interested, I would love to speak to you and give you further information. Thank you in advance.
Ernestne
Hi Ernestine,
I’m already living in Bangkok, the post was written by a gentleman by the name of Colin. You can get in touch with him here: http://faranginthailand.com/
Songkran is an official holiday throughout Thailand where there are
parades, beauty pageants, singing, dancing in the streets and lots of
water. Visitors should expect to become totally drenched. I am not sure if they love every minute of it??
Today, the most famous spot for Songkran revelry is in the northern city of Chiangmai, where it has morphed into a water fight. Kinda lost its meaning.
There are a staggering amount of traffic fatalities every year during the Songran festival, normally alcohol is the main contributing factor. It is strongly recommended to avoid driving during these holidays, as even if you are sober, you can be assured that you will be one of the few that are.
Songkran is a pretty fun holiday to celebrate, but I’m usually over it after the first day. I can’t imagine celebrating for a week like they do up north. It’s also probably one of the most dangerous holiday’s ever conceived. It never feels like Songkran until the first ambulance arrives. Lucky for us here in Phuket, that’s usually around 10am.
I think as long as you have nothing else to do then a week of Songkran can be fun. If you have to work or get anything accomplished though it can get old very fast. We spent Songkran in Chiang Mai one year and I was still going strong after 6 days, but I had nothing else to distract me from the celebration