And for the fourth time in two years, I’m back in Bangkok! I promised myself to visit other countries also but the timing for my trip aligns with Songkran.
Songkran is Thailand new year. For most Thais it means going back to your hometown and doing a few Thai traditions. For most tourists, it’s a get wet party along Khao San Road or Silom.
I flew in Bangkok on April 10th which allowed a few days to enjoy the city. I was reading tips online and the summary is that I have to expect to get wet.
I was armed with this cute Hello Kitty water gun which we got for THB 129 near the entrance to Khao San Road.
Before anything else, we found this massage place and I got a Thai foot massage for THB 200!
We had a place in Nonthaburi and left a little before 10. It was still early and we just decided to follow the crowd.
It was quite an experience. I brought my passport with me which I secured in a bag as well as my phone. I was so relieved to find out it survived! We stayed there until about 2 in the afternoon.
It was a bit crazy. People shoot water guns at each other, but mostly people just walk around in the heat. Some vendors sell water to refill your water guns or splash us all which was a bit refreshing though the cold water hitting your body is always a surprise. A lot of kids shot me mostly hitting my mouth right at the time I open it. I don’t know how hot it was that day but the water is refreshing.
I can’t say I thoroughly enjoyed my Songkran experience. It was full of people, loud, and noisy aka everything that bothers me. It was certainly one of a kind though! People of all ages go there and everyone just gets wet. There are groups of tourists, friends, solo people. I think it would attract the crowd of people who enjoy clubbing, dancing, that sort of thing.
Guards are all over the area for security purposes and they are the only ones dry among the crowd. If you’re a tall white guy, expect to be a target. People will most likely hit you with your water gun because you won’t be able to see them. There were also people who have just arrived in Bangkok that day and were on their way to their accommodation in Khao San. Even they were not spared from being wet. People who were leaving wrapped their bags in plastic to avoid it getting wet.
I vowed to myself that this is the last time I’ll be visiting Thailand (for now). I think I have exhausted my to-do list there and my last visit has reminded me a lot of my previous visit.
Here’s a picture of me sat in a bar and answering emails while the party was ongoing. Yup… I was answering work emails while in a party, willingly. At this point I was just really exhausted and felt like my whole energy was drained by my interaction with people. The bar gave us these free hats which is so fitting because I’m also a Leo in my zodiac sign.
The view from our place in Nonthaburi!
Hedda Damasco 