Scorching heat and foreboding
clouds couldn’t dampen the enthusiasm of Pattaya-area residents and tourists as
they brought the annual Songkran festival to a water-soaked close.
Staff reporters
Scorching heat and foreboding clouds couldn’t dampen the enthusiasm of
Pattaya-area residents and tourists as they brought the annual Songkran festival
to a water-soaked close.
The “Wan Lai” water-throwing finales in Naklua, April 18, and Pattaya, April 19,
saw streets mobbed with soggy, powder-covered and sometimes-drunken revelers
with street vendors offering up more weapons and drink, and police trying to
break up fights, keep an eye out for handbag snatchers and keep traffic at least
crawling.
Former Chonburi MP Poramet
Ngampichet pours water on the hands of Diana Group MD Sopin Thappajug.
Some attempts at reverence were made. In Naklua, religious
services began at Lan Po Park at 7 a.m., followed by the giving of dried food
and rice as alms to 90 monks from Wat Jittapawan. Former Culture Minister
Sukumol Kunplome, Banglamung District Chief Sakchai Taengho and Pattaya Mayor
Itthiphol Kunplome led the ceremony, which was followed by ceremonial water
sprinkling onto a Lord Buddha statue and onto the hands of elderly
representatives from Pattaya’s 44 neighborhoods. Then came the annual Lord
Buddha parade through the market and park communities.
Robert John Lohrmann, General
Manager of Centara Grand Mirage Beach Resort Pattaya, pours water on the hotel’s
Lord Buddha image.
Around Naklua Soi 13, police helped tourists and directed
traffic, particularly on North Road, which was surprisingly clear of cars headed
west. The same could not be said of Sukhumvit Road, which was bumper-to-bumper
throughout the day.
On April 19 in Pattaya, Itthiphol and former MP Poramet Ngampichet started the
alms-giving ceremony at Chaimongkol Temple, then sprinkled water on a Lord
Buddha statue and the elderly an hour later.
As part of the Thai traditions organized by the temple, sand pagodas were built
by residents from the Wat Chaimongkol, Arunothai, Kophai and Soi Yensabai
communities while contestants climbed oily posts for prizes and cheers.
Elephants at Nong Nooch Tropical
Gardens pour lustral water on the Buddha statues there.
The elderly also were paid respect to, and listened to dharma
lessons at the Sanctuary of Truth during its water-pouring ceremony. More than
30 senior citizens attended and blessed temple administrators and employees.
Nine monks from Banglamung and Jittapawan temples performed religious ceremonies
while 50 employees from Queen Sirikit Naval Medical Center and members of the
Laem Ratchawaet Elderly Club participated in traditional activities.
The Diana Group and Pattaya Journalists Association organized a similar ceremony
for employees and more than 20 rescued children at the Diana Garden Resort. Phra
Chonyanmunee, abbot of Uthokkhep Simaram Temple, and Watchara Netnoi, judge at
the Court of Appeals Region 4, presided over the event, which featured
meditation and dharma lessons.
Pattaya citizens pour water on a
Lord Buddha image during Naklua’s Wan Lai.
Diana Group Managing Director Sopin Thappajug led the
water-pouring ceremony with Pattaya Deputy Mayor Ronakit Ekasingh, along with
current and former city officials.
The Diana Group and journalist association donated 10,000 baht to sponsor a
vegetable garden project at the Anti-Human Trafficking and Child-Abuse Center
and 11,200 baht for disabled programs at the Sattahip Office of Non-Formal and
Informal Education.
Pattaya’s annual Buddha parade then slogged through the streets from the temple
to Walking Street, with revelers pouring water on anything that moved. The
entire parade route was lined by citizens pouring water on a Lord Buddha statue,
and were in turn sprayed with holy water by monks.
The quieter side of Songkran -
Citizens present alms to monks, offering rice and dried food at Lan Po Public
Park.
The Pattaya Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department
staged a fire truck outside Central Festival Pattaya Beach to offer water to
revelers, who filled a closed Beach Road from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
A thousand police officers and volunteers were out in force to keep order. There
were a few fights and drunken disorderly events, and police did have to contend
with 10 reports of bag snatchings, some purportedly by a Vietnamese gang using
sharp blades to slice open bags and steal smartphones.
There was plenty of Songkran activity happening elsewhere as well.
Up to 500 people attended a “Drink, Dive, Duck” party on Pattaya’s Songkran day
Saturday at the A-One Royal Cruise Hotel while Richman Toy, Pek Phalitchom, Dome
Jaruwat, and Ten-Ploy Mike Idol headlined a concert at the Hard Rock Hotel.
City Councilman Rattanachai Sutidechanai hosted Central Festival Pattaya Beach’s
“Wan Lai” party at the beachfront mall and the Centara Grand Mirage Beach Resort
organized an alms-giving ceremony and water-pouring event for Thai and foreign
guests, as well as about 50 employees.
General Manager Robert John Lohrmann invited nine monks from Chaimongkol Temple
to accept alms and offer New Year’s blessings.
Finally, in Sattahip, District Chief Phawat Lertmukda and his wife Naphat, the
head of the Sattahip Red Cross, led representatives from the public and private
sectors to the area’s Lord Buddha water-pouring ceremony.
Phawat blessed and thanked everyone who attended for making Sattahip a livable
district. He encouraged them to continue working for residents and eradicate
drugs.
Former Culture Chairperson Sukumol
Kunplome dances in the parade.
‘Lao Kratop Mai’ or the bamboo
tapping dance being performed by students from Pattaya School No. 9.
Dancers perform in traditional
Thai dress.
Pattaya students dance to the song
“Malengpoo Tom Dok” (bees swarming over flowers).
Citizens scream in delight after
the cash atop the oiled post was successfully retrieved.
Everyone, both Thai and foreign,
enjoys Songkran in Pattaya.
Beautiful pretties enjoy Songkran
at Big C in North Pattaya.
Giving Charlie’s Angels a run for
their money.
Sukhumvit was all but closed down
during the festivities.
A lovely lass from the A-One Royal
Cruise Hotel fills guests water bottles.
Ready or not, here it comes!
Youths sure have fun throwing
water on each other.
These guys set up their own foam
party on Thepprasit Road.
The A-One Royal Cruise Hotel
organized a mini-concert and foam party, and provided water to Thai and foreign
customers.
Getting around on a motorbike
during Songkran is not always the safest.
Even the motorcycle taxis are fair
game.
Pek Phalitchom sings his hit song
‘Rue Khae Khum Khum’.
The youngsters certainly enjoy
spraying water on people they don’t know.
Dome Jaruwat, The Star 8, sings
‘Ruang Jing Ruang Sudthai’.
Go ahead! Hit the target and watch
the girl fall into the water.
