(This is likely to be the last issue of this Blog on this site, as the limitations of this host are getting more than tiresome. If you like to continue reading my entries, then check out the Blog's new home at http://huahinblog.tk. I like Google but this site keeps messing things up, and enough is enough!)
Today is the last of the three-day holiday called Songkran, the traditional Thai (and Cambodian) New Year. The true peak of the festival was Sunday — that's the day when there's all the water throwing and face pasting that Songkran is famous for. (Anyway, here are some pictures of Songkran celebrations in Hua Hin — but only if you're viewing this at Huahinblog.tk!) Monday (yesterday) is otherwise known as 'Family Day', when Thai families get together, including the younger folk who spend most of the year working away from home. But what is Songkran, and why is it celebrated with water fights and dousings? Let me explain:
The word "Songkran" comes from the ancient Sanskrit language, meaning to pass or to move, and this was the Thai New Year until they adopted the Western New Year in 1941. The peak day of the festival is "Maha Songkran Day" , New Year's Day, when daytime equals nighttime and the sun is at its highest — which is also when Thailand experiences some of the hottest days of the year! According to the legend, the seven daughters of Tao Maha Songkran, King Kabillabrama, are the Songkran goddesses. They were given responsibility for looking after their beheaded father's head. Before his death, the king asked his daughters to put his head on a pedestal, which is the origin of the heat. If his head were allowed to be placed on the earth, there would be no rain and no water in the oceans or rivers, and so the seven daughters took turns holding their father's head up. As this task involved being close to the source of all heat, young people would help the sisters by pouring cool water over their hands, asking for blessings in return. This has somehow evolved into wild water splashing. Despite regular criticism by many older and more pious Buddhists, most activities now seem focused on parties, drinking and splashing water. I'll bet you're glad you learned that!
Sadly, Songkran is not only the main fun festival of the year but also the time when Thailand's usually dangerous roads become virtual death-traps, with a yearly peak in traffic accidents and casualties. According to this morning's newspaper, this year's holiday death toll on the highways and city streets rose to 180 killed during the first three of the "seven dangerous days" of Songkran. According to the authorities, there were 1,018 road accidents on Sunday alone, with 76 deaths, and 1,103 injuries. As well as the 180 killed, the three big days saw 2,514 people injured in a total of 2,238 accidents. The government, as usual, blamed it all on drunk drivers, as if the lack of driving licences, a farcically easy driving test and infamously dormant traffic police had nothing to do with it. Better to blame public vice than government inefficiency and venality, I suppose!
As a result of this misplaced blame, Thailand's Interior Minister has announced plans to ban all alcohol during the Songkran holidays. A fine and noble idea, maybe, but how it will prevent road carnage is unclear. For example, while Tesco's and other foreign supermarkets will have to comply, most local shops will continue to sell booze, and what's to stop folk stocking up on booze the week before? What's more, another supremely naïve individual, the secretary-general of the No Drinking and Driving Foundation, wants to extend this ban to all other festive occasions. The ban on booze sales during election weekends has proved to be as effective as a tissue paper raincoat and any other such ban would be equally unproductive. But what the hell! You could paper the walls of the Pentagon with the useless laws passed and unenforced in Thailand, what harm would one more do.
Enough about Songkran. The bungalow next to my house is owned by a Swedish couple, presently working for Ericsson in Jo'burg, South Africa. They only visit here for a couple of weeks a year but they are currently renting their bungalow to some friends of theirs, two families from Sweden. One of the families was here last year but for the other, it's their first time in Hua Hin. The more experienced family are today en route to Koh Talu, a tiny island off the coast of southern Prachuap Kirikhan, about 200km south of Hua Hin. It takes just over 2½ hours by car to reach the ferry port, which is actually a beach near Bang Sapan, and then you have to wade out to a small boat – so don't come wearing designer clothes! There are 2 resorts on the island, the smaller and cheaper Mook Bay (very popular with day trippers) and the larger, more expensive but much more attractive Big Bay resort. My wife and I stayed at the latter back in June 2006 and we had a great time. However, when we went out snorkelling near the truly spectacular cliffs (the island's name means hollowed-out cliffs), I slipped under the boat and the barnacles rather changed the appearance of my legs! I didn't notice a thing until we returned to the resort, when the lady at the beachside bar almost screamed and pointed to my rather bloody legs. However, she and the 'guest relations' guy (nice chap named Lek, look him up if you go there) treated my leg and cleaned it up, so a sort of happy ending. However, if ever you do visit that lovely spot, be sure to take a mosquito coil with you, as the rooms don't have mosquito nets and the electricity isn't 24-hour on such a remote island. However, it's worth a trip, though a day trip might not be so worthwhile -- you only get to spend about 4 hours on the island! The other Swedish family are staying here in Hua Hin, exploring the town now that the water shooters have retreated for another year. (If you'd like to visit there, I recommend the agent we used. If you'd like to know more, let me know.)
Yesterday was the 4th birthday of my son and so we had a small party to celebrate. Being Hua Hin, the guests were pretty varied — British, Japanese, German, Swedish, Laotian and, of course, Thai. The weather began rather cloudy, which led me to fear we might get the 2nd rainstorm of the year. However, no such rain came and the day was typically hot and sunny. It must be said that this climate does make celebrating outside a lot easier and more enjoyable. My boy was able to make maximum use of the slide I gave him as a present, and the adults were able to consume a whole lot of food and booze — they haven't banned it yet! A lot of the food was provided by two of the Thai ladies present, namely our maid and my wife's office assistant. Fried chicken, sandwiches, pâté, Thai noodles (too spicy for me!), and two large birthday cakes. As I finished my chemotherapy last Monday, I was able to enjoy my first beer since last August. OK, I tempered the alcohol by adding lots of ice (beer 'on the rocks' is common here, as it keeps it cool and allows one to drink for longer) but it was still nice. The beer was 'Leo', a milder brew very suitable for hot afternoons — and for those who haven't had alcohol for a long, long time! Sorry to all the prohibitionists and temperance folk, but when it's hovering around 40c (that's 104f for those still living in the past) on the lawn, a cold beer certainly seems to be fitting.
Anyway, it's another hot and sunny day here in Hua Hin, currently around 43c (109f) with today's low having been a very tolerable 24c (75f). The wife's at her office, the boy is with a babysitter and I am just about ready for my pre-prandial siesta. So have a good week, dear reader, and I'll catch you next Tuesday.
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