Yes, I am back in Pattaya, and yes, I am under multiple attacks!
First, a little recent history that you have probably been following in the news.
About 10 days ago in Bangkok, the "red shirts" took up the same tactics as the "yellow shirts" and held huge demonstrations. Unfortunately, they got out of hand, the police interviened, and riots ensued.
A few days later, the ASEAN conference started here in Pattaya. Leaders from all over the region were gathering here, as were tons of police from all over Thailand. Traffic was in chaos before it started, so Ki and I made the wise decision to get out of town to Ko Samet. As we waited for our bus on the main highway, chatting to a nice policeman, we watched van after van of police officers and army arrive. It felt scary, but off we went to paradise, where we had no television, and no idea what was happening.
I have since heard that demonstrations got way out of hand in Pattaya, and that the world leaders were evacuated by helicopter.
When I got back to Pattaya after the conference had ended, I again got access to TV, and it was that day that the leader of the "yellow shirts" was gunned down in Bangkok, surviving 100 machine gun bullets to his car.
So, here I am in Thailand, and as I said under attack. Terrorists??? Muslim seperatists??? Red Shirts???? Yellow Shirts???? Police????? The Army????
Hell no, it's the Thai people themselves. It is the Songkran Festival, Thai New Year, and this is the location of the world's biggest water fight. It began about 6 days ago, but peaked here in Pattaya on Sunday, April 19.
People take to the streets in huge groups, gathering outside businesses along the street, with huge sound systems belting out dance music. They drink and dance on the street, on the speakers, on home built stages, partying all day and night. It is not a mean scary kind of partying that would probably take place in Canada, but fun and light, with lots of laughing and sillyness.
The streets are absolutely jammed with traffic that is often at a standstill. People load up pickup trucks with garbage cans full of water, and arm themselves with huge waterguns and buckets. This is to do battle with each other and the street partiers, who are similarly armed, also with high powered hoses.
Everyone is fair game, locals, tourist, young, old, people of foot, on motorcyles, and especially people on the Baht buses, open trucks with benches on the back. You are attacked mercilessly and repeatedly, it never stops. Even when you think you might have reached a quiet part of the block, somebody ambushes you with a bucket of water thrown from a third floor balcony.
It is sunny and scorching hot this time of year, so the water can actually feel quite good, even a little warm. Ah, but the resourceful and evil Thais have taken care of that, with many opting to fill their garbage cans with ice water. When you are walking down the street wet and hot in the 35 degree sunshine, and a couple of buckets of ice water hit you at the same time, you let out quite a scream!
It is an absolute riot, and just plain crazy. I have never seen anything like it in my life. Everyone is screaming and laughing, and no one gets mad. Everyone is soaking wet from head to toe, and also covered in white putty.
It is another New Year thing to walk up to a total stranger and smear white putty all over his face (or head, arms, body and clothes). I walked over a mile to my beach, as the Baht buses did not seem to be running. I looked like some kind of war victim when I arrived at the beach, but so did every other person.
Just before I arrived at the beach, I passed a gay bar crammed with revellers. Cute boys were out on the streets attacking all. One walked up to me and pulled open the top of my shirt, and poured a bucket of ice water down the back of the shirt... Eeeeee! Then two other guys decided that the front of my pants were too dry, so one of them held my pants open, while the other poured 2 buckets down the front. As Seinfeld would say, major shrinkage.
These pictures are not from my camera, which would have been ruined in minutes had I tried to use it. Everyone buys these nice little waterproof pouches which they wear around their necks, holding cell phones, i-pods and wallets. If not for the pouches, every cell phone in Thailand would not be working on Monday.
What about the people safely in closed window air conditioned cars, you ask. That must be the safest place to be. Yes, you do stay dry, but your car is absolutely pelted and smeared with white putty. Every single car in this city needs cleaning after Songkran ends.
Two of my favourite moments so far.
Coming home from the beach on Saturday evening, I was riding in a Baht bus with a grandmother, and her little grandson. The grandson was armed with a way too large watergun which he was gleefully firing at everyone we passed. Grandma was a typical little old lady, hair in a bun, sensible dress and shoes... you know, a grandmother. Did that make any difference..... no! People threw huge buckets of water at us and her, she screamed and laughed, her grandson fearlessly launching counter attacks.
The other moment came the next morning, when it was still relatively quiet. I was out in the neighbourhood looking for an ATM that would work. I passed a beautiful Sikh temple that was a few blocks from my guesthouse. Quietly, a smiling turbaned Sikh man peeked over the gold covered wall of the temple, and looked me in the eye. He pulled out a high powered water hose, and proceeded to soak me until I ran out of range. I don't know who was laughing harder, him or me, but it was one of those moments I will never forget.
If you want to see videos of the action, you should try you tube search on "Pattaya Songkran" or "Jomtien Songkran".
It is just about the most fun a person can have. Truly a very memorable part of this trip.
