This would be our 2nd Songkran where we decided to stay behind in Bangkok; our first being in 2012 when Spud was barely 2 years old and I was quite pregnant with Squirt!

Similar to 2012, most of our friends are away for the long vacation, and we pretty much are  left to our own devices  over the long weekend with 2 very busy kids. We did not plan for much, kept our days open and as flexible as we can. It turned out to be a good thing as Squirt has unfortunately has gotten sick for a couple of days  – which resulted in us being a little distressed as Squirt got super crabby and cranky from being unwell, while his big sister tested our (im)patience by yet again, pushing her boundaries for the hell of it to test her (our) limits.

The upside of staying behind in Bangkok for Songkran was the sheer fact that the roads were quiet with little or no traffic jams at all. We can get to anywhere in downtown Bangkok within 5 or 10 minutes and it was relatively easier to find parking spaces in the shopping malls. We stayed away from the major dousing areas , preferring to stay within enclosed or “safe” areas where we would be safe from being sprayed by water.

The downside of being on the road during this time of the year was the fact that there were a lot more drunk people driving around in pick-up trucks that were filled to the brim or riding their motorbikes, some with little children as pillions as they join in the festivities. Not a very pleasant sight to come across ; especially so  when you are constantly being reminded that Songkran happens to be one of the most deadliest driving days of the year. (2014 official numbers are not in yet, and if you see how the motorists are subjected to driving under such circumstances – even if you drive sober!), you would understand why death toll could be so high)

We did our due diligence of being extra cautious while in the car by locking our doors from the inside to eliminate the potentially annoying (not to mention, dangerous) attack of revelers opening your car door and spraying you with water in the name of Songkran.

Here are some shots I managed to shoot as we drove past several “check-points” in downtown Bangkok:

I bet it must have been really fun to  douse and be doused, but for now, we are all quite happy to stay dry. Happy, happy Songkran everyone!

Related post(s):

Songkran 2012