A festival of abnormality

By Suchada Tupchai

Songkran has ended, and now we are mopping up. Not the water, of course, that soon dries. But we are counting the cost in human terms, we are recovering from our injuries, and we are burying our dead. The increasingly maniacal methods of lobbing water at each other have become a menace, and the true spirit of Songkran is in danger of being snuffed out by the water wars that leave blood and tears in their wake.
The Road Safety Center has finalized the figures between April 7 and 16, aptly called “the 10 days of danger”. During this period there were a total of 5,327 accidents, 5,985 injuries and 476 deaths. Even though the death toll was less than the 595 total of last year, the figures represent a horrifying amount of sorrow for the ruined lives that lay behind this statistic.
The symbol of Songkran is no longer the joyful ceremonies held in anticipation of the year to come; it is now the dreaded accident, injury and death toll statistics. Figures are forecast in advance and ways are devised to reduce them, but the real figures are not much different each year. Thousands of accidents occur in the space of 10 days. Deaths result from the impetuous actions of the victims themselves, and from the actions of others: but they are still deaths. Behind each statistic is a tragedy.
Essentially, this is because of the changes in the ways Songkran is “played”. We have moved away from the traditions. Songkran has turned into a festival of abnormality. This is especially so with the young who lose control and in their excess distort Thai tradition. Even if we take the throwing of water as a norm, modifying water pistols and using pvc pipes or larger high powered water rifles leads to injuries, particularly to the eyes, while the spraying of dirty water, the water battles between motorcycle gangs, the rampant drunkenness and the brawling are all clearly dangerous and anti-social behavior.
In turn, this sets a bad example to foreign tourists who have no trouble participating in the local customs. Where else in the world can you stagger around drunk for several days blasting people with a water cannon? The excitement mounts into a frenzy in a leading tourist town like Pattaya, and the international media coverage generates more visitors and hence more mayhem the following year.
Increased tourism receipts are good for the economy, but abnormal methods of firing water at Songkran damages the cultural image in addition to ruining lives. Isn’t it about time that the relevant organizations, especially those involved in culture unite in bringing back Thai-ness? There is no need to go too far back in time in order to do so, just bring back the image of Thais playing Songkran in an orderly fashion and set a good example to tourists, reduce the madness, show the essential loveliness of the tradition, and lessen the tears and broken hearts each year.
Or is that too much to hope for?

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