PATTAYA, Thailand – Songkran, Thailand’s iconic New Year water festival, has long drawn tourists eager to join in the nationwide splashes and street celebrations. But for many long-term visitors in Pattaya, what was once a brief, festive diversion has become a weeks-long ordeal, combining inflated prices, crowded streets, and chaotic revelry that can sour even the most enthusiastic participant.
“I was there in 2023 for Songkran and hated it,” said one long-term resident. “I plan my travel around being outside Thailand then. I’m leaving Thailand, not coming back until after Songkran.”
While local pockets of celebration still retain charm, such as Naklua’s festival on April 18, many report that central Pattaya has spiraled into near-manic levels. “Used to be OK, fun, only a couple days and in the evening in party areas but now nope… now all day, all week, anywhere,” one commenter noted. “Most in my condo will only leave early or take a short trip to 7/11 or even out of town… it’s a hassle.”
Rising costs for food, drinks, and nightlife exacerbate the frustration. “Greed prices of booze at nightlife will make many more stay away,” said another. Several commenters expressed a broader disillusionment with the festival. “Songkran should just be for Thai people and foreigners should just sit back and enjoy the spectacle instead of trying to take over everything and turning it into a drunken brawl,” one resident suggested.
Even the festival’s safety record has drawn criticism. “Thailand always says it’s a time for celebration, but on average 400 people will die over that period through alcohol and water-related incidents. Tell the families it’s a celebration,” wrote one online.
Despite the chaos, some tourists and locals still embrace the spirit of Songkran. “It would be great if it only lasted 1 or 2 days, but it goes on for too long,” commented another Pattaya resident. Non-tourist areas reportedly maintain shorter, more manageable celebrations, with a maximum of three days of festivities.
For long-term residents and cautious travelers, Songkran in Pattaya has become a test of patience rather than pure joy — a festival marked as much by excess and disorder as by tradition and cultural pride.
