OK ... Ive just realised we will be in Bangkok during the Songkran Festival, starting on Sunday 13th April. I dont know too much about this Festival, apart from the fact that there is usually a lot of water throwing!!! I guess thats no major problem - probably good to cool down ... but what I want to know is will this affect anything while we are in Bangkok? ie. will shops/markets/restaurants still be open? Most importantly - will the Chatuchuk Mkts be open on that Sunday 13th?
Thanx - Kitty

Oh ..... just remembered one more question!!! Where would be the best place to look for mp3 players in Bangkok? Im told Pantip Plaza is the best "IT" place, but would there be good places to buy in the MBK Centre? Yes yes .... I know you think thats probably a silly question and you will say "of course there are good shops there" OK ... can you then please tell me what they are called??? Once again - thank you good forum users for all your very helpful answers to my many q's.

hi i think that dependant on where you are the festival can get a bit hairy in Bangkok so best stay away from Koh sanroad.
Don't know about shops and things.
MP3 well i bought Dave an MP4 for christmas and it is still in the box it is the most complicated thing i have ever come across. So can't help you there.....useless really me.

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Kiss
God laughs at people who make plans.

Ummm... Jax ... can you define "hairy"??? Do you mean lots and lots of water throwing or just more chaos on the streets or what? We will be in Siam Square, staying at the Novotel. So ... what happens on Koh San Road??? Having never been there - got no idea of roads or locations.
Well ... Im not very with the times then am I? I didnt even know there was such a thing as a MP4 player!!!???
Thanx for your reply.
(PS - 27 kg is awesome - congrats!)
Kitty

is pretty much contained to Khao San Road as far as I am told, but I avoided traveling that day (having bacterial dyed water thrown at me and / or people on motorbikes is not my idea of fun). In Phuket, it is total lunacy and starts even the previous day; it was the one day we never left home.

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But ... Mark, doesnt the Songkran Festival run for a week or so? Or is it only madness on the first day? Hopefully that Does that mean we will be dodging water for the whole 4 days we are in Bangkok?? I hope not, as it will be hard enough getting around in a new city, let alone if we are having to watch out for water throwers all the time.
Kitty

Hi Kitty

We were in Bangkok for Songkran last year and it was great, Bangkok was very quite, lots of people had left the city, everything we wanted was still very accessible: dentist, glasses lots of shopping and fab food. Yes we got wet a couple of times, but that was all the more fun.

The koh san rd bit is only what friends were telling me the other week they were staying on there and watching from a vantage point. They said that at one stage the police were called in but things dispearsed quickly.
we will be in Thailand this year for it not sure where yet. Hope that it does not go too over the top. may be somewhere around krabi or koh lanta even phuket but not patong.

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Kiss
God laughs at people who make plans.

Hi, we were in Phuket for it some years ago, we didnt know anything about it till we walked out of our hotel the 1st night, we saw something going on but we thougt it was people messing about till we got a bucket of water over us! , the next day we just sat a bar watching it all going on but still couldnt escape the occasional soaking! having never experienced anything like that before we found it a great laugh and in the opressing heat the water was a great relief!! it went on there for about a couple of days.

JJ market will be open, but there will be many, many shops which are closed.

I would strongly recommend staying inside during the day if you are in a popular tourist area and don't want to get wet. Every year I have tried a new tack for the festival (which usually runs for 4/5 days on KSR). I have tried the water fights, I have tried locking myself inside and all other combinations in between. I think as a tourist just head for a tourist area, put your phone in a condom, wrap your cash in plastic and away you go. Just enjoy. At night all the restaurants and shops are open. There is a good atmosphere, just stay away from the 'youths' on KSR who all get loaded with Lao Khao and like to fight.

As for MP3, do not go to Pantip or MBK. They are dens of thieves. Go to Fortune Town instead (Rama 9). It is much better and you will have less chance of being ripped off. I can't recommend an actual shop, but they are better than the places in MBK and Pantip.

famous last word it looks like we may be in phuket- patong for the festival...........

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Kiss
God laughs at people who make plans.