Liquid ammunition
Flack jacket and protective gear...check.
Gun...check.
Ammo...check.
Map outlining area of operations...check.
Out there, it's an urban war. A guerrilla war. The kind of war where you just never know when you're going to get hit...
It's my first time in battle and I feel every bit the nervous, green soldier. My recon partner seems more relaxed, probably because she's been in-country before. We're camped in a green-zone right in the middle of the action, just outside the main walls of the old city. Our objectives are to survey the surrounding area, locate food supplies, and observe enemy movements.
I'm in a state of sensory overload. In the distance, I hear the shrieks of other soldiers in battle. It's hot. Sticky hot. My hands feel clammy. I can't help but flinch at every moving object, automatically steeling myself for an onslaught. I feverishly suck down a couple of litres of chlorinated, sodium-enriched water.
This war has been going on for years...an internal conflict that more and more foreign mercenaries are beginning to join, many simply for the thrill of adventure. Our intelligence reports that child soldiers, some as young as three years, are willfully participating. The enemy are camped in all directions, waiting for any opportunity to snipe unsuspecting newbies like me. I'm told the locals target your head and neck. Worse still, the foreign mercenaries, many of whom are outrageously high on a plethora of drugs, unforgivingly aim for the face.
Our orders are to move out. I step out into the fray.
I see thousands of enemy lining the streets, unafraid of opposing movements...seconds later I'm hit with an almighty salvo of liquid ammunition. I look around for my partner - she's been hit as well. We rush for cover, but they're everywhere.....
In the middle of April, there's no need to shower or wash your clothes in Chiang Mai. The locals (and many farang) kindly do it for you as you wear them walking down the street. The scene is called 'Songkran', a festival of pure aquatic pandemonium, where the Thai's celebrate the onset of their lunar new year.
Chiang Mai, roughly 700km north-east of Bangkok, is reputed to be Thailand's Songkran epicentre, as many Thais travel back to their home province for the holiday period, and many farang fill the hostels and hotels excited about being able to experience the world's biggest and longest water fight.
Back in the day, Chiang Mai was a key pit stop for traders traversing the Asian continent and beyond. The city was therefore also a hotspot for the good old frictional game of conquer and control. In the 11th century, a bloke by the name of King Mengrai built a square wall and moat around the city, in a bid to stop the city's arch-rivals, the Burmese mob, from getting in.
These days, the wall has pretty much been demolished by time, and temporary pumps provided by the government suck water out from the moats to now service a different fight.
Literally tens of thousands of people line the streets in Chiang Mai every day for four days during the festival. The roads close to the moat move at a snail's pace, with ute-loads of people liberally dispensing with barrels and barrels of water. Sort of like George St Sydney on a Saturay night, only with gallons and gallons of water. And less greasy hairdos.
Just about every kid - old and young - has a water pistol/cannon. The ones that don't, are likely swinging or jumping from trees into the dark grey moat water.
From a spiritual perspective, Thais celebrate Songkran by 'bathing' Buddha images; and the hands of monks and elders' are sprinkled with water (more on that later...).
Songkran for me was a wonderfully foreign experience. I couldn't help but think that something like it just wouldn't work in Australia, especially on a national scale...people would just get too agro, go over the top and the police would have to jump in, a la the Cronulla riots.
The people in Chiang Mai were dripping with joy and celebration...an amazing atmosphere to experience.
Here's a few more pics to demonstrate more of the craziness that is Thailand's yearly Songkran festival:
Ice was big on the streets of Chiang Mai. The locals would buy a block like this, dunk it into a huge barrel, fill the barrel with water, then splash or pour said water on your head. A good way to get over a hangover.
One of the most random experiences, there was a end-of-festival parade through the streets of Chiang Mai, finishing at the provincial Ambassador's residence. We ended up joining in with the beating drums, cymbals, singing and dancing. The lady next to me gave me my lei, as she was impressed with my pink singlet (a colour considered regally respectful in Thailand).
Big wet action from the back of the utes.
More action on the streets. Note the guy with the cannon at the bottom right.
Thousands of people lined the streets.
I'm not sure if this kid was scared of this guy because he was dressed like RoboCop, or because of the imminent soaking he was about to receive.
Fetching water from the moat.
