The post-Songkran period with the beginning of monsoon season in Phuket generally starts seeing the decline in tourist arrivals. To entice more tourists to visit the islands in this period, TAT (Tourism Authority of Thailand) office in Phuket has agreed on two major events in Patong: those are Phuket Bike Week 14-21 April and Phuket Gay Pride 22-28 April 2013.

The 19th annual Phuket Bike Week 2013, taking place from 14 -21 April right after the world famous Songkran Festival (Thai New Year) at Patong Beach, is the biggest motorcycle event in Asian. The theme of this year is “ASEAN Ride Together”. It was expected to attract over 5,000 motorcycles with more than 30,000 visitors from 26 countries, bringing more than 600 million baths of revenue to the island. During 8 days 8 nights of the festival, there were so many activities happening in the town, especially at the main stage in Lomar Park on the Patong beach, the highlighted events could be named like Phuket Bike Week 2013 Motorcycle Exhibition & show, Royal Thai Navy show, Grand Opening, Biker Game and Bikers Beach Party, Miss Phuket Bike Week. Preventing Global Warming, Ride for Peace (Patong – Karon – Kata – Promthep Cape), Tattoo Contest and rock music festivals every night.

During the week, Patong inhabitants had chance to view many motorbikes riding in the town and yet perhaps were thrilled by the motorcycle engine sounds. Last weekend, People faced a long traffic jams on the beach road in the evenings when there were a huge load of people visiting the Lomar park to see the exhibitions and rock music performances. Additionally, many bars, pubs and clubs also joined the events and welcome the bikers by decorating the bike theme and especially play rock music at some nights.

As soon as the Phuket Bike Week ended, the colourful Phuket Gay Pride just kicked off on Monday evening. The event will last for one week from 22nd till 28th of April. Phuket Loves You (PLU) club is selected to organise this year’s pride celebration with the theme: SAME SAME NOT DIFFERENT. The 25 events are open to everyone from the Straight to Gay, Transgendered to Undecided. There are not only activities to celebrate the pride for LGBT community (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgendered) but also target to raise 1,000,000 baths for charities during the Phuket Pride Week. PLU promised to make this event colourful, eccentric, outrageous, and full of fun. They strongly encourage the local and visitors to watch the Saturday parade and follow till the end at football pitch where there will be a big stage event with International DJ’s, Live show and performances.

Every day, there are things organised to attract the attention of community. PLU aims to make no profit but great fund thus the profits from the activities will fully or partly goes to the charities. Many great activities can be mentioned such as Pre-Pride pool Party at CC Hideaway, 10 pin bowling competition, Gay Quiz night, Pool competition by Kiss Bar &Sundowners, Grand Charity Auction at Backstage, Bachelor Bingo, Volleyball tournament, Mr Gay Fongkaew contest, Sunset beach party, Soi Paradise street party, big stage events and the must-see Grand Parade on Saturday.
Last year, 300,000 baht was raised for Phuket LGBT&HIV charities. This year, with the great supports from more businesses, PLU is excited to reach their target and create more fun for everyone.

“Men are different from women and children are different from adults. But we are all human beings and all deserve to have same rights and be respected in the same way. Therefore, we are “Same same NOT different””.

Of all the feasts and festivals in Thailand, which are many, the Songkran Festival is the most striking, and it is celebrated not only in this country but also in Burma, Cambodia and the Lao State.
Songkran has traditionally been celebrated as the New Year for many centuries, and is believed to have been adapted from an Indian festival. It is now observed nationwide, even in the far south. However, the most famous Songkran celebrations are still in the northern city of Chiang Mai, where it continues for six days and even longer. In Phuket the main day is the 13th of April, with some starting a day early or carrying on the next day.
The date of the festival was originally set by astrological calculation, but now fixed to the 13th of April which is in the hottest time of the year in Thailand, at the end of the dry season.

Songkran is a Buddhist festival and many people go to a wat (Buddhist monastery) to pray and give food to monks. They may also cleanse Buddha images from household shrines as well as Buddha images at monasteries by gently pouring water mixed with a Thai fragrance over them. It is believed that doing this will bring good luck and prosperity for the New Year. In many cities, such as Chiang Mai, the Buddha images from all of the city’s important monasteries are paraded through the streets so that people can toss water at them, ritually ‘bathing’ the images, as they pass by on ornately decorated floats.

But the most obvious celebration of Songkran is the throwing of water. Thais roam the streets with containers of water or water guns (sometimes mixed with mentholated talc), or post themselves at the side of roads with a garden hose and drench each other and passers-by. This, however, was not always the main activity of this festival. Songkran was traditionally a time to visit and pay respects to elders, including family members, friends, neighbours, and monks. The songkran festival is counted as a new life. The throwing of water originated as a way to pay respect to people, by capturing the water after it had been poured over the Buddha’s for cleansing and then using this “blessed” water to give good fortune to elders and family by gently pouring it on the shoulder.

Among young people the holiday evolved to include dousing strangers with water to relieve the heat, since April is the hottest month in Thailand (temperatures can rise to over 100°F or 40°C on some days). This has further evolved into water fights and splashing water over people riding in vehicles.
In recent years there have been calls to moderate the festival to lessen the many alcohol-related road accidents as well as injuries attributed to extreme behaviour such as water being thrown in the faces of traveling motorcyclists.

Songkran is also celebrated in many places with a pageant in which young women demonstrate their beauty and unique talents, as judged by the audience. The level of financial support usually determines the winner, since, to show your support you must purchase necklaces, which you place on your chosen girl.
In Phuket Songkran starts off innocuously enough but by midday on April 13 streets are lined with pickup trucks with their beds loaded with ice-cold water which is thrown at any passer by. It can be a chaotic scene.

Small children and adults alike delight in using water guns and spraying anyone who comes in their path – no one is safe. It is best to leave leave your cameras and anything likely to suffer water damage behind in your hotel room, because of all the water flying around.