WILD, WONDERFUL and not always wet

SONGKRAN IS HERE at last and for celebrants stuck in Bangkok for the long holiday, it’s time to get out on the streets and have a splashing good time. The city’s most popular Songkran spots – Silom and Khao San Road – will be packed as always with celebrations reaching their zenith from Monday to Wednesday. But if you fancy doing something different, there are several other happenings, wet and dry, from which to choose.

Game for a giggle
Start the weekend off with a good laugh tonight at the Comedy Club Bangkok on Sukhumvit Soi 33/1, as Australian stand-up comic Ro Campbell gets set to have you rolling in the aisles. The UK-based Campbell’s award-winning brand of cheeky and slightly dark humour has wowed audiences from Adelaide to Bangalore, Helsinki to Singapore and many places in between. Hot off his Asian and Australian tour, the holder of the 2010 Scottish Comedian of the Year title is debuting in Bangkok with local guests for one night only. Entry is Bt500.

Dance until you drop
Gcircuit’s Songkran party, this year dubbed SK9, is back for the ninth consecutive year at Centara Grand and Bangkok Convention Centre at CentralWorld from tonight through Sunday. Tonight’s opener “Wicked” features DJ Alan Jackinsky and the Louis T Bent Collective, comprising DJs Steven Redant and Danny Verde, will man the deck tomorrow night at the main party, “Neon”. There is also a “bear” pool party at the Radisson Blu Plaza Bangkok Hotel on Sukhumvit Soi 27 with DJs Spectrum K and Javy rocking from early afternoon till evening. Dress in your best Nile gear and join the “Pharaoh” party on Sunday with DJ Alex Acosta and live performances. A one-day pass costs Bt2,100 for standard and Bt3,000 for VIP. A ticket to the pool party is Bt1,700. Call (083) 595 4242 or visit www.gCircuit.com

Beats with a bang
W Bangkok and KolourKrew are the joint hosts of an electrifying Songkran Splash Away party tomorrow at WET Deck. Last year’s event was one of the city’s slickest Songkran parties. This time around, the hotel and KolourKrew, along with special sponsors Ciroc vodka and Bang and Olufsen, are taking things to a higher level. From 1 to 8pm, guests get to enjoy cocktails and cool beats by locally famous spinners Andy, Dan Buri, Coran, Sir Walt, Tim Roemer, Koish and Atma. Entry is Bt750 per person, with two complimentary drinks before 3pm. Bring your swimsuit. Call (02) 344 4000 or check Facebook.com/WBangkok.

Electronica for the soul
Dance the New Year away with the world-famous DJs in the four-day Songkran EDM festival on Royal City Avenue from tomorrow until Tuesday. Organised by TV host Vuthithorn “Woody” Milintachinda and Zaap Enterprise, which put together last year’s Waterzonic event, with sponsorship from Pepsi, the so-called S2O promises to be the biggest EDM fest held during Songkran.
“We actually started developing this project two years ago,” Woody told us. “The Songkran festival is probably the biggest celebration for Thai people, so I wanted to make it a special event that breaks traditions and lifts the standard of Songkran parties to another level. I’m also a big fan of EDM so I wanted to create a unique Songkran EDM festival in Thailand. Pepsi S2O is going to be epic.”
The event is being held on a 17-rai purpose-built space on RCA, opposite the Golden Tulip Hotel and under the expressway, called S2O Factory RCA. Headliners include internationally famed Deadmau5, Afrojack, Krewella, Andrew Rayel, Yves V, Wolfpack, Dave Till, Kenneth G, Jetfire, Julian Jordan, Thomas Newson, and Sidney Samson.
Get a day pass for Bt1,500 or a four-day package for Bt4,500 (Bt6,000 for VIP). If you want to have a private party at the venue, the VVIP zone has eight villas equipped with amenities, drinks, snacks and personal butlers. Each villa can accommodate 20 people and costs Bt100,000 a day. And while there is water play aplenty in the “standard” zone, the VIPs and very VIPs have dedicated “dry” entrances, bars and restrooms. The party runs from 4pm to 2am. Visit www.S2OFestival.com.

Cool by the pool
Holiday Inn Bangkok near Chidlom BTS is enticing party people with the Charm Thai BBQ Pool Party on Monday and Tuesday. Get wet and wild from 6pm until 10 and enjoy an array of yummy nibbles hawker stalls and grilled gourmet food by the pool. Entry is Bt999 per person. For reservations, call (02) 656 1555 or visit www.HolidayInn.com/|HIBangkok.

Down and dirty
Splash all day and dance all night at Bangkok Maha SongKran 2015 from Monday until Thursday at Dickinson’s Culture Cafe on PhraAthit Road. By day, it’s an outdoor street party and then takes refuges inside after sundown. Psy Head Community DJs take to the decks to deliver underground trance on Monday, while Beatslot, Mela and Subconcsious spin bouncy techo on Tuesday. Trance Music Loves in Thailand takes over on Wednesday wghile Lady Argentine has techy house at the closing party on Thursday. Entry is free. Visit www.Facebook.com/Dickinsons.Culture|Cafe.

Beer for thought
While beer will be flowing, water splashing is strictly not allowed at Craft’s Songkran fest. Running from early afternoon until late Monday through Wednesday, the event has music, craft beers, wine, cocktails and food, including Bens’ BBQ, BanhMi Boy’s food truck, Sabroso tacos, Fabio pizza and even fine cigars.
Music acts include Monsieur Markus, Scott Hess and Aom, the Vintagers, the Gabriel Lynch Three, Keith Nolan’s Love Gone Wrong and more.
A one-day pass costs Bt750 inclusive of two drinks. Two and three-day passes are Bt1,350 and Bt1,850 with complimentary drinks. All ticket holders get Bt300 credit with Uber when travelling to or from the event. Craft is on Sukhumvit Soi 23, next to Whisgars. Call (02) 661 3220 or visit CraftBangkok.com

Wonderful in white
AmBar at Four Points by Sheraton Sukhumvit 15 is hosting a white Songkran party on Wednesday from 2pm. Don your white bikini and shorts (with maybe a cover-up or two) and head up to the eighth floor to enjoy the wet party with free-flow beer from 2 to 4pm and sounds by DJs Zidov Akuma II, Pepe Pepelucho, Fred Jungo and Boromiiee Linx, plus live percussion and a fire show. Entry with a drink is Bt300; ladies get in free before 5pm. Call (02) 309 3288.

Blowing hot and cold
Mustache Bar on Ratchadapisek Soi 7 is hosts the Hot N’ Cold Festival on Wednesday and Thursday. The rooftoop party gets started at 3pm on Wednesday with DJs Boris Rubin, Sunju Hargun, Kingkong Zoo Studio, Messie Joe, Krit Morton and Kova O’Sarin. There’s also a barbecue grill and free bar from 3 to 4pm. There are just 300 tickets costing Bt300 with one drink. Find out more at Facebook.com/TheMustache.Bangkok