In Thailand, when the shops start stocking Hawaiian style shirts you know that the Songkran festival is approaching. But like back home when the stores start getting all Christmassy much too early, it’s still a month until the world’s biggest water fight starts.

Plenty of time to stock up on gaudy shirts for the festivities, or on survival rations to let you stay at home out of the combat zone during the hostilities, depending on your attitude to this time of the year !

As the country is still in an official 12 month mourning period it remains to be seen whether Songkran is toned down or not this year …even if it is you can be sure that going out during the day will see you get wet sooner or later.