Keeping Luna Calm During Songkran in Patong

Luna is a six-and-a-half-year-old mixed breed who has lived with me in Patong for four years. She is a sweet dog, but loud noises and splashing water have never been her favourites, so Songkran is always a challenge. The streets fill up with water guns and buckets, and I learned the hard way that a balcony is not much safer than the street.

In my first year, I walked her along Beach Road in the middle of the afternoon. Big mistake. A bucket hit us from a passing truck, she bolted down a side soi, and I spent an hour searching before finding her shivering behind a laundry shop. Since then I plan around it. I walk her early in the morning before the crowds, then keep her inside with the fan and some music from lunchtime until evening.

A few practical things. Make sure her collar tag has a working phone number, because pets run when crowds get loud. Keep water in a bowl at home, and do not let anyone pour water over her face. A light splash on the legs is fine if she seems relaxed, but a full soaking is not. Songkran only lasts a few days, and Luna always settles down once the streets quiet again.