Fabulous fireworks light up Pattaya Bay
during this year’s 2-day International Fireworks Festival. The entire
Beach Road was shut down to traffic to allow revelers to enjoy musical
entertainment, along with food stalls and a flea market.
Warunya Thongrod
Fireworks shows put on by four foreign nations delighted
tourists and locals as the Pattaya International Fireworks Festival
exploded across the sky.
Down from 10 foreign participants in previous years, this year’s
festival featured a 45-minute show by teams from Canada, China,
Singapore and the United States. Four Thai celebrities served as
honorary team captains.
Chonburi Gov. Khomsan Ekachai and top city government and sponsor
representatives kicked off the Nov. 30-Dec. 1 event, which also featured
booths selling locally made products, a carnival-style parade, shows and
concerts.
The main “Brighten Your Life” fireworks show attracted throngs of
residents and tourists to Beach Road, which was closed from 3:30 to 11
p.m.
Canada’s team lit the first sparklers, expressing its northern culture
with relaxing colors rich with blues and large bursts with clear colors.
The Chinese showed their usual flair for tricks, rhythm and speed, with
soft explosions and shells that popped more than once. Each burst
appeared to have a tail that sent glittering fragments showering into
Pattaya Bay.
Singapore’s fireworks were mixed and colorful, both big and small,
falling together beautifully.
And the U.S.’s closing display exhibited the country’s typical bombast,
with technology and speed being the prominent themes, turning night into
day with bright explosions mixed with lasers, lights and music.
The festival continued into a second day with magic and juggling shows,
“3D painting photography,” musical performances from Watcharawalee and
Slot Machine, a parade of Pattaya schoolchildren and market-style
booths.
At 9 p.m. a smaller fireworks show was orchestrated by famed
pyro-technician Francis Wu. Pattaya also staged a “synchronized
fireworks” show with mixed media to a Thai musical soundtrack over 45
minutes.
“After having already organized the event twice, Pattaya is trying to
organize a more-complete event, hoping to boost tourism attracting
tourists to Thailand,” Mayor Itthiphol Kunplome said.
