Chatchawal Supachayanont (third from right), general
manager of Dusit Thani Pattaya congratulates Brenda Foster from the UK. Foster
won the grand prize of two round-trip air tickets (Bangkok-Chiang Mai) courtesy
of Thai Airways International and 2 nights of stay in D2 Hotel Chiang Mai.
Staff reporters
More than 2,000 fireworks turned night into day when the Pattaya area
counted down the end of 2012 and welcomed in the New Year.
Pattaya Countdown 2012 capped a week of musical celebrations Dec. 31 as Mayor
Itthiphol Kunplome and area MPs led festivities and a massive fireworks show at
Bali Hai Pier. Tens of thousands strolled through a street market set up on
Beach Road while others stayed in and partied at their hotels, at least those
smart enough to have booked rooms in advance, as nearly all the 80,000 hotel
rooms in Pattaya were filled.
The Bali Hai party featured Thai bands Kala, Playground, Crescendo, Stamp,
Palmy, Instinct, Modern Dog, Pang Nakhrin, Shin Shinawut, Thaitanium, Big Ass,
Buddha Bless and artists from television talent show, “The Star.”
Traffic was intense everywhere throughout the week, even with a small army of
police and volunteers working to keep it moving. The evenings were especially
bad along Beach Road, as with the hundreds of vendors crowding the walkway,
leaving little or no room for pedestrians, many were forced into the streets
slowing traffic even further.
On New Year’s Eve, people unwilling to brave the Bali Hai crowds could watch the
festivities on giant screens at Central Festival Pattaya Beach.
Nearly every hotel in town featured a Countdown to 2013 party theme, including
the Holiday Inn Pattaya where live music entertained guests who were given a
chance to take photos and participate in contests like “Best Hi-So Lady” and
“Best High Heels.” The Centara Grand Mirage Beach Resort, where bands performed
on three stages while the hotel put up its own photo booth in the ballroom,
decked out as an “underwater world.” And the Dusit Thani Pattaya where the event
was a themed Mardi Gras and included an international buffet, live band music,
lots of prizes and dance shows from the hotel’s dance performers, The Honeybees.
Andre Brulhart, general manager of Centara Grand
Mirage Beach Resort Pattaya, rings in the New Years with his administrators
sharing the bubbly on January 1, 2013.
(L to R) Kasin Owatsuwan, manager of Central Co.
Ltd., Pattaya branch; Chanyuth Hengtrakul, advisor to Ministry of Interior;
Saran Tantijamnaj, director of Region of Central Pattana Co. Ltd.; and Deputy
Mayor Ronakit Ekasingh pop the corks to welcome in 2013.
Buddha Bless performs at Bali Hai.
Violinists perform a live concerto as part of the
gala countdown activities at Holiday Inn Pattaya.
A youngster takes to the stage, joining the music
performance at Centara Grand Mirage Beach Resort Pattaya.
Bumper to bumper traffic all week on Pattaya Second
Road.
Sailors, mermaids and beautiful jelly-fish perform
the Underwater World theme at Centara Grand Mirage Beach Resort Pattaya.
Children enjoy the bubble man at Centara Grand
Mirage Beach Resort Pattaya.
Guests try their luck at the Holiday Inn lucky draw,
of which the gifts were set on the blue Christmas tree to celebrate the New
Year.
Family & friends enjoy the countdown at Central
Festival Pattaya Beach.
Everyone wants to go to Pattaya for our world famous
Countdown 2013, as can be seen by this traffic on Sukhumvit Road coming into
Central Pattaya.
Thappraya 2013 volunteers working hard to provide
safety for tourists and facilitating traffic on Pattaya Naklua Road.
Thousands of khomloys take to the sky in a never
ending stream above Pattaya Beach.
Thousands of fans crowd the stage to see their
favorite star, J Jetrin on New Year’s Eve.
Fireworks exploding, people cheering, lovers
kissing, old acquaintances being forgotten for Auld Lang Syne, this is the first
seconds of 2013 in Pattaya.
Kathleeya English dresses sexy at Bali Hai on New
Year’s Eve.
Some of the over 2,000 colorful fireworks lighting
the sky to celebrate 2013.
J Jetrin rocks the stage before New Year.
Pattaya Bay at the stroke of midnight on New Year’s
Eve is an incredible sight. (Photo by Peter Malhotra)
Pattaya Bay is lit up with fireworks, as seen from
the top of the Cape Dara Hotel. (Photo by Peter Malhotra)
