Chonburi Gov. Khomsan Ekachai (center) and friends
announce the Colors of the East festival will return to Pattaya Beach March
27-30.
Thanachot Anuwan
The annual Colors of the East festival street fair returns to Pattaya
Beach March 27-30 a year after local officials experimented with moving the
traffic-snarling street fair to Jomtien.
Sponsored by the provinces of Chonburi, Rayong, Chanthaburi and Trat, the event
this year features 200 booths - 70 fewer than last year - selling food, locally
made goods, tourist souvenirs and other cheap merchandise. Each year also brings
massive traffic problems, which authorities thought could be solved by moving
the fair to Jomtien Beach. But the festival floundered in that location,
prompting the return to Pattaya.
One new event this year will be a beachside flower competition offering 300,000
baht in prizes.
At a March 11 press conference in Bangkok, Chonburi Gov. Khomsan Ekachai said
the event markets the entire Eastern Seaboard, which is frequented by an
increasing number of tourists. It also helps to generate revenue for local
residents, he said.
