Fireworks from Team England are the perfect
addition to a Pattaya Bay panorama.
Urasin Khantaraphan
Photos by staff reporters
The night sky above Pattaya Bay became a canvas that four European
countries painted with exploding rockets and lasers for more than
200,000 people at the Pattaya International Fireworks Festival.
Teams from Germany, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom dazzled crowds
with explosions and pinwheels Nov. 28-29, capping day-long street
festivals featuring food, music and entertainment.
The fireworks not only lit up the night sky,
they also lit up Pattaya Bay.
Fireworks began around 9 p.m. each day with the show split into three
parts and contestants of Thailand’s Got Talent providing the
intermission entertainment. Two teams put on individual shows of 20-25
minutes each night with the other teams putting on short demonstrations
at 10 p.m.
England’s performance focused on the art of experience, enhanced with
imagination of color screening and shapes expressing the biological
relationship between the eyes and mind of the spectators and artists.
The highlight was the final explosion meant to depict an explosion of
life.
Germany illustrated the power of flowers in a concept called “Art of
Life,” highlighting the explosions and stimulation of excitement leading
to ultimate powers of creativity emphasizing natural brightness.
Germany’s fireworks burst into 3 flowers.
The Italian team wrung out emotions, including excitement, serenity
filled with sadness, and happiness, all converging into a sky of bright
and hot colors.
Finally, the Spanish lit the sky with unlimited creativity and an
expression of love of life, focusing on tones of color.
While the pyrotechnics took center stage, Friday’s festivities actually
began at 3:30 p.m. and ran through 11 p.m. while Saturday ran from 5
p.m. until 1 a.m. Beach Road was closed to traffic both days from
3:30-11 p.m. and all side streets from Second Road were blocked to allow
sponsor Thai Life Insurance to throw its “Art of Life” street festival.
The day featured a flash-mob dance, game booths and concerts by ETC and
Stamp Aphiwat on Friday, and Zeal and J Jetrin on Saturday. Activities
along Beach Road also included a “music art carnival,” street art plus
food and drinks.
The entire day was free, but VIP seats with food, drinks and raffle
draws were available with proceeds benefiting Thai Life Insurance’s “One
Give, Many Receive” charitable campaign.
Pattaya Mayor Itthiphol Kunplome believes more than 200,000 people saw
the fireworks over the two days, generating at least 300 million baht
for the city.
