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.”
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.
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.
Children enjoy the bubble man at Centara Grand Mirage Beach Resort Pattaya.
Sailors, mermaids and beautiful jelly-fish perform the Underwater World theme at Centara Grand Mirage Beach Resort Pattaya.
A youngster takes to the stage, joining the music performance at Centara Grand Mirage Beach Resort Pattaya.
Violinists perform a live concerto as part of the gala countdown activities at Holiday Inn 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.
Bumper to bumper traffic all week on Pattaya Second Road.
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.
Thousands of khomloys take to the sky in a never ending stream above Pattaya Beach.
Thappraya 2013 volunteers working hard to provide safety for tourists and facilitating traffic on Pattaya Naklua Road.
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.
J Jetrin rocks the stage before New Year.
Some of the over 2,000 colorful fireworks lighting the sky to celebrate 2013.
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)
Thousands of fans crowd the stage to see their favorite star, J Jetrin on New Year’s Eve.
