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.
Chonburi Gov. Khomsan Ekachai (center) and friends announce the Colors of the East festival will return to Pattaya Beach March 27-30.
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.
