Pattaya malls, hospitals celebrate Chinese New Year
With cash-strapped city hall passing on staging any Chinese New Year events, Pattaya shopping malls, hotels and hospitals took up the mantle for the “year of the dog”.
Young women dressed in body-hugging Chinese dresses were the main attraction at Central Festival Pattaya Beach, which hosted the 6th annual Miss Qipao pageant.
Ying Muanfan Na Nan, 25, took the crown and 30,000 baht for first place with Kankanit Mungmee, 18, winning 10,000 baht for runner-up and Intuorn Seela, 21, taking home 5,000 baht for third.
In addition to Kankanit also winning the Miss Beauty Chinese Look prize, Kanyamat Insrathep won Miss Popular Vote and 16-year-old Chatriya Chansamran won Miss Photogenic. All three awards were worth 3,000 baht.
Down the road at Central Marina, General Manager Kwanchai Boonaree hosted the North Pattaya mall’s Chinese New Year festival, featuring stage shows, lions and dragon dances, a greasy-pole climbing contest, kung fu demonstrations and more.
Lots of Pattaya’s tiniest residents were dressed for the occasion at Bangkok Hospital Pattaya, which dolled up all the newborns in red outfits made of delicate fabrics to comfort the infants.
Hospital Director Dr. Surachai Khampakdee took reporters on a tour of the maternity ward where staffers gave out new year’s presents to the very happy new parents.
The Bay Pattaya on Pattaya Beach used its 4-rai of land to host games and sports for Chinese New year, with directors Baopimpa and Ana Wongsingh introducing performers of lion and dragon dances.
Pattaya itself staged no official Chinese New Year events for the first time due to budget constraints.
