Youngsters
perform the latest dance style with their friends, the dancing sea
animals, at Royal Garden Plaza. Saturday, January 12 was once again one
of their favorite days of the year - Children’s Day, and from navy ships
to city halls, airports to shopping malls, children were everywhere as
the Eastern Seaboard celebrated Thailand’s annual festival for little
ones.
Staff reporters
From navy ships to city halls, airports to shopping malls,
children were everywhere as the Eastern Seaboard celebrated Thailand’s
annual Children’s Day.
Pattaya deputy mayors Wutisak Rermkitkarn and Wattana Chantanawaranon
opened festivities in Pattaya early Jan. 12, giving youngsters the tall
orders of “Be Disciplined, Enhance Knowledge, and Move Toward ASEAN,” as
laid out in the national Children’s Day motto.
Young Marines PFC Bret Mays (left) stands
with other kids on a Royal Thai Marine Corps AAVP-7. The bow of the
Royal Thai Navy’s Aircraft Carrier, CVS 911, can be seen in the
background.
North Pattaya Road traffic at city hall was blocked
to let hundreds of kids run wild. Businesses brought free drinks and
children enjoyed games, booths and won prizes. The impromptu fairground
saw displays of military vehicles from the Royal Thai Army and Marine
Corps, rides on crane trucks from the Pattaya Disaster Relief and
Mitigation Department and booths with games, food and refreshments.
Schoolgirls do their best Gangnan
performance at Royal Garden Plaza.
Similar scenes were repeated throughout the city,
with thousands of parents taking their children out for fun and games at
Central Festival Pattaya Beach, the Sanctuary of Truth, Royal Garden
Plaza, and other attractions.
At the Sanctuary of Truth, kids enjoyed dharma lessons, activity
centers, art, bingo, wood carving and a history exhibition. Other
activities included kite running, takraw hoop games, tours of the
sanctuary, and wood-carving lectures.
Sharing is a good thing to learn at this
young age.
Royal Garden Plaza prepared more than 5,000 gifts for
children under the theme “Adventure in Pirate Lands,” consisting of
various activities including coloring plastic sea animal dolls, coloring
plastic bags to reduce global warming and stage performances for
children to show their talents while marine mascots helped build the
fun.
At Central Festival, organizers welcomed Children’s Day with a circus
expo performance, game booths, gifts and a fashion show.
This young girl is full of concentration,
trying not to stray outside the lines when coloring her favorite
cartoon.
In Chonburi, Chonburi Gov. Khomsan Ekachai was on
hand for festivities at Chonburi City Hall.
A
future sculptor concentrates on his wood carving at the Sanctuary of
Truth.
The celebration featured performances on stage, music
performances by Thai artists and culture performances. There also were
reading exercises, local sports competitions, quizzes, sling shots,
indoor flying and other skills. Finally, the event offered an exhibition
on HM the King’s missions and a room for kids to pay their respects to
Lord Buddha.
In Sattahip, both military and civilian officials threw open their doors
for kids, with Mayor Phawat Lertmukda presiding over the official event
at Bao Tao Than kindergarten. It featured a Muay Thai boxing exhibition
by 13-year-old Angkhana Samphaongern, a former student there.
Several thousand more kids were given a tour of Thailand’s only aircraft
carrier, the HTMS Chakri Naruebet.
At the Air and Coastal Defense Command airstrip at U-Tapao-Pattaya
International Airport, kids got to see six types of aircraft,
helicopters and a two-jet flyover sponsored by the Royal Thai Air Force.
At the Sea Turtles Conservation Center, Miss Thailand Universe Vanessa
Muangkhorat led children in releasing 30 turtles back into the wild. And
at the Sattahip Police Station, officers handed out food and drink and
organized activities focused on plants, humanity and volunteering.
This future international model struts the
latest in children’s wear during the fashion show at Central Festival
Pattaya Beach.
Bozo the Clown and balloon figures - what
more could a child hope for on Children’s Day…
Children in Sattahip are treated to a visit
from Miss Thailand Universe 2012 Vanessa Muangkhorat whilst releasing
turtles into the sea.
Now there’s something you don’t see every
day - an orangutan riding a bicycle like this one on Children’s Day at
Central Festival Pattaya Beach.
Pattaya schoolchildren give a rousing
ukulele performance while their friends stand on the sides providing
encouragement.
This little guy is not sure what to think
about his mother’s painted face at Pattaya City Hall.
