Pattaya slides into Year of the Snake
Culture Minister Sonthaya Kunplome bangs the gong to
open the Chinese New Year festival in Pattaya.
Staff reporters
Tributes to gods and ancestors were made across the region as Thai-Chinese
residents welcomed in the Year of the Snake.
Culture Minister Sonthaya Kunplome presided over the Chinese “Wai Jao” ceremony
Feb. 9 at Sawang Boriboon Foundation headquarters in Naklua to pray to gods and
ancestors for good luck. A lively circus of dancing dragons and lions then took
the stage, moving out to various destinations around Pattaya afterward.
Actress / celebrity and former Miss Thailand Panadda
Wongphudee helps judge the Miss Qipao contest.
Musical acts, including Sorn Jaiplasew and Oil Thonapat entertained, while 20
girls, ages 7-9, took to the stage for the annual Chinese Girl pageant. Waralak
Utheansud, 7, from Rakphasa School won the 10,000 baht first prize. Jittanont
Phijitkhadeepol, 7, from Satreenath Bangkhaen School won 7,000 baht for second
place; Lolna Chairat, 8, from Throngwit Suksa School won 5,000 baht for third;
Pischa Saetang, 7, from Assumption School won 3,000 baht for fourth, and Alisa
Thapthawee, 9, from Pattaya Arunothai School won 2,000 baht for fifth place.
One
of the Eng Kor performers from Nakhon Sawan dresses as a snake to welcome in the
Year of the Snake.
Similar tributes to gods and ancestors were made across the region on this first
“pay homage” day of the new year festival. Prayer altars filled with meat
dishes, sweets like fluffy rice flower cakes, steamed dumplings and fruit, and
even whiskey could be spotted in front of homes and shrines across the area.
Evil spirits were cast aside with long bursts of firecrackers.
On Feb. 10, the actual New Year’s Day, Mayor Itthiphol Kunplome led Pattaya’s
traditional ceremony paying homage to city father King Taksin at city hall. A
lion and dragon parade followed, plus distribution of “ang pao” cash envelopes.
Deputy Mayor Ronakit Ekasingh held a similar ceremony on Pratamnak Hill to honor
Prince Chumphon.
Mayor Itthiphol Kunplome puts ang pao (a monetary
offering) into the dragon’s mouth, considered as a way to make merit.
In Central Festival Pattaya Beach, General Manager Saran Tantijamnaj led a
golden lion with 4 heads through the mall, distributing oranges and wishing a
prosperous “year of the snake” to tenants.
In the evening, the mall’s ground floor showcased martial arts and dance shows,
plus a Qipao dress contest. Thirty Thai and foreign contestants competed with
Sripassorn Buangsruang winning the first-place tiara and sash, as well as 30,000
baht. She also won the Miss Beauty Chinese Look award. Kankullaya
Chimphleewanasrom took second place and 10,000 baht, along with earning the Miss
Healthy prize. Whilst Wilolak Ouaysirikul won 5,000 baht for Miss Photogenic.
.
Mayor Itthiphol Kunplome and city administrators
welcome the crowd to the event.
Lions and Chinese smiling uncle perform atop
Pratamnak Hill.
Tavich Chaiswangwong, president of Pattaya city
council, presents ang pao to Pao Yim (Chinese smiling uncle), a tradition during
Chinese New Year festivals.
The dragon makes an appearance atop Pratamnak Hill
on Chinese New Year.
Aj. Sue Yan Yang leads students of the Sao Lin Kung
Fu Syndicate, Pattaya, in a Vusu Sao Lin Kung Fu performance.
Citizens and tourists at the top of Pratamnak Hill
pay respects to HRH Capt. Phra Jao Aaphaporn Kiattiwong Krom Luang Chumporn
Ketudomsak during Chinese New Year.
Residents in Soi Buakaow pray to their sacred
deities, asking for protection for their shops and for a prosperous new year.
Lords of Luck provide their wisdom (and oranges)
during the Chinese New Year festival at Mike’s Department Store.
Mayor Itthiphol Kunplome presents top prize to
7-year-old Waralak “N’ Get” Uthaensud, winner of this year’s Chinese Girl beauty
pageant.
Women perform a beautiful lotus dance at the Royal
Garden Plaza Pattaya.
The Lion show wows the crowd in Pattaya.
Aj. Sue Yan Yang from the Sao Lin Kung Fu Syndicate,
Pattaya, performs a traditional Chinese sword dance to Kung Fu Sao Lin music.
Eng Kor performers are always a big part of all
Chinese festivals, especially at New Year.
Chinese women perform a traditional dance.
A young girl performs her best in the children’s
talent show, part of the Chinese Girl Contest.
Contestants parade along the catwalk during the Miss
Qipao 2013 contest.
(L to R) (left) First runner-up Kankullaya
Chimphleewanasrom, Miss Qipao 2013 Sripassorn Buangsruang and Miss Photogenic
Wilolak Ouaysirikul smile for the cameras.
Beautiful woman in Qiapo dresses wish everyone a
happy new year.
