MP Sonthaya Khunpluem, Deputy Minister of Communications, chaired the opening ceremony of the Pattaya Festival on April 12th, but it wasn’t an ordinary chairmanship.

MP Sonthaya was delivered to center stage from the King Taksin shed on a "royal" carriage shouldered by 4 men.

Hanuman, Nang MonTho and Pra Ram from Thai mythology visited the Grand Opening parade and were given a ride on Bangkok-Pattaya Hospital’s float.

He was followed by the night’s 2 emcees, Pratheep Malhotra and Khun Wannapa Wansri. As the emcees announced names of the honored guests, one by one they were brought out on the same carriage.

Before all this took place, however, the traditional parade started from Beach Road Soi 4-5 and proceeded to the hub of the festival on Pattaya 3rd Road. The Royal Cliff Resort’s entry took the top prize for the third year in row. MP Sonthaya presented the prize.

The "Lord Mayor" then announced the official opening of the festival, and the party began.

Waiphot Petchsuwan, a nationally famous singer, retold the history of the Pattaya Festival in a Thai traditional singing poem.

This was followed by the light and sound show entitled: Land of Thap Phraya of King Taksin the Great. The show is played by national artists, who tell the story King Taksin. At 250 Baht it is definitely worth seeing.