Pattaya fetes Year of Rooster

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For a night, everyone was Chinese as Pattaya welcomed in the Year of the Rooster at various New Year’s celebrations.

For a night, everyone was Chinese as Pattaya welcomed in the Year of the Rooster at various New Year’s celebrations throughout the city and neighboring villages. Shown here, dancers perform a spectacular “Thousand Fists” dance at the Bali Hai stage in South Pattaya. Here’s to wishing you and yours all the best, and hoping the Year of the Rooster is the best ever.
For a night, everyone was Chinese as Pattaya welcomed in the Year of the Rooster at various New Year’s celebrations throughout the city and neighboring villages. Shown here, dancers perform a spectacular “Thousand Fists” dance at the Bali Hai stage in South Pattaya. Here’s to wishing you and yours all the best, and hoping the Year of the Rooster is the be+st ever.

Former Culture Minister Sonthaya Kunplome opened Pattaya’s main Chinese New Year event at Bali Hai Pier Jan. 28 with Acting Mayor Chanapong Sriviset.

The event drew a large crowd that included both locals and tourists, Bali Hai was decorated appropriately for the occasion with red and gold lanterns everywhere and there was lots to see.

The event catered to the many Chinese-Thai people living in the Pattaya area, as well as large numbers of Chinese tourists in town to escape the colder climates in their homeland.

Highlights of the celebration included traditional martial arts shows, stage performances, a Chinese Boy and Girl Pageant, dance routines, greasy pole climbing and, of course, a lion and dragon show.

The winners of the children’s pageant were Dempum Dejkamol and Natnicha Seeto. On the boys’ side, the runners up were Sretapat Jetkhetkran and Ariyapol Chimpalee. For the girls, it was Nattarin Teerametatip and Poonyapat Anstick.

The first- through third-place winners took home 10,000, 7,000 and 5,000 baht in scholarships.

Elsewhere, Royal Garden Plaza had former City Councilman Rattanachai Sutidechanai open their Year of the Rooster celebration, which featured traditional dance shows, Chinese music and a performance from the Pattaya Elephant Village.

The mall also staged a giant rooster dance show, in which a rooster head was attached to the body of a three-meter-long dragon.

The show also featured rooster characters fighting in an act called “Kai Mongkol” or “roosters of fortune”.

Former Minister of Culture Sonthaya Kunplome opens the Chinese New Year celebrations at Bali Hai Pier.
Former Minister of Culture Sonthaya Kunplome opens the Chinese New Year celebrations at Bali Hai Pier.
Winners of Miss Chinese Girl and their families, judges and sponsors take a bow.
Winners of Miss Chinese Girl and their families, judges and sponsors take a bow.
Nong Nooch elephants perform a lion and dragon parade.
Nong Nooch elephants perform a lion and dragon parade.
Chanatpong Sriviset feeds the dragon with a red ‘Angpao’ envelope.
Chanatpong Sriviset feeds the dragon with a red ‘Angpao’ envelope.
The winner of Chinese Boy shows his talent.
The winner of Chinese Boy shows his talent.
The winner of Miss Chinese Girl outperformed the others with her incredible voice singing a Chinese song.
The winner of Miss Chinese Girl outperformed the others with her incredible voice singing a Chinese song.
Officials and staff gather at City Hall to pay Chinese New Year homage to King Taksin.
Officials and staff gather at City Hall to pay Chinese New Year homage to King Taksin.
Dancers perform a stunning ‘Thousand Fists’ show.
Dancers perform a stunning ‘Thousand Fists’ show.
The dancing dragon marks the highlight of the Chinese New Year celebrations.
The dancing dragon marks the highlight of the Chinese New Year celebrations.
Officials feed Angpao to the dragon and rooster for luck at the Royal Garden Plaza.
Officials feed Angpao to the dragon and rooster for luck at the Royal Garden Plaza.
The dragon show was spectacular at the Royal Garden Plaza.
The dragon show was spectacular at the Royal Garden Plaza.
The Avani Resort welcomes guests in Chinese style.
The Avani Resort welcomes guests in Chinese style.
Chinese war soldiers guard the area in their ancient reenactment outfits.
Chinese war soldiers guard the area in their ancient reenactment outfits.
The Eng Kor group performs their amazing show at all Chinese holiday events.
The Eng Kor group performs their amazing show at all Chinese holiday events.