New Years Eve

Thai people love ceremonies and celebrations. They work hard to create a worthwhile event and everybody, whole families and groups of friends gather with the intention of having a good time. New Years Eve 2008/2009 was just such an occasion. Thousands of people gathered around Thapae Gate to see in the new year. A stage was erected and a number of acts performed, including 3 lovely Thai girls singing pop music. The audience seemed to know who they were so maybe they are the Thai version of Girls Aloud. One of the photos is of a group singing and dancing traditional songs about how Chiang Mai became capital of the north.

Part of the celebrations was lighting a flame inside lanterns, waiting for the air to get warm and releasing them. The idea is that all personal bad luck and spirits are carried up, up and away. The only problem is that the lanterns get caught in overhead cables, under roofs etc and are potentially dangerous. A couple of years ago one of these objects got entangled in some cabling and several hundred homes were without electricity for several days. Every one that was released brought a great cheer from the people who lit it and even more cheers went up if they bumped into each other, or got caught on cabling or under roofs and freed themselves. For the first few days of January, burnt out lanterns were discovered all over Chiang Mai after they dropped back to earth. All good fun.

Fireworks were also a great part of the event but I must admit to being somewhat worried about that. Anybody was just lighting and letting off rockets, catherine wheels, bangers etc. wherever they wanted with no regards to health and safety. I even saw a father give his small son this tube that has around 4 rockets inside telling the child to point it into the air after lighting it. All that child had to do was point the thing at the crowd and there could have been a major accident with a possibility of losing life, eyesight or limb. Scary stuff. In some areas Thais have a lot to learn and Health and Safety is certainly one regarding fireworks. The local newspaper had an article about a guy who owned a firework making factory and blew himself up while making fireworks.

I thoroughly enjoyed New Years Eve 2008/2009, I had a great time enjoying the atmosphere, the fun and partying that was going on.