Post-Fireworks Display

[toenail]

As I was observing the colorful marathon of fireworks on Pattaya Bay, I couldn't help but think how spending multi-millions of baht on fireworks could have made a better impression with outside vistors (locals and foreigners) if the money could have gone toward improving the "village" infrastructure first. We all know how the side walks are mostly unsafe to walk on (due to neglected holes or erosion); how some of the sois including 2nd Rd. needs a better drainage system; how the city could use some of their money to establish neigborhood parks or how to finish Jomtien Rd. Sponsoring Beach Road "vendor weekends", musical festivals, entertainment out on the pier, or some other contest of "fame" may be too easy to handle than the real CHALLENGES of the city. - Nothing wrong with fireworks, but fix some of the other problems first.

[JohnLeech]

But this wasn't the city's money!!!

[lemel]

But this wasn't the city's money!!!

so who's was it?

[moo9]

I wonder why we always get negative comments on things which are "good" for the city. Be happy.

[mcyachty]

Well, here is my 2 cents worth.<BR><BR>Well done. Great night watching the firewoks from a boat in Pattaya harbour.<BR><BR>I don't care whos money, but it had to be spent. While there are things that also need to be done, tourisim should not be neglected because there is a hole in the ground. No tourism equals no money, and it is one area that needs stimulation right now,and maybe that hole can wait 5 more minutes whle the city gets some dollars coming back into it.<BR><BR>I have 1 major crticism. There was next to no information about the proceedings last night. The City Hll website said to phone the call centre, and the call centre knew nothing. Come on people, learn from other places that do it well such as the new years fireworks in Sydney. <BR><BR>Doing it half right is a waste of time.

[timekeeper]

i am a frequent critic of this city and its management, however, credit where its due, last nights display was simply wonderful.

when one considers how many other major cities in the world must have wanted to host this competition and would have paid big bucks to do so, its a real coup that they settled on Pattaya as a venue.

overcoming its internationally known reputation it must have taken some sophisticated selling to bring it here .

so thank you city fathers, a job well done and a rare treat for Pattaya

happy birthday to her majesty the queen, this was a very fitting tribute to you, that we should all be proud of.

[Pria]

>>happy birthday to her majesty the queen, this was a very fitting tribute to you, that we should all be proud of.<<

Why should we ALL be proud of it?

My sentiments side with toenail. While the city might not have paid for the fireworks display, the cost of over 1,000 police and soldiers for security, plus the additional costs associated with organizing and cleaning up came from somewhere. Time to forget about the feel-good factor and the chest thumping and get back to some basics.

[timekeeper]

>>happy birthday to her majesty the queen, this was a very fitting tribute to you, that we should all be proud of.<<

Why should we ALL be proud of it?

My sentiments side with toenail. While the city might not have paid for the fireworks display, the cost of over 1,000 police and soldiers for security, plus the additional costs associated with organizing and cleaning up came from somewhere. Time to forget about the feel-good factor and the chest thumping and get back to some basics.

[MZurf]

  The fireworks display was great fun. The only (big) drawback was the f*@king flea market taking up all the space on the sidewalk and making access to the beach very difficult. As if that attracts tourists to the city. "Hey, let's go to Pattaya this weekend. They have a great flea market"!     

[raro]

The fireworks display was great fun. The only (big) drawback was the f*@king flea market taking up all the space on the sidewalk and making access to the beach very difficult. As if that attracts tourists to the city. "Hey, let's go to Pattaya this weekend. They have a great flea market"!

If they would organize a GREAT flee market it might indeed attract people.Haven't seen any in Thailand yet.

[Spalpeen]

Fantastic show and a great job done by everyone involved in organising it. Pattaya at it's best.

Very lucky with the weather too, considering it's August.

[Rimmer]

Pattaya Stages Impressive International Fireworks Festival

PATTAYA: -- Thousands of people were in Pattaya on Saturday night to observe the impressive International Fireworks Festival organised along the entire length of Pattaya Beach Road. In honour of the Thai Royal Family and Her Majesty the Queens recent 78th birthday celebrations, the event broke several records in the process of exhibiting fireworks displays from several countries over a 3km stretch of the Pattaya Bay.

Pattaya, the 14th of August 2010 [PDN]: Opened by Thai Defence Minister Pawit Wongsuwan and Pattaya City Mayor Ithiphol Khunpluem, the inaugural event featured an impressive array of fireworks displays from around the world including, Thailand, China, Japan, Denmark, German, America, the United Arab Emirates, Australia and Italy.

Full story with pictures HERE

PATTAYA DAILY NEWS

-- 2010-08-15

[newsfooter][/newsfooter]

[TomBrown]

I believe this event will actually benefit the Thai people probably the most, though tourists as well. It started with the song for the Royal Family with everyone in the beach area standing up holding candles and singing along, then the great fireworks display from 4 countries (China, Italy, UAE and Thailand) in that order, each with their own music to accompany their fireworks display. I personally enjoyed the Italian fireworks show the best, which seemed to synchronise with the music perfectly and was visually amazing. The Thai fireworks show being the last to display, brings me back to my original point of benefiting the Thai people the most. The Thai music that accompanied their fireworks was to do with loving Thailand and each other, and to create good feeling inside about Thailand and each other. Being on the beach in amongst the majority Thais there, during and after their country's show, I could here the gasps and at the end big cheers, it clearly had an effect on the people. I also seen Channel 5 television crews filming, so the same message and possibly more importantly the feeling that this would have made amongst Thais watching around the country will be a good thing, especially since the problems over the past while. Something else I noticed was a particular fireworks that shot up into the sky, exploded into bright yellow and fell slowly down, lighting up the whole beach. At that point I looked along the beach and it was absolutely packed from one end to the other.

As already mentioned, there were the market stalls along the beach road side, several entry gates at set locations with the detectors devices to check bags, and chairs all along the beach for people to sit.

So from the beach area, the event was really well organised and very enjoyable. It certainly made tripping over that loose paving stone a rather moot point. Something that could have been looked at was that traffic coming down North Road, only to find that they had to go around the roundabout to come back again due to the beach road being closed, a big sign closer to Sukhumvit might have helped somewhat there. However this is the case many times when Beach Road is closed for various events, not particular to this event.

Definitely a very enjoyable event.

To the original post - toenail; despite your thoughts on money matters, as you were there too at the fireworks show, did you enjoy it?

[Phil Conners]

A bit of footage from the firework:

[changnaam]

I totally agree the event was a real coup for the city and showed it in a great light. Yes there were traffic problems, and not easy to get through the stalls but all that is a positive sentiment to how many people the event attracted.

I was looking down the beach during the event, and later on tv and the sight of the new international hotels, and the new shopping centre says to me that the city is heading in the right direction. To add to that every weekend recently has been packed with Thai tourists, as well as couples and familes I think is positive.

Many people knock Pattaya, but I can see the image and clientele changing which in my book is a good thing !!

[thaibeachlovers]

But this wasn't the city's money!!!

so who's was it?

Yes who's was it?

I can't believe anyone says that this will promote tourism. Why, because the only publicity I saw was a post on Thai Visa about it, and that was pretty minimal. There was even confusion as to the date! I asked my Thai GF to find out about it and she was unable to find out any details. I didn't even see it advertised on tv.

Had I known it was going to be the spectacular it was, I'd definitely have gone down to the beach.

As it was, I got to see some of it from the top floor of my apartment building, but after each "episode" of 15 to 20 minutes, there was a long break, so I'd go back to my room, only to have to climb back up 20 minutes later for the next session. I've never seen fireworks with such big gaps in the display before. Come to that, I've never known a display to go on for 85 minutes

Regardless of any complaints, it was indeed a spectacular show, so congratulations due there.

Unfortunately for the glass half full crowd, I can't imagine any tourists actually recommending Pattaya to family or friends, however spectacular the fireworks, on the ground it's still the same old s******e, only compounded by the c**p "flea market" ( selling the exact same cheap clothing available at hundreds of shops and stalls in Pattaya ) congesting the decrepit and dangerous walkway.

Pattaya is a c******e, loveable only by mongers, despite what all the greedy property developers would like, and long may it continue so. I love it here, but only for the lovely "displays" on the ground, not those in the air.

[JohnLeech]

But this wasn't the city's money!!!

so who's was it?

Yes who's was it?

The contestants who were putting on the display, nominally on behalf of their countries.

[timekeeper]

But this wasn't the city's money!!!

so who's was it?

Yes who's was it?

I can't believe anyone says that this will promote tourism. Why, because the only publicity I saw was a post on Thai Visa about it, and that was pretty minimal. There was even confusion as to the date! I asked my Thai GF to find out about it and she was unable to find out any details. I didn't even see it advertised on tv.

Had I known it was going to be the spectacular it was, I'd definitely have gone down to the beach.

As it was, I got to see some of it from the top floor of my apartment building, but after each "episode" of 15 to 20 minutes, there was a long break, so I'd go back to my room, only to have to climb back up 20 minutes later for the next session. I've never seen fireworks with such big gaps in the display before. Come to that, I've never known a display to go on for 85 minutes

Regardless of any complaints, it was indeed a spectacular show, so congratulations due there.

Unfortunately for the glass half full crowd, I can't imagine any tourists actually recommending Pattaya to family or friends, however spectacular the fireworks, on the ground it's still the same old s******e, only compounded by the c**p "flea market" ( selling the exact same cheap clothing available at hundreds of shops and stalls in Pattaya ) congesting the decrepit and dangerous walkway.

Pattaya is a c******e, loveable only by mongers, despite what all the greedy property developers would like, and long may it continue so. I love it here, but only for the lovely "displays" on the ground, not those in the air.

it was promoted in Bangkok by the tourist offices there

my friend in Bangkok saw some adverts and called me about it

i canvassed the major hotels on the beach road for a high floor room, over a month ago

all knew about the forthcoming event, with the correct date, the Marriott was full, as was Siam Bayview, both Titanics, the Amari tower and others

i settled on the Holiday Inn who had a front facing room available on the 20th floor

i asked reception on the night and they said it was it was fully booked due to the fireworks festival

so someone knew what was going on and it gave a full house in the low & rainy season to many major hotels

add that up in terms of money brought to the city................

[easyride]

I wonder why we always get negative comments on things which are "good" for the city. Be happy.

I'm not beyond 'negative' comments but the fireworks are a beautiful sight, and very well done. Congratulations.

[nikkoid66]

Here is a nice video of the Firework.

To get the sound, please do not go on Youtube, but use the Embed version in this forum.

http://youtu.be/byHK1-hui-Y?hd=1

or you can watch it from my Wall in Facebook : http://www.facebook.com/choukroun

Edited August 16, 2010 by nikkoid66

[contemplating]

Yes, the fireworks were nice, even from Mabprachan, but I doubt that it will have an affect on the economy, except for the one weekend. I didnt go to the beach, but have seen the flea markets there before, and as someone already mentioned, its the same old s*** that can be found on any shop in Pattaya. Sorry to be so negitive, but the weekend show does not do anything for the problems in Pattaya, dirty beaches, sidewalks with holes, blocked sidewalks, and three times the amount of baht buses that are needed.

If anyone comes to Pattaya for the beach, then the beach should be clean and inviting. Do any of you people that enjoyed the fireworks, ever go swimming in Pattaya, or walk along the beach road? I doubt it!

The same said for the sculptures on Sukhumvit, they are nice, but does that change the filthy beach area, or do you think people come to Pattaya for the highway art work?

[timekeeper]

Yes, the fireworks were nice, even from Mabprachan, but I doubt that it will have an affect on the economy, except for the one weekend. I didnt go to the beach, but have seen the flea markets there before, and as someone already mentioned, its the same old s*** that can be found on any shop in Pattaya. Sorry to be so negitive, but the weekend show does not do anything for the problems in Pattaya, dirty beaches, sidewalks with holes, blocked sidewalks, and three times the amount of baht buses that are needed.

If anyone comes to Pattaya for the beach, then the beach should be clean and inviting. Do any of you people that enjoyed the fireworks, ever go swimming in Pattaya, or walk along the beach road? I doubt it!

The same said for the sculptures on Sukhumvit, they are nice, but does that change the filthy beach area, or do you think people come to Pattaya for the highway art work?

actually, i live out in the wilds of Mabrachan, i did make the trip to go to see the fireworks (albeit from a beach road hotel room balcony) and i go to the beach road everyday, 7 days a week except Xmas

swimming? not for many years but note that if you feel inclined its been made much safer with cordoned off swimming areas and its much cleaner and tidier than it used to be.

i know, there's always one..................

[nikkoid66]

Firework excerpt

Edited August 18, 2010 by nikkoid66

[farangpattaya]

Well, here is my 2 cents worth.<BR><BR>Well done. Great night watching the firewoks from a boat in Pattaya harbour.<BR><BR>I don't care whos money, but it had to be spent. While there are things that also need to be done, tourisim should not be neglected because there is a hole in the ground. No tourism equals no money, and it is one area that needs stimulation right now,and maybe that hole can wait 5 more minutes whle the city gets some dollars coming back into it.<BR><BR>I have 1 major crticism. There was next to no information about the proceedings last night. The City Hll website said to phone the call centre, and the call centre knew nothing. Come on people, learn from other places that do it well such as the new years fireworks in Sydney. <BR><BR>Doing it half right is a waste of time.

Yes, it's good that something was done for tourism, but referring to the OP's infrastructure: I guess that half of the tourists spent in their car during the fireworks, due to the poor infra structure.

[andyww]

I don't think the infrastructure issues in Pattaya are a result of lack of money.

There are a multitude of reasons I suspect. The main one I reckon is simply that the authorities don't realize how much of an issue the problems are in the eyes of visitors. Pattaya is allowed to have the same poor level of public infrastructure as other Thai cities. They don't seem to realize that attempting to pass the city off as a world-class destination means the infrastructure needs to be way above the Thai norm.

I have never really understood why all over Thailand, not just Pattaya, a largely acceptable road system can be ruined by short stretches of dusty crater-like potholes which are not repaired for years, if ever. With construction costs being low, the expense is not great.

[anothertorres]

if this place was in any better condition, i wouldn't like it so much.