– JANUARY 01, 2016
To celebrate New Years we went to the central area of the Central World shopping mall complex. Outside the streets were packed with stages for live Muay Thai Boxing matches, local celebrities talking about the event (no English), a small beer gardens, and a band playing Thai pop music. On the way there we saw some Buddhists taking the opportunity to pray at temple for their New Year celebration.
Buddhists went to temple to pray on New Years
When we arrived at the mall (around 9pm) we quickly saw that nobody was drinking and the only beverages you could buy were water, juice and pop. We went searching for the beer gardens.
The public area to celebrate the countdown served only water and pop. The beer gardens was the smallest area you could imagine. It seems the typical Thai person doesn’t drink much alcohol.
The public area to celebrate the countdown served only water and pop. The beer gardens was the smallest area you could imagine. It seems the typical Thai person doesn’t drink much alcohol.
The grounds were ornately decorated.
The grounds were ornately decorated with a Christmas tree still standing.
Over ten thousand people attended this event in downtown Bangkok.
We found the beer gardens and it could only hold about 200 people. There were much more than 10,000 people at this event, so needless to say it was a bit of a wait to get beer. Once we got in, we sat to watch the band play as the time ticked away.
Over ten thousand people attended this event in downtown Bangkok.
A Thai band was playing on stage by the beer gardens. The people sang along in Thai, so this must have been a fairly big band here.
A Thai band was playing on stage by the beer gardens. The people sang along in Thai, so this must have been a fairly big band here.
A Thai band was playing on stage by the beer gardens. The people sang along in Thai, so this must have been a fairly big band here.
A Thai band was playing on stage by the beer gardens. The people sang along in Thai, so this must have been a fairly big band here.
As the clock counted down (we celebrated the countdowns of other countries that took place before our time slot) we watched the awesome fireworks display.
At the stroke of Thailand midnight the fireworks went off to celebrate!
At the stroke of Thailand midnight the fireworks went off to celebrate!
At the stroke of Thailand midnight the fireworks went off to celebrate!
At the stroke of Thailand midnight the fireworks went off to celebrate!
At the stroke of Thailand midnight the fireworks went off to celebrate!
At the stroke of Thailand midnight the fireworks went off to celebrate!
At the stroke of Thailand midnight the fireworks went off to celebrate!
At the stroke of Thailand midnight the fireworks went off to celebrate!
At the stroke of Thailand midnight the fireworks went off to celebrate!
At the stroke of Thailand midnight the fireworks went off to celebrate!
Happy New Year 2016 from Bangkok!!!
New Years in Bangkok where we watched Muay Thai Boxing, drank some Thai beer, watched a famous Thai band, and counted down to the fireworks display. Not a bad New Years celebration.
<><><><><><><><>
For more photos of our adventure go to our flickr account here.
A Leaf on the Wind 