The three-day New Year’s celebration in Pattaya, which will be held at Bali Hai Pier from December 29 to 31, will still take place, but there won’t be any fireworks this year. Street food vendors and concerts will continue to be there for attendees to enjoy as usual.
On its Facebook page, Pattaya City Mayor Hotline, announced the annual fire show’s cancellation late on Thursday. The cause of the sudden cancellation was not made known.
However, some social media users speculated that the restriction on fireworks was out of respect for Princess Bajrakitiyabha, who being treated at Bangkok’s King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital. At this time, fireworks could be regarded as inappropriate.
Some also commented that the fireworks ban could be because the nation is grieving for the Royal Thai Navy’s HTMS Sukhothai sailors, whose vessel sunk off the coast of Prachuap Khiri Khan on Sunday night. A number of servicemen on board died or went revealed to be missing.
According to the Pattaya City Mayor Hotline page, the festival will feature bands and street food vendors, which will help the local economy.
Bang Pla Soi, Makam Yeng, and Baan Khot, as well as other districts in the province of Chon Buri, have totally cancelled their New Year celebrations on December 31 and their merit-making celebrations on January 1.
At this time, the Cabinet has not approved a plan to extend nightlife establishments’ closing times to 4 a.m., according to deputy public health minister Sathit Pitutecha.
Meanwhile, the National Alcoholic Beverage Committee has started a campaign to lower the number of drunk driving incidents during the holiday season in Thailand.
