Bangkok, 23 December, 2016 – Bangkok’s shopping complexes along Sukhumvit Road and the Ratchahprasong shopping districts have been lit up with festive finery and lights to help everyone celebrate Christmas and the New Year in a joyous way while honouring the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej by incorporating his image and royal colours into many of the beautiful displays.
Mr. Yuthasak Supasorn, Governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) said, “Thailand is in its high season and people are coming from all over the world to enjoy the cool weather and celebrate Christmas and the New Year. Shops and businesses have got into the Christmas spirit with amazing light displays in downtown Bangkok to gladden the hearts of all who see them and to honour the late King Bhumibol by incorporating his words of wisdom and colours.”
Nearly all of Bangkok’s major malls and shopping complexes in the heart of the city are putting on a light display and they can be easily enjoyed by travellers and tourists by using the sky train. The largest area of lights can be found outside CentralWorld along Ratchadamri Road in the heart of the Ratchahprasong district.
This year’s theme at CentralWorld is “Winter White, the Garden of Happiness”. The light show is being staged as a way of cheering up Thais and visitors after the challenging year of 2016 and to encourage them to end the year with a smile while looking forward to 2017.
There are many traditional icons of Christmas at Central World including reindeer, stars, bells, and snowflakes and of course Christmas trees, all lit up with millions of tiny lights. There are several trees of all sizes to give the large plaza a garden feel. A seasonal Thai touch is provided by one of the most popular light formations in the 2016 display – a corridor of golden yellow flowers each individually lit and climbing high above visitors’ heads.
Further festive displays can be found outside Siam Paragon which has large scale decorations associated with Christmas such as shiny baubles and nutcracker characters. There are also some pictures of the late King showing examples of his rich legacy. Other malls and hotels in this area all have their own Christmas trees and lights giving the whole of Ratchahprasong the feel of a winter wonderland.
There are also impressive displays of Christmas lighting further down Sukhumvit Road at the EmQuartier Mall which is staging live music in the evenings with local bands and choirs singing festive tunes. And upon the outer wall of Emporium shopping center is an impressive projection featuring pictures of His Majesty Rama IX and showing some of his achievements.
Bangkok’s Christmas lights get better every year and attract sightseers as well as shoppers. 2016’s amazing displays a proof that Thailand is getting into the festive atmospheres and is very much a place for enchantment and enjoyment and will remain so as we count down to 2017.
