Countdown to 2012 in Thailand

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(Free-Press-Release.com) December 15, 2011 -- In addition to celebrating Thai, and Chinese, and Indian festivals, more and more Thais seem to be celebrating Christmas, Valentine’s Day, and the Western New Year, on December 31st according to the Western Calendar.

You can therefore rest assured that no matter where you are in Thailand at the end of the year, there is bound to be a good and proper celebration somewhere nearby, in the provincial capital of most provinces, as well as in towns and villages of all sizes.

Many people will be in the heart of Thailand, of course: Bangkok, where as you’d expect the largest celebrations and the biggest fireworks display takes place. Ground Zero is CentralWorld, which will be packed not only with revelers but with the cream of Thailand’s artists taking turns entertaining hundreds of thousands of people onstage.

The CentralWorld Celebration is being called Ha Ha Ha 2012, since “ha” means “five” in Thai, and the new Thai year will be 2555 according to the Thai calendar. The upscale Siam Paragon mall will also be hosting their own "Make a Wish Countdown 2012" at the Park Paragon. And there will be the usual New Year merit-making at numerous temples, and especially at the Bangkok Metro Admin (BMA) urban area.

If 200,000 people and a beer garden are not your idea of fun, there are many more intimate ways to spend New Year’s Eve in Bangkok, such as taking one of the many dinner cruises on the river, or perhaps heading to the top of one of the skyscrapers for a special meal and a spectacular site. Of course, there is always one of the thousands of clubs, pubs, bars, and beer halls in the city that you can pick for your celebration. And there’s no need to drive: the BTS/MRT (skytrain/subway) run all night.

If you’re further south around the Hua Hin – Cha-am area, you can join the New Year Countdown action at the Cha-am Beach scenic vantage point; perhaps not as wild as Bangkok, and certainly not as many people, but a very romantic, idyllic spot to ring in the new year with that special someone.

On the other hand, Pattaya is a place that knows how to party hard, and is seldom outdone on the celebration front. Thailand’s favorite seaside resort will be hosting many great musical acts, putting on a spectacular presentation; events include Thai cultural performances, a talent contest and music from DJs, as well as live concerts from some of the best-known artists in the country. This is definitely one of Thailand’s “places to be” on the last days of 2011.

North to Chiang Mai: Put on some warm clothes – yes, it gets very cool in northern Thailand! – and make your way up to the Rose of the North for what is sure to be another of Chiang Mai’s awesome, yet tasteful, celebrations. As usual for Chiang Mai, hospitality and food reign supreme. Tha Pae Road will be closed from the river to Tha Pae Gate to make room for all the vendors and celebrants. Countdown to 2012 will take place at the Chalermprakiat Hall; just follow the crowds.

If you want to chill, but not be chilly, head to one of Thailand’s cool islands: Phuket, Koh Samui, or the always happening Koh Pha Ngan, famous for its monthly Full Moon Parties. People come from the world over to party on Koh Pha Ngan every month, so you can imagine what it’s like on New Year’s Eve… many 3-day packages are available which give you plenty of time to party, recover, and party down again.

Phuket calls its celebration the Colorful Phuket Countdown 2012, with the countdown counting down at the Sanamchai Ground. Perhaps more exciting, especially for music lovers, is the Phuket Electronic Music and Dance Festival 2012 that will be going on during this time. They will have their own exciting countdown on Karon Beach, which makes an especially picturesque place to photograph the festivities.

Further south in Hat Yai, the celebrations and countdown will take place at the Odeon Fashion Mall in this southern city towards the Malaysian border. There are celebrations going on from Hat Yai to Chiang Rai and from Kanchanaburi to Nong Khai.

Finally, there is Isan, Thailand’s rural northeastern area. Typically rather sleepy, don’t be fooled into thinking that these folks don’t know how to celebrate properly. They work hard and play hard. Ubon Ratchathani always puts on a good party, as well as Nakhon Ratchasima (Khorat) and Khon Kaen, as many of their younger people head home from Bangkok to spend the New Year with their families. For example, Khon Kaen is hosting Amazing Fantasy World December 29-31 on Si Chan Road, which promises to be a singular celebration.

Or, stay on the Isan train line and get off either in Udon Thani or Nong Khai, the end of the line on the border with Laos. Udon, as it’s called, has developed very rapidly in the past few years, and has a brand new area where the celebrations are held called UD Town. Here, people from around the region will gather to celebrate the end of 2011 and the beginning of 2012 while watching the giant Countdown Wall Clock. There are far fewer tourists here than at the other destinations above, providing for a great, “sanuk” (fun) cultural experience.

No matter where you find yourself at the end of this year in Thailand, there’s not much chance that you’ll be bored or unable to find a good party with lots of cheerful, friendly people. It’s up to you to decide if you want an island New Year, a northern New Year, an Isan New Year, or a big, fat capital New Year. Choose your destination, settle in, and celebrate. Happy New Year 2012/2555 to you!