The city’s Gymkhana Golf Club was the setting for this year’s Thailand International Balloon Festival. The gaily coloured balloons, some as large as buildings several storeys high, were an arresting sight against clear blue skies and ensured festival attendees were kept busy snapping away with their cameras and smartphones.
During the two festival evenings, the balloons were moored at the Gymkhana and attractively illuminated. The organisers staged colourful fireworks displays and light-and-sound shows for the evenings which added an additional wow factor.
An ensemble of musical artistes were on hand for the two days of the balloon extravaganza and serenaded people with their own inimitable genres of music. A model balloon display, a dog show and the opportunity of sampling archetypal Thai snacks and drinks encouraged attendees to partake in impromptu picnics.
The balloon festival has been an annual fixture on the Thai events calendar for eight years, but not always at the same venue. Previous venues include the playing fields of the Prince Royal’s College in Chiang Mai and Ayutthaya.
Balloon fest a big hit in Chiang Mai
News in Asia
The annual Thai balloon jamboree held over the weekend in Chiang Mai attracted record numbers of visitors. More than 30 gigantic hot-air balloons could be seen wafting across the sky above the festival venue in the northern Thai city at one point.