On New Year’s Day yesterday, dragon dancers paraded through streets in the Chinatown districts to the accompaniment of clashing cymbals and firecrackers. Various traditional delicacies were laid out on tables outside the celebrants’ homes to garner good fortune for the coming year.
In Yaowarat, both residents and visiting Chinese donned red garments to await the arrival of Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn yesterday evening. Her Royal Highness was due to preside over a ceremony in which she officially accepted a white-jade goat statue that was a gift from the People's Republic of China.
At temples, shrines and other religious spots in the country, Chinese gods were honoured with gifts of fruit and roast pork. Traditional red envelopes with monetary offerings in them were being handed out yesterday and the dragon-dance troupes seemed to pick up a high proportion of these.
Thai Chinese ring in lunar New Year
News in Asia
Ethnic Chinese living in enclaves scattered all over Thailand were busy celebrating the arrival of the Year of the Goat yesterday. Descendants of Chinese settlers living in locations such as Bangkok’s Yaowarat Road area, Chiang Mai, Phuket Old Town and Nakhon Sawan began lighting joss-sticks and firecrackers late on Wednesday evening to usher in the New Year.