Pattaya celebrates St Patrick’s Day

14 Mar 2011

On Thursday, Pattaya will be joining cities around the world in staging celebrations of St Patrick’s Day. This year marks the first time the Thai seaside resort has united with cities such as Dublin, Belfast, London and New York in remembering Ireland’s best known saint.

St Patrick’s Day traditionally falls on 17 March and celebrants usually wear green in honour of the saint’s use of the green shamrock plant when he was giving sermons to his followers. Although the day is a religious holiday, it has evolved into a fun festival with parades and much revelry.

Celebrants in Pattaya on Thursday afternoon will be offered the chance of witnessing an East meets West parade with Irish flavours adapted to Thai heritage. The Pattaya St Patrick’s Day parade will start at 13:30 on Beach Road, opposite Soi 4, go through Walking Street and Pattaya Road before ending near the Alcazar Theatre.

Irish bars and other entertainment establishments and organisations can enter a float on the parade for a fee of 5,000 Baht. Money raised by the event will be donated to local charity groups the Father Ray Foundation and the Foundation of Life.

Parade organisers say that in keeping with Christian traditions the event is open to all and not just Irish nationals and Roman Catholics. Attendees are advised to wear an article of green clothing to ensure that they feel a part of the occasion.

The large amount of ex-pats, tourists and Irish bars in Pattaya guarantees that the parade will see a large amount of participants and spectators, which may encourage resort authorities to make it an annual event.

Tags: Pattaya St Patrick’s