Mini Balloon Festival - Pranburi (with photo report)

[Big Boy]

Maharaj Club, Pak Nam Pran
27 to 29 Sept
4pm until 10pm
https://maps.app.goo.gl/6fzPzGYqcp8ZzZiA6

I don't think I will bother personally, having come from Balloon City in the UK - this would be a bit of a let down for me, but a great spectacle if you haven't done it before.

[Big Boy]

I had nothing else to do, and was considering popping down for a look until I saw the photos. I had presumed a mini festival, not mini balloons.

[STEVE G]

^I never knew there was such a thing as a mini hot air balloon.

[Big Boy]

Neither did I, but there obviously is

[STEVE G]

If I was in Hua Hin, I’d go just out of curiosity. I’ve seen plenty of full size hot air balloons but never a model one like that.

[Big Boy]

Actually, thinking about it, they had one man balloons at the Bristol Balloon Fiesta a couple of times. They were competition balloons. 'Things' would be left in treetops along the route, and the pilot who collected most 'things' would win.

Quite funny to watch but a small balloon with a tiny seat attached at the bottom.

[Big Boy]

I was going, no I wasn’t, I was going, no I wasn’t. Then it was decided for me – my granddaughters wanted to go, so soft touch that I am, we went earlier today.

We arrived at Pak Nam Pran quite early at about 4:30, and road parking was easy, alongside the beach – perfect. Pak Nam Pran is quite unique in Thailand – it has wheelchair friendly pavements. However, Thailand being Thailand, several people had taken picnics, and with their ‘me first’ attitude, laid their blanket right across the pavement. However, I managed.

We got to the main arena, which was still quite deserted. The arena was decorated with colourful inflatables.

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Lined up like little soldiers on parade were the balloon baskets – so small. I actually took a photo of a basket with my foot in the picture to give some perspective.

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The first wave of balloons were rolled out and semi inflated with regular air using large fans. The sea breeze was too strong to go any further for quite a while.

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This was strictly a no smoking and no alcohol event. It didn't deter this guy, who had quite a collection of empty cans by the time we left

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To keep the growing crowd interested, barefoot visitors were allowed to walk inside the envelopes to take selfies – very popular.

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The crowd slowly built, and eventually, they started heating the air inside the envelopes. One by one, the balloons lifted into the air. However, the baskets were too small for a pilot, so they remained tethered for the duration.

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As the evening moved on, special shapes were introduced. We saw a heart, a rabbit and a frog (no photo of frog).

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On the stage, there was initially a DJ playing tunes

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and then some Thai band, which my granddaughters went to see – didn’t do too much for an old wrinkly like me though.

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It wasn’t the Bristol Balloon Fiesta, but I wasn’t expecting that. It was pretty good for what it was. With the limited capability of the mini balloons, I felt a Night Glow might have been a good way to showcase the balloons, but maybe too sophisticated for Thailand.

One observation, Health and Safety would have had kittens in the UK – there was no restriction regarding where people could wander amongst the balloons.

[STEVE G]

^I'm impressed you went, Pranburi is smaller than Bristol so obviously the balloons were smaller too!

[Big Boy]

LOL, blame my granddaughters. It was a very well organised event, and even wheelchair friendly. There was a huge food court, and family members reckoned food was about 60% the cost of eating at Baan Khun Por. The setting beside the sea was perfect. A lovely way to spend a Sunday evening.