Hua Hin Fireworks Festival, Dec 21st

[Big Boy]

Tried to get parked 2 hours before the start - absolutely no chance. Hundreds of suicidal motor cyclists out there. Looks like we're watching the fireworks from the front porch

Seeing the traffic chaos out there, I now realise that Hua Hin is not geared for an event like this.

[dtaai-maai]

Hardly surprising. Given where you live, I would have thought the viewpoint would be a good... erm ... viewing point. Albeit with binoculars.

[richard]

I'd have better view from my balcony if the Hilton was knocked down Feel better though when watching the slow crawl up and down Petcha and hearing from friends who are packed like sardines and can't move in any direction

[blue05]

it was alright at the docks, saw everything and loads of space on the beach, baltic mind

[Big Boy]

The view from my front porch was actually quite good as well

[Terry]

Took Mrs.T & the boys to McFarland House at Hyatt for dinner tonight. Beachfront view - albeit several kms away with the sound lag as a result. Quite spectacular display.

Dinner was good too

[usual suspect]

Hate to sound negative here, but saw the 1st two displays..IMO not really spectactular, (Pattaya displays way better than tonight's) came back to the bar to find it full of customers that had been to the pier..and they thought the same as myself... & put beer before fireworks & came back to Binta.
Traffic-wise Chomsin Rd was still at a standstill at 11.30! (welcome to the start of the holiday season..and maybe 1000's more Bangkonians getting out of BKK early..?).

[hhfarang]

We went to Pattaya for the Queen's birthday fireworks about three years ago and it was one of the best I've ever seen. The one tonight was tolerable at best and forgettable at worst, especially with the traffic and the areas for viewing.

Why can't Hua Hin put on anything professional and advertise and organize it ahead of time so that every one can enjoy it. They one in Pattaya had probably 10,000 temporary beach chairs lined up, tickets could be bought online months ahead and everything was controlled pretty well for Thailand. This one was a total mess with nobody knowing where to be and nobody knowing when it started or ended.

We reserved a beach side table at a restaurant on Nebkahardt road close to the palace and watched the first two displays. Everyone there, including the staff thought it was over and it was very disappointing. After fighting traffic for 30 minutes to get home to the top of Soi 94, we could see the real show in the distance from there which was the third one with 15 or more minutes between each!

So what most people saw was the warm up and the real show happened while people were in traffic or after they got home.

Hua Hin, for some reason never gives good information for any event that happens here, even compared to the rest of Thailand.

We were extremely disappointed for the trouble we went to. It was a much better experience to drive all the way to Pattaya to watch the fireworks there a few years back because it had some advance information, ticketing for seats and information about when and where to be and how long it would last.

This, in my opinion was just another embarrassment for the city planners and organizers of Hua Hin events.

[PET]

We went to Pattaya for the Queen's birthday fireworks about three years ago and it was one of the best I've ever seen. The one tonight was tolerable at best and forgettable at worst, especially with the traffic and the areas for viewing.

Why can't Hua Hin put on anything professional and advertise and organize it ahead of time so that every one can enjoy it. They one in Pattaya had probably 10,000 temporary beach chairs lined up, tickets could be bought online months ahead and everything was controlled pretty well for Thailand. This one was a total mess with nobody knowing where to be and nobody knowing when it started or ended.

We reserved a beach side table at a restaurant on Nebkahardt road close to the palace and watched the first two displays. Everyone there, including the staff thought it was over and it was very disappointing. After fighting traffic for 30 minutes to get home to the top of Soi 94, we could see the real show in the distance from there which was the third one with 15 or more minutes between each!

So what most people saw was the warm up and the real show happened while people were in traffic or after they got home.

Hua Hin, for some reason never gives good information for any event that happens here, even compared to the rest of Thailand.

We were extremely disappointed for the trouble we went to. It was a much better experience to drive all the way to Pattaya to watch the fireworks there a few years back because it had some advance information, ticketing for seats and information about when and where to be and how long it would last.

This, in my opinion was just another embarrassment for the city planners and organizers of Hua Hin events.

Totally agree with you HHF, we were at the beach with a great view and left after the two displays, to find it was still going on when we reached home!!

[Big Boy]

Hua Hin, for some reason never gives good information for any event that happens here, even compared to the rest of Thailand.

It was on here

there will be 4 displays at 20:00, 20:30, 21:00 and 21:30.

[Pleng]

I saw the first two displays from my apartment balcony on Pethckaseam and I agree they weren't very spectacular - the new year displays you see on the beach easily trump them. Didn't bother with the last display.

[Big Boy]

From my vantage point (several miles away), the first and last displays were quite acceptable, but I was very disappointed with the Japanese and Swiss offerings.

Mrs BB and eldest grand daughter left after display 2 - too cold and the draw of the concert in the park by the Tessebahn was more pressing.

[Nereus]

From my vantage point (several miles away), the first and last displays were quite acceptable, but I was very disappointed with the Japanese and Swiss offerings.

Mrs BB and eldest grand daughter left after display 2 - too cold and the draw of the concert in the park by the Tessebahn was more pressing.

Japanese and Swiss? Is that what all the bizarre music was about? At one stage I swear the Chipmonks were singing!

I only watched it on TV as I am in Bangkok. Did anybody see the fireworks that showed 88 as a tribute to HM?

You only had to look at the VIP area to figure out what it was all about. That, and "I am the greatest" singer that was so full of herself.

the concert in the park by the Tessebahn

You jest, surely Big Boy? A Concert not connected with the show?

[hhfarang]

Hua Hin, for some reason never gives good information for any event that happens here, even compared to the rest of Thailand.

It was on here

there will be 4 displays at 20:00, 20:30, 21:00 and 21:30.

Yes, but at 3:40 p.m. on the day of the event. I saw that after I got home from the show! I guess I need to get google glass so that forum updates will immediately come up in a heads up display in front of my eye.

The one in Pattaya was done from 4 large barges and ran nearly continuously for several hours with clear announcements during breaks of what to expect next. It was much longer, you could get much closer, the fireworks were choreographed with co-ordinated music and good info and vip seating tickets were available days ahead of the event. It was the best fireworks show I've ever seen (and I've been to hundreds). Last night's was a confusing mess done from a location that is taboo to get close to.

Our only snafu with the Pattaya one was that we booked a pretty expensive hotel room far in advance to make sure we got balcony facing the beach and the fireworks. Of course were told "yes" by the hotel staff when we asked them if the fireworks could be viewed from our balcony only to find out when we arrived the the view of the fireworks barges was blocked by another building under construction. So then we went down to the street and bought tickets for beach chairs in a closed off (but crowded) VIP area.

You can see some of my photos of it here:

viewtopic.php?f=7&t=15421&hilit=Queen%2 ... 15#p181062

[Big Boy]

the concert in the park by the Tessebahn

You jest, surely Big Boy? A Concert not connected with the show?

Yes, events in Hua Hin are like waiting for a London bus. Nothing for ages, then 3 come along at once. Yes, there was a 3rd event - a fair at Salesian School also.

Unfortunately the Hua Hin infrastructure can;t cope with one event - 3 events at the same time on a weekend is no less than stupid.