Lanterns, acrobats, music and shopping welcome the Year of the Dog
Siam Piwat’s three downtown shopping centres – Siam Paragon, Siam Center, and Siam Discovery – are spending a massive Bt50 million to welcome the Chinese New Year offering shoppers a wealth of shows, activities and, of course, great promotions.
The event lives up to its “Lantern Festival” theme with 999 dazzling sculpted lanterns that symbolise prosperity. Entertainers from China and fortune-enhancing activities are among the highlights, along with special offers co-sponsored by Kbank Credit Card, for Thai and Chinese visitors.
The festivities are slated to run from February 15 to 18 at all three malls.
“Chinese New Year is a festival of joy for both Thais of Chinese descent and Chinese tourists visiting Thailand, so the three shopping centres have united under the banner of ‘One Siam’ for this major event,” said Mayuree Chaipromprasith, senior executive VP for marketing at Siam Piwat.
“Each venue promises a motley range of lively activities, highlighting the image of One Siam as a popular destination for holidaymakers from all over the world. This year, we bring a ‘Digital Angbao’ (Red Envelope) so that you can give your blessings away via such platforms as Facebook and our website. A variety of prizes including gift cards and discounts are also up for grabs. Another way to join in the fun is by downloading our AR application called Flash Venture to find and catch all 12 Chinese zodiac animals scattered throughout the three shopping centres.”
On Thursday (February 15), the performances start at 6pm and include a Chinese New Year drum show fronted by starlet Nicha Nattanicha, interspersed with a graceful dance performed by native Chinese dancers and a Chinese lion dance featuring Mario Maurer.
From Thursday through Sunday, Parc Paragon will be lit with 999 coloured sculpted lanterns symbolising prosperity and wealth. The installations in the shape of 12 Chinese zodiac animals measuring 2.5m in height dot the open space dwarfed by the five-metre-tall dog-shaped centre piece marking the Year of the Dog. Meanwhile, the Chinese Cultural Centre of Thailand brings in a host of unforgettable productions involving an exuberant blending of China’s unique ethnic culture with Han Chinese influences. The shows, delivered by more than 100 members of performance crews from the city of Hangzhou, in Zhejiang Province, China, include a graceful style of various dances, the jaw-dropping Kongzu acrobatics, and displays of ancient Chinese magic. The festival will also present a showcase for music played on the suona, a traditional musical instrument.
Visitors can dress in ancient Chinese outfits for the ultimate photo shoot or simply kick back and relax at the teahouse.
The M Floor of Siam Paragon is adorned throughout with good luck symbols such as red dogs, plum blossoms, and bamboo twigs in the hope that every customer is blessed with wealth, health, and happiness all year round.
Revel in music on the guzheng, erhu and xiao, watch demonstrations of rope braiding, courtesy of Huachiew Chalermprakiat University and admire the plum blossom-decorated arches all over Parc Paragon.
Siam Center is home to a massive selection of high-end fashion brands and creative artworks including an exhibition of sculptures, designed by up-and-coming collage artist NakrobMoonmanas, on the theme “All We Need is Love”.
Lantern-mounted photographs are interconnected with Chinese-inspired chinoiserie patterns featuring couples of various nationalities from all walks of life dressed in red, the symbolic colour of good fortune.
