Central World counts it down

With the 'best show in Asia', the Bangkok mall emulates Times Square in Manhattan with a dazzling light display to welcome the New Year

Published on December 29, 2007

Central World counts it down

Central World Square will have a 21-metre-high Greeting Ball Tower, topped by a globular diode monitor and strung with colourful lights, all putting on a fantastic "Pyro Technique" display as midnight approaches.

Bangkok's Central World is all set to be the grandest place in all of Asia to count down the seconds until New Year.

Taking its cue from the famed annual countdown in New York's Times Square, Central World Square will have a 21-metre-high Greeting Ball Tower, topped by a globular diode monitor and strung with colourful lights, all putting on a fantastic "Pyro Technique" display as midnight approaches.

The advent of 2008 itself will be welcomed by a dazzling array of fireworks from the skyrocket experts at Hands, giving the Bt25-million event the name Hands Bangkok Countdown.

The celebration will have a "Joining Hands" theme, and that's what will be happening as thousands gather around the tallest Christmas tree in Southeast Asia - 30 metres tall and itself costing Bt20 million, with some 200,000 bulbs decorating it.

The holiday season has had Mickey Mouse and his pals from Disneyland on hand at the square, as well as and Santa Claus - an "Electric Santa" aglow as an Eco light-bulb art installation.

Celebrants can visit "Holland Village" to experience traditional Dutch festivities and buy goods imported from the Netherlands.

The huge and hugely photogenic Christmas tree has been a magnet for families, courting couples and groups of friends, everyone delighting in the seasonal surroundings and taking lots of pictures.

The lights and carols prove irresistible to the crowds, especially around 7 to 8pm, said 33-year-old recent visitor Kasorn Jantarawiroj, who was busily taking snapshots amid the decorations with her little sister and a friend.

Chamnan Choo-arsa, 31, was paying his first visit to Central World's holiday wonderland, and he and his children were thoroughly enjoying themselves.

"I'd heard that Central World is a great place because of the Christmas tree so I decided to come," he said, "and my family will probably come again on Christmas Day and for the New Year countdown."

"The Christmas tree is really big," said Chamnan's eight-year-old son Toh. "I like it a lot!"

Not far away there's even more to see, with acres of Yule trees and other symbols of the season adorning Siam Paragon and the Gaysorn and Emporium malls.

Wannapa Phetdee

The Nation