A tasty guide to Chinese New Year in Bangkok
Underwater blessings: Thai divers dressed as a lion and in a Chinese mask holding a sign reading "Happy New Year" stage a performance at Siam Ocean World.Ah, Chinese New Year. The only time of year when wearing a red shirt in Bangkok doesn’t suggest you’re aligning yourself with a particular political faction.
Bangkok large Thai-Chinese community celebrates Chinese New Year in the traditional manner, with the city’s Yaowarat (Chinatown) district throwing a big two-day bash that includes the usual lion dances and Chinese operas.
But the city’s commercial sector isn’t going to let a little thing like ethnicity get in the way of pushing their Chinese New Year-related goods and services onto the masses either, making the celebration a citywide affair.
Best of all -- or worst of all, if you're stuck in an office -- Chinese New Year isn’t an official Thai holiday, so Bangkok’s banks and offices will remain open all week. This year, Chinese New Year is celebrated on February 3-4, though some events carry on till mid-month.
Here’s the best of the Chinese New Year bunch.
Chinatown
HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn will inaugurate the festival at 4 p.m. on February 3, so keep in mind traffic will be blocked off around the area.
Events include dragon processions and lion dances as well as performances by acrobats and dancers visiting from Beijing and Mongolia.
On Friday night, several well-known Thai singers from Bangkok's GMM Grammy label will hit the stage.
If you had too much to drink the night before, stay away. Even on a normal day Chinatown is an assault on one's hungover senses.
On Chinese New Year, the gaudy excess, incense, firecrackers and sea of cheap plastic will have you so overwhelmed you’ll want to lie down and allow yourself to be trampled to death by the red-clad revelers.
Underwater Lion Dance and Acrobatics
In the basement of Siam Paragon (BTS: Siam), Siam Ocean World is putting on a special underwater Chinese New Year lion dance show, featuring scuba divers dressed as traditional Chinese icons.
Visitors will get a Siam Ocean World “ang pao,” a red envelope filled with discount coupons. Shows take place in the Open Ocean Zone from February 2-6 at 12:30 p.m., 3:30 p.m. and 6 p.m.
Through Sunday at Siam Parc Paragon, performances include a troupe of Chinese acrobats from Henan, a giant golden dragon, a light-and-sound lion dance, drummers and bike tricks.
CentralWorld Chinese New Year Festival
On February 3 at 1 p.m. in CentralWorld's Central Court (BTS: Chidlom), China's Minister of Culture will host a series of cultural presentations by dozens of visiting Chinese performers, including dancers and acrobats.
Through February 28, the mall is hosting an exhibition titled "Chinese Fashion Design Now," which features photographs of Thai models and celebrities dressed in modern Chinese costumes.
Chinese New Year Eats
Here are a few of the best.
Landmark Bangkok's Sui Sian: On February 3-4, Sui Sian at the Landmark Hotel is offering a set menu featuring Cantonese classics at 13,888 baht for 10 persons, as well as a dim sum buffet lunch at 888 baht. Tel: +66 (0)2 254 0404.
Bai Yun at Banyan Tree Bangkok: On February 3, the sky high Bai Yun has an all-you-can-eat dim sum lunch for 1,100 baht, and a Chinese New Year four-course set dinner at 1,200 baht per person. Tel +66 (0)2 679 1200.
Liu at Conrad Bangkok: From February 2-16, Liu is offering a Chinese set lunch at 999 and 1,288 baht/person. There's also a set dinner for 10, priced at 16,800 baht. Tel: +66 (0)2 690 9999.
Shangri-La's Shang Palace: From February 3-6, Shang Palace has a dim sum brunch buffet from 10-11:30 a.m. for 868 baht. For dinner, there are Chinese New Year set menus available for 1,688 or 1,388 baht/person. Tel: +66 (0)2 236 7777
Shanghai 38 at Sofitel Bangkok Silom: February 3-6, Sofitel's Shanghai 38 is offering a selection of traditional Chinese dishes in celebration of the Chinese New Year, with prices starting from 470 baht. There's also a set dinner menu, priced at 23,540 baht for 10 diners. Tel: +66 (0)2 238 1991
Mei Jiang at Peninsula Bangkok: For lunch and dinner on February 3-4, Mei Jiang's talented chef Jackie Ho has put together several traditional festive delicacies to offer a pair of auspicious set menus, priced at 2,280 and 2,680 baht/person. Tel: +66 (0)2 861 2888.
The China House at the Mandarin Oriental: From now through February 13, the China House is offering three specially designed set menus of six-courses to celebrate the new year, starting at 1,338 baht per person. +66 (2) 659 9950.
If you’d rather try local Thai-Chinese cuisine, check out our Best Eats 2010 list of Bangkok’s best Teochew restaurants. Our expert judges also voted on the restaurants they felt serve the city’s best Peking Duck.
But alas, not everyone loves Chinese New Year. Click here to find out why our Hong Kong editor Zoe Li now dreads this annual celebration.
