New Year’s celebrations started on Walking Street, around Balihai Bay in Pattaya, on Thursday and will run through the countdown to New Year tomorrow night.

All the pubs and bars on the street are festooned with fairy lights, adding to the festive ambiance for the first time after three years of COVID-19 restrictions.

A live concert, featuring several popular bands and a firework display, will be among highlights tomorrow night.

In Chiang Mai people flocked to Doi Suthep, to pay respects to the Buddha statues at Wat Phra Doi Suthep for New Year blessings today, causing traffic congestion extending several kilometres up to the top of the mountain.

A smiling flower vendor reported brisk sales to tourists, saying she has sold five times as many as usual today.