Spring blooms across globe(3)

Concerts, art expos

To celebrate the Lunar New Year on Saturday, the Thai government works together with the Chinese embassy and organizes various activities with public participation, including concerts, art exhibitions and performances.

A light show kicked off in Yaowarat, or Chinatown, in Bangkok, at the beginning of this month.

The Chinese New Year is celebrated in Thailand mostly by the Thai-Chinese communities. Traditional activities for celebration include lion and dragon dances and fireworks, which attract participants ranging from the Royal family to the general public.

This year's celebration also marks 49 years of diplomatic relations between Thailand and China and the fruitful cultural and tourism collaboration between the two partners and close neighbors.

The celebration promises a cultural feast of mesmerizing performances from both Thailand and China. Top attractions include a dance troupe from China's Fujian province.

In Singapore, New Year celebrations include River Hongbao at Gardens by the Bay, Chinatown's Chinese New Year Festival, and Gardens by the Bay's Flower Dome. The Chingay Parade features vibrant costumes and street art installations with elegant blossom themes.

Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam, is expected to display 32 fireworks on Lunar New Year's Eve.

In island countries such as the Maldives, Sri Lanka, and Fiji, the celebrations include special treats, decorations and activities for both locals and Chinese visitors.

In the Maldives, local agencies are hosting special events to mark the occasion this year. Baglioni Resort Maldives, for instance, is sending good wishes and decorating its facilities and resorts, with red lanterns and other traditional artwork symbolizing good luck and prosperity. Anantara villas are to host a Chinese-style lion dance, live music and other performances apart from a dinner gala in seaside ambience on Feb 10.