PATTAYA, THAILAND – The Pattaya International Kite on the Beach 2026 festival began on Pattaya Beach, turning the shoreline into a week-long display of colorful kites in the sky.
Opening on central beach
At 3 p.m., Siwatch Boonkoed, deputy city manager of Pattaya, officially opened the festival on behalf of Mayor Poramese Ngampichet directly on the beach opposite the Central Pattaya shopping mall.
The ceremony attracted many local residents, visitors from other parts of Thailand and international holidaymakers, who watched the start of the kite weekend along the coast in a pleasant breeze.
Officials and tourism representatives
Jetphat Charoenphipatgul, Assistant General Manager of the Central Marina Outlet and representative of Central Pattaya, presented the main program points and special features of this year’s festival in his report.
Among the guests were Peerapong Sampru, district chief of Banglamung, Panrada Attohi, another deputy city manager of Pattaya, Chaiwat Tamthai, director of the TAT Pattaya office, and Worakit Nawasakulkiat, founder of the Thaitan Kite Team Thailand, alongside representatives of the Marine Department Pattaya Branch, tourism development offices and other responsible agencies.
International kites in the sky
The festival, which ran from 25 February to 1 March 2026, featured displays by international kite teams from more than ten countries, with over 150 kites stretching along more than one kilometre of beachfront.
Highlights included synchronised parades of giant inflatable figures, cartoon-style kite designs and weather-dependent LED shows after dark, as well as hands-on activities such as kite-building workshops for children.
Boost for high season tourism
The event was jointly organised by public agencies and private partners such as Central Pattaya and was intended to strengthen the city’s position as a leading beach destination and further stimulate tourism during the high season.
Visitors were encouraged to photograph the formations in the sky, whose visual impact and flight performance depended heavily on the prevailing wind conditions.
Daily schedule and audiences
The festival operated daily, generally from around 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. or later, transforming Pattaya’s well-known shoreline into a colourful stage for creativity and shared enjoyment.
Families, photographers and beachgoers flocked in particular to the area in front of Central Pattaya to experience the free spectacle, which was promoted as the largest kite event of the year in Thailand and continued until 1 March.