Love At The Beach

For weeks now we have been seeing posters along the roadside with the English words “love at the beach” but everything else written in Thai. What? Yesterday we found out what was going on, Valentine’s Day weddings on our beach. I was out for my early morning bicycle ride when I realized what was going to happen, so I turned around and headed home for my camera. This seemed like the perfect opportunity to do another photo essay for you. I arrived at the beach early enough to watch as the workers prepared the beach with an aisle, hut for paper signing, and four different photo-op scenes all made with real flowers. I thought the area looked stunning.

The Thai equivalent of our Madison Avenue has done a great job convincing Thailand to buy into Western commercial celebrations; in this case lots of money to be made on chocolates, flowers, cards, and pink. Yes, pink is the color of choice when it comes to decorating and dressing up for Valentine’s Day. It was also a great PR and photo opportunity – the mayor opened the religious side of the event and signed each certificate, the governor gave a speech and handed each couple the bride’s flower bouquet with his best wishes.

I had great fun photographing the beach both with and without people; I hope you enjoy seeing this Thai take on Valentine’s Day romance. (Don’t forget, if you click on a thumbnail photo it will take you a larger format with which to cruise through the images.)