Buranee Clausen headed straight past the designer bags and swish clothes in one of Bangkok’s toniest malls to dive into a section of the store dedicated to Thailand’s hottest new import: Halloween.
In a city that loves to celebrate any holiday, Halloween is catching on, not just as a kid’s party at international schools, but as a big night out on the town — and a marketing opportunity to draw more shoppers into stores.
”You know Thais, we try to celebrate every chance we get,” said Buranee, who was buying a pumpkin costume for her two-and-a-half year old to wear to a school party.
While Halloween was once purely for expatriates, the holiday is catching on in Thailand’s upper class and becoming an increasingly important retail event.
At the city’s major department stores, Halloween promotions attract 20% more shoppers than usual, and sales go up by about the same amount, marketing officials said.
At two of the biggest department stores, Emporium and Siam Paragon, sales volume is expected to increase by 15% to 20% during the October 26 to November 5 Halloween promotion, according to Natasanon Vongkittipat, assistant chief marketing director for the two stores.
Sales for that period are projected to amount to 550-million baht ($14,9-million), she said.
”It is one of the biggest periods for teens and expats,” she said.
Originally a pagan holiday celebrated in Europe, Halloween has evolved into a night of dressing up in costumes and collecting sweets door-to-door in some Western countries, especially those in North America.
In the Thai capital, Halloween has been celebrated for years but is mainly reserved for children’s parties at schools or apartment buildings, and a night of drinking and partying for tourists and some locals.
”Thais enjoy celebrating anyone’s festivities,” said Philip Corwel-Smith, author of Very Thai: Everyday Popular Culture. ”Thais are more open to celebrating other people’s holidays than most cultures are.”
But he said Halloween is also an opportunity for shops and bars to have new promotions and that the night has become little more than a way to sell more clothes and alcohol.
”The past few years it’s been quite big,” said Ngam Olesen from Pattaya, who was buying a witch costume, complete with broomstick, for her daughter. ”As Thai children grow up, they learn a lot about American culture.”
In Pattaya, a beachside city known for its sex tourism, Ngam said Halloween is a big party for the adults in the bars.
Some bars and nightclubs around Bangkok also host Halloween parties and Silom Soi 4, in the city’s gay district, is known for its Halloween street party.
”Halloween is one of the busiest nights in most bars,” said Stuart Duff, owner of The Balcony bar. ”It’s a case where it’s any excuse for a party.
And every place from the hottest lounges to the city’s go-go bars get in on the act, with dancers and patrons donning costumes.
Despite the parties, there is little trick-or-treating and few jack-o’-lanterns. For most Thais, Halloween is still a foreign concept.
Yuporn Seriyingyos’s seven-year-old daughter was running through the displays at one Bangkok department store trying on masks, but Yuporn said the family wasn’t attending any parties or doing any trick-or-treating.
”I am buying it for my daughter just for play,” she said. ”She likes the fashion.” — Sapa-AFP