Fireworks form an important part of Thai celebrations. Like many countries that choose to honor important dates and festivals with special events, Thai celebrations almost always see the presence of fireworks. Rocket festivals also form a part of yearly events, and competitions to decide who has launched the best firework keep many people busy in their personal lives. Many Thai people believe that releasing these fireworks will beckon prosperity and an auspicious future for their community. That is why many important events always have fireworks involved.

One group of college students from Thailand celebrated a festival in 2014 by launching one of the most spectacular fireworks in the country. Amateur but passionate, they created a That Girandola – a rocket shaped like a flying saucer that spins round and round. But this was no ordinary Girandola. The Bamboo Rocket Festival was slated to be an enjoyable event that year, but this Girandola made it an event worth remembering. And thankfully for the rest of the world, the entire thing was caught on camera.

Rocket festivals in Thailand have various criteria for winning, one of them being how high the firework can go. The Thai Girandola created by these students went high enough to be a serious contender for that prize. The moments caught on camera show a group of young men holding long sticks with fire at their end, standing next to the firework. They light it up and together run as far as they can. They knew exactly what they were doing, and this is witnessed by the fact that soon plumes of smoke start to come out of the firework.

The smoke forms intricate patterns of movement around the firework, and there is an intense moment of anticipation as the firework slowly sets off into the sky. The Girandola starts to spin round and round, and so does the plumes of smoke that help the sustain its flight. What results is a breathtaking spectacle of an object ascending into the clouds, as smoke continues to push it higher. Finally, after what feels like an eternity, the firework reaches the end of its life and begins its plunge back towards Earth. A wonderful video worth checking out, this Thai Girandola showcases what can happen when knowledge and creativity are properly directed.

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