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The wildlife of Khao Yai National Park will be gazing at the sky in bafflement next week as the air fills with tremendous coloured balloons in all kinds of shapes.

It's the Thailand International Balloon Festival, returning to the blue above Nakhon Rachasima for a second year.

Aloft, hands on their hotair jets, more than 60 pilots from around the world will be gazing back at the animals, and taking in the vast vista of mountain, jungle and grassland.

Expect thousands of visitors at the headquarters of the War Dog Battalion just outside Khao Yai town from December 3 to 7.

They'll be watching, helping launch and even riding the beautifully sculpted balloons from Europe, Japan, Malaysia, Australia and elsewhere - some of them as tall as a sevenstorey building.

When the sky darkens, the balloon colours' dazzle will be replaced by illumination. The Light & Fire Balloon Glow Show will see the whispering aircraft glinting and bobbing amid fireworks to the accompaniment of classical music.

On Friday the Vie Trio will provide live music for the aerial ballet in a celebration of His Majesty the King's birthday - tunes written by the King himself.

You don't have to merely watch just because you don't have a balloon, of course. There'll be plenty of chances for onlookers to get airborne above the park with veteran balloonists. You can soak up nature's beauty and maybe see some wildlife looking back.

Each day begins early in the morning with a mass launch of the balloons into the breezy sky, many of them carrying passengers selected through draws.

Soon after that, skilled kiting enthusiasts from Europe will put on a show, and not far away the radiocontrolled model planes, para motors and "cloud hoppers" will be filling the air.

Meanwhile, on terra firma, there'll be a full range of entertainment and other family fun.

Since you're in the countryside, you'll get a countrified kick out the cowboys and cowgirls onstage recreating the feel of America's old Wild West, complete with stunt shows.

There'll be horse and dog shows in another area, and a "battlefield" where you can test your skills with a bow and arrow in an archery workshop.

Each evening the site will be aglow with campfires and abuzz with a massive night market full of farm produce and handicrafts.

Make plans for dinners that will be fun for the family and romantic for couples - plenty of barbecued savouries matched with quality tipples from the increasingly famous wineries in the area.

If you don't bring a camera you'd be crazy, not just for the fabulous photo opportunities but for the chance to win Bt50,000 and a Fuji FinePix S2000 digital camera. A competition awaits your favourite snapshot.

Unforgettable flying objects

The Thailand International Balloon Festival is at the War Dog Battalion field in Nakhon Ratchasima's Khao Yai district from December 3 to 7. There's no admission charge. For details, call (053) 292 224 or visit www.ThailandBalloonFestival.com.