BANGKOK (The Nation Thailand/ANN): With Thailand now preparing to celebrate Chinese New Year, a variety of spectacular events are planned across the country, the highlight of which will take place in Bangkok's Chinatown.
Promising it will be the most notable celebration to greet the year of the dragon following the Covid-19 pandemic, Thapanee Techajaroenvikul, chairman of the 2024 Chinatown ceremony committee in Bangkok, said earlier this week that this year's event will be full of activities, performances, products, and services guaranteed to wow all comers.
“The Chinese New Year festival in Bangkok's Chinatown is very unique and one of the most famous events among lunar new year celebrations around the world. Those taking part will enjoy a perfect blend of traditional Chinese culture and Thai style, as reflected in the food, shows, plays, and activities," she said.
The event is being organised in close collaboration with the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), several local entrepreneurs, and police so the celebration guarantee that all participants, be they locals or visitors, experience joy, blessings, happiness, and safety.
Approximately 1,200 police officers will be assigned to guard and facilitate the event area.
The 25th Chinese New Year will take place in Bangkok's Chinatown on February 10 and 11, from noon to midnight. The official opening ceremony will take place on the evening of February 10, presided over by Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn.
Aside from traditional dragon and lion dances, the celebrations will also feature cultural performances from the Xinjiang Autonomous Region and Quanzhou Prefecture in Fujian province.
Chinese New Year celebrations are also being held across Thailand, with major events in:
Pak Nam Pho, Nakhon Sawan from February 3-12; Ratchaburi from February 9-11; Hat Yai city, Songkhla from February 9-13; Suphan Buri from February 10-12; Chiang Mai from February 10-11
TAT estimates that the country's Chinese New Year celebrations will attract more than 3 million Thai and international tourists this year, generating approximately 28.4 billion baht in revenue for the kingdom.
Last week, Tourism and Sports Minister Sudawan Wangsuphakijkosol told the media that the upcoming Chinese New Year, which runs from February 8 to 16, is expected to attract approximately 195,825 tourists from China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan. This represents a 137% increase over the previous year, resulting in a total income of 11.40 billion baht, 157% higher than the same period last year.
She added that Thailand's visa waiver policy, increased flight availability, and favourable travel conditions have all contributed to the positive tourism atmosphere.
The majority of Chinese tourists, approximately 150,295 people, are expected to arrive from China, representing a 335% increase from 2023 but still lower than the 2019 figure of 299,466. Hong Kong is expected to contribute 22,830 tourists, down 4% from 2023 and 22% from 2019. Taiwan is expected to contribute 22,700 tourists, down 6% from 2023 but up 11% from 2019.
The projected number coincides with those given by Alipay+, China's largest e-payment services and Ctrip.com, China's largest travel platform, which revealed earlier this week that the number of Chinese planning to visit Thailand, especially Bangkok, during the Lunar New Year could reach 1 million.
According to digital travel platform Agoda, Thailand is one of the most popular international city destinations for the upcoming Lunar New Year holiday, with Malaysia, China, South Korea, Singapore, and Japan as the top inbound markets to Thailand, marking China's return as a top-five source market for the first time since 2019.
Thailand's five most popular destinations are Bangkok, Phuket, Hat Yai, Pattaya, and Chiang Mai. - The Nation Thailand/ANN
