Bangkok plans to keep temples and museums open until midnight

Visiting sights like Wat Arun (Temple of Dawn) is most pleasant in the cool evening hours, and to make this possible Bangkok now wants to extend the opening hours. – Photo: Carola Frentzen/dpa

Some of Bangkok's biggest attractions could soon stay open after sunset and welcome visitors until midnight as part of plans to boost Thailand's economy and make it easier for tourists to visit the sights at calmer and cooler times.

The governor of the Thai capital, Chadchart Sittipunt, said particularly the temples and museums along the Chao Phraya River, the lifeline of the sprawling city, should be granted extend opening hours.

Until now, temples like the world-famous Wat Arun (Temple of Dawn) or Wat Pho (Temple of the Reclining Buddha) have closed at 6 pm, while most museums are only open until the afternoon.

"Keeping tourist attractions past sunset will bring about many benefits," the Bangkok Post newspaper quoted the politician as saying on Monday. "For one, the weather won't be as hot as during the daytime, which will undoubtedly improve visitors' mood."

In addition, it would be easier to reach the sights after sunset because the traffic would then decrease considerably.

Chadchart is also thinking about a cooperation with Venice as a European partner city.

"Bangkok has a lot of waterways and is known as Venice of the East," he said. The city government could learn a lot from the Italian city's water management plan. – dpa