BANGKOK, Feb 6 — The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) will organise Chinese New Year festival events in 12 locations nationwide, celebrating the 40th anniversary of Thai-Chinese diplomatic relations, accorrding to TAT Deputy Governor for Products and Tourism Businesses Vilaiwan Twichasri.
Ms Vilaiwan informed the press that TAT will hold 12 events in 12 popular locations across Thailand between February 16- March 1, including the Yaowarat Chinese New Year Festival in Bangkok, festivals in the ancient city of Ayutthaya, Pattaya , Ratchaburi, Phetchaburi, Suphan Buri, Nakhon Sawan, Trang, Hatyai, Phuket, Nakhon Ratchasima, and Chiang Mai's Chinatown.
The TAT deputy governor said the festival this year is special, as 2015 also is celebrated in honour of Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn's 60th birthday and celebrating the 40th anniversary of Thai-Chinese diplomatic relations, as well as at the 11th year for cooperation on tourism and cultures between TAT and China's Ministry of Culture.
The Chinese Embassy in Bangkok will join the celebrations by sending more than 180 performers from its 10 regions to perform 11 cultural shows, aiming to encourage cultural exchanges and promote cooperation on cultural tourism, which is one of the projects under the Thai government's campaign of Discover Thainess 2015.
TAT has targeted more than 650,000 tourists, 130,000-140,000 of which will be Thai or Chinese, to attend the festival, generating over Bt800 million in revenue. (MCOT online news)
