BANGKOK 20 January 2020: The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is highlighting cities in Thailand that have a strong Chinese heritage for the Chinese New Year celebrations, 24 to 30 January.
The tourism marketing agency says 14% of the Thai people share Chinese ancestry so celebrating the Chinese New Year is a big event in the kingdom, although it is not an official holiday.
The biggest celebrations to welcome the Year of the Rat will take place in Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Nakhon Sawan, Phuket, Trang and Udon Thani.
In the Thai capital, the festivities focus on the city’s Chinatown, particularly the main thoroughfare of Yaowarat around Wat Mangkon Kamalawat on Charoen Krung Road where residents pay respect to the images of Chinese Gods.
The opening ceremony 25 January will be presided over by Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn together with senior officials from Thailand’s Minister of Tourism and Sports, TAT, and China’s Minister of Culture and Tourism.
Celebrations will take place in other cities in the central region such as Supanburi, Ratchaburi and Nakhon Sawan, 200 km north of Bangkok.
In North Thailand, Chiang Mai has the biggest Chinese New Year celebrations, while in the southern provinces Songkhla, a town on the Gulf of Thailand close to Hat Ya is also popular, as well as old Phuket town on Phuket Island off the Andaman Sea coast and Trang further south along the coast.
In Northeast Thailand, the best cities to celebrate Chinese New Year are Udon Thani and Nakhon Ratchasima.
(Source: TAT)
