Songkran Revelers Arriving in Chiang Mai

CHIANG MAI, April 10 (TNA) - Arrivals of tourists are increasing in Chiang Mai as the northern province is traditionally celebrating the Songkran (Thai New Year) festival while smog is alleviated there. Representatives of Chiang Mai airport and airlines warmly welcomed visitors from Flight FD3445. The visitors received souvenirs for merit-making activities amid live Lanna-styled music performances that marked the beginning of Chiang Mai’s Songkran celebrations. A Buddha image was placed at the airport for tourists to traditionally bathe in accordance with the Songkran custom. Ronakorn Chalermsaenyakorn, operations director of Chiang Mai airport, said normally the airport served 210-250 flights and 30,000-35,000 passengers a day but traffic should rise by 12% to 40,000 people a day on April 10-12 and 15-17 as smoke haze was being relieved in the province. Airport officials, police and soldiers were deployed to prevent crime at the presently crowded airport, he said. (TNA)