Thai tourism booms during Chinese New Year festival 2013

BANGKOK, February 6 (TNA) - Thailand welcomes an influx of international visitors, particularly those from China, during the upcoming Chinese New Year festival. Thai Deputy Permanent Secretary for Tourism and Sports Thanitta Savetsila Maneechote estimated on Wednesday that over 200,000 Chinese tourists are traveling to Thailand for their Chinese New Year celebrations, from February 9-16. Thanitta said that the international tourist arrivals in Thailand, especially Chinese nationals, are expected to mostly visit Bangkok, Phuket, Krabi, Surat Thani and Chiang Mai provinces during the Chinese New Year festival. Thanitta assessed that the international tourists should land in huge numbers at the Don Mueang, the Suvarnabhumi International Airports and the Phuket International Airport in the Kingdom and her ministry and other government and private agencies concerned are well-prepared to welcome them. According to the senior Thai official, the number of flights will increase at the Suvarnabhumi International Airport by 31 flights to 985 flights and over 216,800 international tourists will use the main Thai airport over the next 13 days, followed by 98 flights and some 14,000 tourists at the Don Mueang Airport; so, Airports of Thailand Public Company Limited (AOT) has arranged for parking lots for buses, installed Chinese-language signs and opened a 24-hour tourist service centre on the fourth floor of the passenger terminal at the Suvarnabhumi International Airport. The senior official noted that more tourist and immigration police will also be deployed at the airports from 8pm to 2am, considered the peak period of the international tourist arrivals. Meanwhile, the Chinese Embassy to Thailand organised the annual Chinese New Year Celebrations event at Thailand's Cultural Centre in the heart of Bangkok on Wednesday, themed “Spring Festival Open House”. The event was presided over by His Excellency the Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China, Guan Mu, who was accompanied by his wife, Madam Wu Huiqing. The festivity was also attended by Thailand's Parliament President Somsak Kiatsuranont, Culture Minister Sontaya Khunplume and former prime minister General Chavalit Yongchaiyuth. The event included a photo exhibition, themed Spring Festival, and a showcase of Chinese traditional costumes, drawing crowds of visitors to witness the delicate Chinese fabric works. (TNA)