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https://www.nationthailand.com/thai-destination/40014429

Only 772 foreigners have registered via Thailand Pass to land in Chiang Mai during the Songkran period, the city’s airport director said on Monday.

Wijit Kaewsaithiam, director of Chiang Mai International Airport, cited Thailand Pass applications, saying only 772 tourists have applied to enter Thailand via the northern city between April 11 and 17.

Meanwhile, he said, Singapore’s Scoot Airlines is the only foreign carrier that is landing in Chiang Mai at present. Scoot flies daily to and from Chiang Mai and Singapore.

Since November last year, 5,400 foreigners have landed at the airport, 80 per cent of whom were tourists, he said.

Wichit added that the airport is ready to welcome an influx of foreign tourists and that the immigration department and other government agencies are well-coordinated to ensure there are no bottlenecks at the airport.

He said the airport has also set up Covid-19 prevention and security measures to deal with a large inflow of passengers during the holidays.

Apart from foreign tourists, a lot of Thais are also expected to land in Chiang Mai for the holidays, he said. Four additional flights will be added from April 11 to 17 to the 105 flights that already land daily in Chiang Mai, he said.

The airport expects daily arrivals to increase by 23 per cent to 13,500 from 11,000. The number of arrivals during this Songkran should also rise by 150 per cent compared to the same period last year, Wijit said.

Published : April 11, 2022

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https://www.nationthailand.com/thai-destination/40014413

Tourists are flocking to the Khao Phaeng Ma Reforestation Project in Wang Nam Khiao district of Nakhon Ratchasima province last weekend to take a selfie with the street art on tourist walkways as well as to admire the majestic view of wild bulls and cows grazing in the field every morning. 

The street art project was spearheaded by Ban Klong Sai Community Enterprise group, who aims to promote Khao Phaeng Ma as a new tourist landmark by inviting local artists to paint the walkways with pictures of wild oxen and other tourist attractions in Nakhon Ratchasima.

Phongthep Malachasingha, president of Wang Nam Khiao Tourism Association, said that the project has helped promote sustainable tourism and create income for the community, as well as helped locals realize the importance of maintaining the harmony between wildlife and human community.

Published : April 11, 2022

By : THE NATION

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https://www.nationthailand.com/thai-destination/40014398

The Grand Palace will be closed to tourists on Friday (April 15) though the Emerald Buddha Temple or Wat Phra Kaew will be open as normal, the Royal Household Bureau announced on its website on Saturday.

As per the announcement, both the Grand Palace and Emerald Buddha Temple will be open to the public from 8am to 5pm on the first two days of Songkran. Visitors will also be given access to the Royal Pantheon to admire and pay respect to images of late Chakri kings.

The Royal Pantheon is usually only open to the public on Chakri Day.

On the last day of Songkran, however, visitors can only enter the complex via the Sawadisopha Gate and can only visit the Emerald Buddha Temple and the Royal Pantheon from 8am to 1pm. The Grand Palace and the Royal Chapel will be closed to tourists all day.

Visitors are required to strictly comply with the dress code. Men cannot wear jeans, while women are required to wear skirts or other traditional attire. Visitors are also required to strictly comply with Covid-19 preventive measures.

Published : April 10, 2022

By : THE NATION

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https://www.nationthailand.com/pr-news/thai-destination/40014279

The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has teamed up with the Tourism Council of Thailand, tourism associations and Advanced Info Service to launch a campaign called “Experience Amazing New Chapters” aimed at international tourists and expats, TAT said in a press release.

TAT is cooperating with SHA Plus-certified and SHA Extra Plus-certified establishments in the 10 pilot provinces of Phuket, Krabi, Phang-nga, Koh Samui, Chiang Mai, Chonburi, Phetchaburi, Prachuap Khiri Khan, Buriram and Bangkok to launch various packages and special deals for international tourists and expats through the http://www.tourismthailand.org/experienceamazing website.

Besides special deals, travellers will stand a chance to win luxurious accommodation packages from establishments across Thailand worth more than 100,000 baht, the press release added.

“Experience Amazing New Chapters will be officially available for special deals until August 2022,” it said.

Published : April 07, 2022

By : THE NATION

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https://www.nationthailand.com/thai-destination/40014266

The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) estimates Bangkok will be the most visited city among Thai tourists during the upcoming Songkran festival, with the government permitting travelling during the April 13-17 holiday.

“Our analysis shows that during the five-day holiday, up to 450,000 Thais will visit Bangkok and surrounding provinces [Thonburi, Nonthaburi and Pathum Thani] due to several tourist attractions as well as modern facilities and because the drive won’t be too far,” TAT governor Yuthasak Supasorn said on Wednesday.

“The second most visited province during Songkran would likely be Chonburi, which is expected to see 220,000 visitors, followed by Nakhon Ratchasima with 150,000,” he said. “Phuket, despite being a tourist province, will be the fourth most-visited place with 130,000.”

The other provinces that would see a large number of Thai tourists are Kanchanaburi (120,000), Phang-nga (110,000), Ayutthaya (95,000), Udon Thani (94,000), Prachuap Khiri Khan (83,000) and Nakhon Nayok (81,000).

TAT estimates that throughout the Songkran holidays Thailand will see a total of 3.34 million Thai and foreign tourists, who will help generate income of at least 11 billion baht, while hotels will have average occupancy of 41 per cent.

Meanwhile, social media analytics website wiseinsight.com reported that nearly 80 per cent of Bangkokians are planning to travel upcountry for Songkran. Of these, 59.4 per cent are planning to spend a night or more at their destinations.

Published : April 07, 2022

By : THE NATION

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https://www.nationthailand.com/thai-destination/40014134

Centara has chosen Koh Samui for the launch of its flagship eco-friendly hotel, as the hospitality group taps the emerging trend for sustainability in luxury travel.

Centara Reserve Samui’s commitment to sustainability is shown in environmentally conscious designs, green operational measures and eco-friendly amenities.

Under its impressive sustainability programme, single-use plastics are banned, while still and sparkling water is safely bottled in-house, and all food waste is transformed into biogas for use in the resort kitchens to reduce energy consumption.

At the resort’s Reserve Spa Cenvaree, all treatments utilise 100-per-cent organic, cruelty-free products and freshly blended oils and clays infused with ingredients grown at the on-site Spa Herb Garden.

Guests can also harvest ingredients from the garden for their food at any outlet to further lower their carbon footprint and food miles.

The idea is to ensure that guests can enjoy experiences that cannot be found anywhere else, said Centara vice president of brand marketing Tom Thrussell.

From left, Patrick Moukarzel and Tom Thrussell

The hotel, formerly Centara Grand Beach Resort Samui, has been redesigned with upgrades that integrate its celebrated colonial aesthetic with contemporary features.

It comprises 184 rooms, pool suites and beachfront pool villas, with spacious private balcony or terraces. Highlights are the ultra-luxe 80-square-metre Reserve Ocean Suite and 256-square-metre Reserve Pool Villa.

Along with two large swimming pools, guests have a vast watery playground on Chaweng Beach – Samui’s finest and longest stretch of sand.

Thai and international delicacies flow at five venues – Salt Society, The Terrace, Sa-Nga, ACT 5 and Pool Bar – while cocktails and mocktails are on tap at The Gin Run.

Centara Reserve Samui general manager Patrick Moukarzel said that the ongoing Covid-19 crisis and Russia-Ukraine conflict would not affect company operations.

He expected the resort to be 70-80 per cent full during the July-August high season this year.

“The resort is looking to use electric vehicles to transfer guests to and from Samui International Airport as well,” he added.

Centara launched the “sustainable luxury” concept in December with plans to expand it to Krabi and perhaps Koh Lanta and Cha-Am in future.

Centara’s eco-friendly flagship is less than a 15-minute drive from Samui airport.

For more, visit centarareserve.com/Samui or contact +66 (0) 7723 0500.

Published : April 03, 2022

By : THE NATION

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https://www.nationthailand.com/thai-destination/40014048

Cha-am Forest Park in Phetchaburi’s Cha-am district on Monday opened a new camping site on the 368- rai forest park that is located only half a kilometer away from the famous Cha-am Beach.

“The new camping site has tent areas, public restrooms, bungalows and conference rooms for rent for both individual and group tourists,” said Atthaphol Phao-On, chief of the forest park. “The park also features several trekking routes where tourists can exercise or enjoy natural scenery along the Cha-am Beach.”

“The camping site will be monitored and patrolled by security guards 24/7 to ensure the safety of all visitors,” he added.

Besides Cha-am Beach, the Cha-am Forest Park is also in the vicinity of several tourist attractions in Phetchaburi, including the Khao Nang Panthurat Forest Park, Mrigadayavan Palace, Huai Sai Royal Development Study Centre, and the Chang Hua Man Royal Project.
 

Published : April 01, 2022

By : THE NATION

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https://www.nationthailand.com/thai-destination/40014006

More than 200,000 tourists are expected to visit Chiang Mai and generate at least 2 billion baht in income for local businesses during the April 13-17 Songkran holidays, said the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT).

“This year TAT’s Chiang Mai Office is cooperating with Chiang Mai Municipality to hold a sacred water-mixing ceremony at Wat Phra That Doi Suthep in Muang district on April 10,” office director Watcharayut Kuawong said on Wednesday.

“We will mix ‘secret water’ from various temples in the province over an incantation ceremony at Wat Phra That Doi Suthep, before filling the water in 10,726 bottles and giving these to tourists and the general public at Tha Phae Gate and the Three Kings Monument in Muang district on April 12 and 13,” he explained.

Apart from handing out bottles of the secret water, the office is organising a grand traditional dance featuring 300 performers aged 5 to 77 in colourful attire sporting classic long nails. The dance will take place in front of the Three Kings Monument on April 11 and 12 to attract tourists.

All participants or visitors must provide a vaccine certificate or negative ATK result to prevent Covid-19 from spreading.

“Although water splashing in public is still not allowed due to the Covid-19 situation, we hope that at least 200,000 people would visit Chiang Mai during the five days of Songkran and generate income of more than 2 billion baht,” said Watcharayut.

“From April 8-10, TAT’s Chiang Mai Office will also take 30 tourism entrepreneurs in the province to a promotional event at Central Phuket shopping mall to advertise Chiang Mai’s hotels, restaurants and tourist attractions to p

Published : March 31, 2022

By : THE NATION

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https://www.nationthailand.com/thai-destination/40014005

Krabi, a paradise with bounteous nature, beautiful beaches and spectacular islands in the Andaman archipelago, was named the province with the best hospitality in Thailand, according to Booking.com’s Traveller Review Awards 2022.

Following Krabi is Trat, Chiang Rai, Chiang Mai and Nakhon Ratchasima, in that order.

The ranking, which was announced on March 27, honours Booking.com’s partners in 220 tourist destinations worldwide, including in Thailand.

The ranking was conducted based on more than 232 million reviews of hotel/resort hospitality, friendliness and cleanliness, which are factors that encourage travellers to stay.

Accommodations in Thailand have received an average review score of 8.6 based on more than 1.8 million reviews.

Booking.com regional manager of the Mekong region Michelle Gao said the tourism sector is still able to meet travellers’ needs and adapt to cope with uncertainties and travel restrictions.

“This proves our partners’ commitment and efforts to provide a travel experience with safety and hospitality to visitors from around the world,” she said.

She also thanked Booking.com’s partners for their efforts to help the tourism industry recover.

Published : March 31, 2022

By : THE NATION

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https://www.nationthailand.com/thai-destination/40013772

Tourists have been urged to don Thai ancient costumes to pose for photos with models of Thailand’s historical places inside Muang Boran Museum, which has been illuminated with spectacular light and sound shows until May 15.

The management of Muang Boran or Ancient Siam in Samut Prakan said it had spent more than 10 million baht to add special light and sound shows to illuminate the night at the central region section of the open-air museum.

Thousands of bulbs are being used together with world-class multimedia technology and 3-D mapping lasers to create an immersive experience for visitors to the so-called Muang Boran Light Festival 2022.

The show is divided into seven zones based on key historical periods and places:

At the Sanphet Prasat Palace zone, tourists will be treated to a multimedia light and sound show under the theme of fertile ancient Thailand, when “there was [abundant] fish in water, and rice in paddy fields”.

The Dusit Maha Prasat Palace zone has also been illuminated with a light and sound show. The palace, modelled on the Suriyas Amarin Throne Hall of the Ayudhaya period, is decorated with crystal to reflect the lights, showing that the Ayudhaya period was once rich in culture and prospered.

Meanwhile, the light and sound display at the King Rama 9 zone remembers His Majesty the late King Bhumibol.

The zone of the Footprint of Lord Buddha in Saraburi features light that enlivens the grass lawn and trees to create the perception of a beautiful garden.

The Garden of Mother Earth Statue, too, has become a stunning site with a new technique that illustrates the statue enriching mother earth by releasing water from her hair to the earth. The technique shows mist enveloping the ground amid beautiful lights and stunning sounds.

And the Chom Thong Throne Hall is an exhibition zone that uses light to highlight ancient paintings and the structure, making them look more magical and remarkable.

Furthermore, there’s a zone featuring traditional shows and musical performances. Visitors are treated to ten rounds of music, called Our Land the Musical, inspired by a song composed by King Rama IX.

The shows take place on Friday and Saturday night at 7.30pm. Visitors need to purchase tickets beforehand via Thai Ticket Major.

There are also Thai dance performances on Friday and Saturday night, with fireworks on some nights.

Tourists are encouraged to check details in advance on the museum’s Facebook page.

Published : March 24, 2022

By : THE NATION