Valentine’s Day gift from Chiang Rai temple: Access to new 3-storey skywalk
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2023
Wat Saeng Kaew Phothiyan in Chiang Rai opened the doors to its new three-storey glass skywalk on Valentine’s Day, so people could take some time to reflect on kindness.
Thousands of people gathered on the skywalk on Tuesday to pay their respects to the 50-by-21-metre statue of the Maitreya Buddha. Locals also marked the event with a traditional dance performance.
The temple’s abbot Kruba Ariyachart Ariyajitto said the skywalk had been built to encourage people to make merit and study Buddhism.
“It was opened on Valentine’s Day, so people can take time to be kind to each other, especially their parents,” he said.
The temple is located in Chiang Rai’s Mae Saruay district.
‘Unseen Taiwan’ campaign expects big boost in tourists from Thailand
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2023
Farida Waller
The Taiwanese government has developed a variety of new attractions and events around the island for tourists to explore, Cindy Chen, tourism director of the Taiwan bureau office in Bangkok, said on Monday.
“Taiwan is ready to welcome all visitors, I invite everyone to come and explore unseen Taiwan,” Cindy said at an event held at the United Business Centre II building, in collaboration with six airlines — China Airlines, EVA Air, Starlux Airlines, Thai smile Airways, Thai Lion Air, Thai Vietjet Air — and five tour agencies.
The event aimed to offer updates on travel trends by KTC World Travel Service with the opening of new experiences, including culinary, traditions, and sustainable travelling.
The partnership also unveiled a new direct Bangkok – Kaohsiung flight, and a new dimension of soft power by travel bloggers.
Activities included a simulation of the Taiwanese atmosphere, such as folding paper lanterns, pineapple pie and Taiwanese bubble tea tasting.
Around 50,000 Thais visited Taiwan, cashing in on free visas for Thai tourists, after their reopening three months ago.
The four “Unseen Taiwan” attractions are: Unseen Festival; Unseen LOHAS (Lifestyle of Health and Sustainability) cycling in Taiwan; Unseen Food: Michelin in Every Part of Taiwan; and Unseen Culture: Discover Temple Tour.
Unseen Festival includes Taiwan Lantern Festival all around Taiwan throughout the year. According to Discovery Channel, Taiwan’s lantern festival is one of the most amazing events of the world.
Unseen LOHAS Cycling in Taiwan is safe, convenient and beginner friendly. The Sun Moon lake is one of the most beautiful cycling lanes in the world, according to CNN.
Unseen Food focuses on Michelin in every part of the country. Taiwan already has a few famous foods, such as bubble tea, beef noodles and stinky tofu, but now the spotlight is on Michelin-star restaurants.
Taiwan currently has 321 restaurants with Michelin stars and Michelin’s Bib Gourmands.
With over 12,000 temples throughout the island, Unseen Culture recommends that visitors discover temples like Xia-Hai City God Temple to pray for love and Zi Nan Temple, Nantou, for money.
The new direct route to Kaohsiung makes it easier for tourists to enjoy the slow life, pleasant weather, and unique attractions on the south of Taiwan.
At least 200,000 Thais are expected to visit Taiwan by the end of this year, added Cindy.
“The four ‘Unseen Taiwan’ concept really hit the mark, especially LOHAS, which offers both health benefits and preserves the environment simultaneously,” said Pattheera Anandchotiphatchara, the head of KTC World Travel Service and Travel & Leisure Marketing at KTC.
Shorter scheduled trips, smaller group travel, and more nature travel are the latest travel trends, she added.
After Taiwan welcomed Thai tourists last October, the number of KTC cardmembers spending with its airline partners in Taiwan increased by 118% in the fourth quarter, according to Pattheera.
“Taipei is the main destination for Thais due to ease of travel, and convenient as well as cheap trains. It is suitable for first-time travellers, solo travellers and even as a small family trip,” said Kitcharat Narteetamrongsutt, a blogger from Ratto Wanderlust FaceBook page.
The 28th Thai International Travel Fair, 2023 is being held from February 16-19 at Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre. The Taiwan pavilion booth has prepared exclusive activities and promotions for visitors as well as 65 delegations from different travelling sectors in Taiwan.
Local and foreign tourists flocked to a beach in Surat Thani on Monday as fantastic creations from around the globe returned to fill the sky.
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha was on hand to launch the province’s annual international kite festival at Nai Amphoe Beach in Chaiya district – getting hearts fluttering.
This year’s festival is soaring with the spirit of Valentine’s Day under the theme “Kite of Love”.
The premier said he was happy to see the festival return this year, adding the government hopes international events like this will boost the country’s soft power and bring in more tourism revenue for local economies.
The kite festival was grounded for the past three years due to Covid-19.
THAI launches 14 flights to major Chinese cities in March after removal of travel restrictions
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2023
Fourteen new flights will be launched to five major Chinese cities next month by Thai Airways International (THAI) following the removal of Covid restrictions in China.
China, which is Thailand’s second-largest export market after the US, lifted border restrictions on January 8, spurring hopes of economic and trade recovery.
Thailand is one of only 20 countries where Chinese package tourists are allowed to visit from February 8 onwards.
The new flights to China include:
1. Round-trip flights on the Bangkok-Kunming route, departing every Friday and Sunday, with two flights available per week.
2. Round-trip flights on the Bangkok-Guangzhou route, departing every Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday, with three flights available per week.
3. Round-trip flights on the Bangkok-Chengdu route, departing every Tuesday and Thursday, with two flights available per week.
4. Round-trip flights on the Bangkok-Shanghai route, departing every Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday, with four flights available per week.
5. Round-trip flights on the Bangkok-Beijing route, departing every Monday, Thursday, and Saturday, with three flights available per week.
More information on flight schedules and reservations can be obtained from thaiairways.com, or THAI Contact Centre at 0-2356-1111, 24 hours.
Samui to host Valentine’s marriages above heart-shaped Chaweng beach
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2023
A Samui restaurant will host the first-ever outdoor marriage registration event at the mountain viewpoint overlooking Chaweng Beach on Valentine’s Day.
A foreign tourist who chose this romantic spot to propose to his girlfriend gave him the idea, said Tinn Chakhra-nuwatthanaphong, manager of Koh Samui’s Heart Shape Mountain Sea View restaurant.
“Located on a mountain top overlooking Chaweng Beach, the restaurant offers a unique perspective of the heart-shaped beach,” he said. “The view attracted an Austrian couple who saw the photos on social media and decided to visit Samut for a holiday last month.”
Tinn said the boyfriend’s idea to pop the question at this very spot inspired him to host a special event on Valentine’s Day.
On Tuesday, Samui’s district chief will be invited to sign marriage certificates for couples participating in the event at the restaurant, which has been decorated with a Valentine’s theme. Newlyweds will be able to take selfies at various love-themed corners featuring heart-shaped couches and velvet red flowers as a backdrop.
There will also be a baby elephant show for tourists to feed the cute creature while admiring the heart-shaped beach from above, Tinn added.
“We hope the host the event every year on Valentine’s Day and make this spot a new landmark on Samui that attracts both Thai and foreign tourists all year long,” he said.
Balloon fiesta popped but love still going sky-high in Chiang Rai
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 09, 2023
Chiang Rai’s annual International Balloon Fiesta has been cancelled again this year, but that won’t stop Valentine’s couples from taking their love sky-high over Singha Park Chiang Rai.
The Muang district attraction will still be hosting a Valentine’s Day event for couples from February 12-15. The highlight will be romantic balloon rides for a bird’s eye view of Singh Park and Chiang Rai city.
The balloons will take off twice a day, at sunrise and sunset.
Before the pandemic, the International Balloon Fiesta was a major annual attraction during the week of Valentine’s Day in the northern province.
Professional balloonists from across the world lined up to compete for total prize money of over 500,000 baht during the day while light and sound shows lit up the night. The international balloon extravaganza is expected to be refloated when tourism recovers and international arrivals increase.
‘Betel nut island’ to be a role model for green tourism, minister says
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 08, 2023
Trat province’s Koh Mak will serve as a role model for developing sustainable tourism under the so-called Bio-Circular-Green (BCG) economic model after winning international recognition as a green destination, Tourism and Sports Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn said on Wednesday.
The 12.4 square kilometre island in Trat province is named after the areca nut, also known as the “betel nut”.
Phiphat made the comment during a ceremony held to congratulate representatives from the island on its green destination award and present them with a plaque titled “2022 Green Destinations Top 100 Stories”.
The Green Destinations Top 100 Stories awards are from the website Green Destinations. The website says the programme celebrating and promoting 100 destinations as inspiring examples for other destinations, tour operators and visitors has run annually since 2014.
The Designated Areas for Sustainable Tourism Administration will use Koh Mak as a model for developing other tourist destinations to become green destinations under the BCG economic model, Phiphat said.
The BCG model will focus on quality tourists, rather than quantity, and will ensure tourism is sustainable through proper environmental management and fair distribution of income to local residents, he said.
The Designated Areas for Sustainable Tourism Administration has prioritised environmental protection in its development of Koh Mak and, as a result, it has become a clean, convenient and safe destination, Phiphat said.
“As a result, Koh Mak is the role model for tourist destination islands of Thailand in terms of safety and measures for handling garbage,” he explained.
Atikhun Kongmee, director of the Designated Areas for Sustainable Tourism Administration, said the agency would further develop Koh Mak so that it would win more prestigious recognition from the Green Destinations this year.
The best stories from the Top 100 list will be selected by a jury to be nominated for the Green Destinations Story Awards at ITB Berlin, an international travel exhibition.
Atikhun said it would be a challenge for his agency to push Koh Mak for the award because the Top 100 Stories destinations must meet 15 criteria while the Green Destinations Story Awards must meet 30.
The agency is also looking for other destinations to nominate for the Top 100 Stories awards, including Songkhla Lake, Atikhun said.
Gems to add glitter to Thailand’s projection of its soft power
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 08, 2023
Nongluck Ajanapanya
A collaboration between two gems and jewellery bodies and state authorities aims to project Thai gems as the country’s soft power
The Thai Gems and Jewellery Traders Association (TGJTA) and the Gems Jewellery and Precious Metal Confederation of Thailand (GJPCT) announced their collaboration with the Ministry of Tourism and Sports and the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) to promote “Ploi Thai” (Thai gems).
The goal is to make Thai gems as popular as Muay Thai.
TAT Governor Yuthasak Suparson told a press conference on Tuesday evening that Thailand is still regarded as “The Capital of Gemstones” by global partners. This sparked the idea of creating soft power “Ploi Thai” in order to increase its popularity among tourists and the general public on a global scale.
He said that given the current state of the tourism industry, it was crucial to find new ways to distinguish Thailand from other destinations by emphasising Thai soft power and cultural experience.
Aside from Thai street foods, Thai boxing, friendly people, and their generous nature, Thailand’s gems and jewellery are also well-known for their delicate work and creativity, he said.
He pointed out that the sector is a vital part of the country’s economy. Thailand is currently the third largest exporter of gems and jewellery, worth 500 billion baht, and provides employment to millions of locals.
Yuthasak Suparson
“The TAT has decided to collaborate with the TGJTA and the GJPCT to organise the Thailand Gems & Jewellery Fair in order to encourage tourists from all over the world to come and buy the best quality gems, or ‘Thai gems’, generating foreign currency income and being a tourism destination, as well as creating soft power to strengthen sustainable tourism,” the TAT governor said.
Porntiva Niparin, president of the TGJTA, invited all Thais to attend this fair in order to work together to build a strong economy in Thailand.
GJPCT president Somchai Phornchindarak said that the group is putting on this show to help Thailand become a leader in the global gems and jewellery market.
According to him, the Thailand Gems and Jewellery Fair, the only fair organised by stakeholders, has established itself as one of the leading events in the gems and jewellery sector. This year’s fair will feature a diverse range of local and international exhibitors from Sri Lanka, Hong Kong, Turkey, Japan, China, Singapore, Poland, Myanmar, and others.
The fair allows buyers to source colour stones directly from Thailand, the world’s gemstone capital. Thais have expertise in enhancing and cutting fine quality gemstones. This fair is also expected to serve as a one-stop shop for gems and jewellery manufacturing, offering a wide variety of diamonds, gems, and jewellery clusters.
The launch of the “Standard Colorstone Price Guide” is one of the edition’s highlights. The guide provides a standardised pricing system for coloured gemstones based on factors such as colour, clarity, and weight, as well as terminology commonly used in quality grading standards in China and Thailand to help ensure that prices are consistent across the industry.
The price guide is intended to benefit both buyers and sellers by providing a reliable reference to determine the value of gems, assist in creating confidence and expanding the market.
The annual “Thailand Gems and Jewellery Fair 2023” is scheduled to take place at Impact Challenger Muang Thong Thani from February 22-26. The event promises to be a showcase of the finest and most unique gems and jewellery from around the world. More than 1,000 booths of exhibitors and visitors from all corners of the industry are expected to participate. The fair is free and open to the public.
Phu Kradueng park offers a romantic milieu for Valentine’s Day
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 06, 2023
The top official at Phu Kradueng National Park on Monday urged tourists to celebrate Valentine’s Day on the popular mountaintop, saying the chilly weather and the romantic sea of mist would continue until at least next Tuesday.
Adisorn Hemthanon, Phu Kradueng National Park chief, extended the invitation when tourists, who visited Phu Kradueng in Phu Kradueng district of Loei province on Monday morning, were treated to a spectacular view of the sea of mist.
Adisorn said the mist could be seen along the trekking path to the Nok Aen Cliff and the viewpoint for watching the sunrise.
The park chief credited the mist to the cool 15 degrees Celsius weather in the morning and light rains throughout Sunday night.
The park chief added that tourists continued to visit the mountaintop over the weekends.
On Sunday, 719 tourists visited the mountaintop, he added.
He said light rains in recent days had turned grass and trees on the mountaintop lush green. And the rains added clear water to several waterfalls on the mountain.
All of these added to the romantic atmosphere for tourists to visit for Valentine’s day celebration, he added.
Phu Kradueng rises 1,316 metres above the median sea level.
Bangkok booth wins top award at India’s No 1 travel expo
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 06, 2023
Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA)’s booth to promote the Thai capital as a global tourist destination won the top award at India’s premier travel trade show on Saturday.
India overtook China as Thailand’s top source of foreign tourists last year as Beijing imposed tough Covid-19 travel restrictions.
The Bangkok booth at Outbound Travel Mart (OTM 2023), held in Mumbai from February 2-4, was handed the Best Design and Decoration Award by the organiser.
The award was received by Sing Limpirat, deputy director of BMA’s Culture, Sports and Tourism Department.
Over 30,000 people checked out the booth showcasing Bangkok’s charm and attractions, many of whom confirmed they wanted to visit the capital, he said.
The event’s crowd of mostly tourism business operators inquired about travel in Bangkok, as well as Thai handicrafts such as fruit carving, flower arrangement.
Attendees were also interested in dishes available in Bangkok that would appeal to Indian tourists, including Krathong Thong, Panipuri, and chicken satay, as well as Thai and Indian tea.
Visitors also participated in Ramwong Thai folk dancing and took part in a contest to win one-day trips in Bangkok featuring a leisure cruise on the Chao Phraya River. Participants had to snap a photo of the BMA booth and post it on their Facebook with the hashtag #bangkoktourismdivision.
The Bangkok booth also offered Thai traditional costumes for participants to wear and take selfies, which attracted the longest queues over the three-day exhibition.
The final day saw the BMA showcase awarded Best Design and Decoration in a vote by over 1,250 booth organisers and 30,000 participants.
BMA representatives also gave interviews to foreign journalists from several outlets regarding the city’s readiness to welcome international visitors.
“We believe that participating in the OTM 2023 will definitely help attract more foreign tourists and tour operators from around the world to visit the Thai capital,” said Sing.
The Designated Areas for Sustainable Tourism Administration will use Koh Mak as a model for developing other tourist destinations to become green destinations under the BCG economic model, Phiphat said.
“As a result, Koh Mak is the role model for tourist destination islands of Thailand in terms of safety and measures for handling garbage,” he explained.
The agency is also looking for other destinations to nominate for the Top 100 Stories awards, including Songkhla Lake, Atikhun said.
Yuthasak Suparson
SootinClaimon.Com 