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https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/tourism/40022030

Mae Hong Son hotels fill up as sunflowers bloom in chilly weather

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2022

People are rushing up North to Mae Hong Son now that the mercury is dropping and flowers are starting to bloom.

Phanuwat Khadnak, the provincial tourism office chief, said his office surveyed hotels and resorts in the province’s seven districts and found that most hotels and resorts are reporting up to 75% occupancy, which is far higher than in other times of the year.

He said the number of foreign arrivals has also picked up since October, accounting for up to 30% of all tourists.

Urbanites are heading to Mae Hong Son not just to enjoy the cool, but to also admire the vast fields of Bua Tong or sunflowers at Doi Mae U Kho.

Other attractions include the Yunnan Rak Thai village, the stunning Wat Phrathat Doi Kong Mu and the Ban Klo Se Lo camping ground.

Tourists can also enjoy spectacular sunsets over the so-called Pai Canyon and stunning sunrises from the Yun Lai Viewpoint, not to mention the many waterfalls and hot springs.

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https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/tourism/40022026

Thailand pushes for Phuket as next Specialised Expo venue

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2022

The Foreign Ministry is being urged to get Thai embassies and consulates to lobby for the election of Phuket as the venue of Specialised Expo 2027/28.

A source from the Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) said on Sunday that there were three reasons for pushing for Phuket to be selected. They are:

• Phuket will be the first venue in Southeast Asia and South Asia to host the Specialised Expo.

• The Phuket expo will showcase measures to do away with inequality in public health services and measures to protect the environment under the “People, Planet and Prosperity” concept.

• Phuket will serve as an ideal venue as it is already an international hub for health and a leading destination for medical tourism.

Specialised Expos, also known as “International Recognised Exhibitions”, are global events designed to respond to a precise challenge facing humanity.

The source said campaign teams in Thailand and overseas have been actively lobbying for members of the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE) to vote for Phuket.

The election will be held in June next year as part of a BIE general assembly.

Five countries are competing for the next Specialised Expo, namely: the United States (Minnesota), Thailand (Phuket), Serbia (Belgrade), Spain (Malaga) and Argentina (San Carlos de Bariloche). Each candidate has submitted a detailed candidature dossier to the BIE.

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https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/tourism/40022010

Phang-nga’s millionth tourist lands with much fanfare, province aims for 10m next year

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2022

Phang-nga province has set an ambitious goal of attracting as many as 10 million tourists next year after welcoming its millionth foreign visitor of 2022 last week.

Governor Ekkarat Leesen said on Saturday that the southern Andaman province had set its sights on drawing at least 10 million tourists, both domestic foreign, next year and expected to generate at least 1 billion baht in revenue.

He was speaking at the launch of Phang-nga’s Tourism Season 2022 under the theme “Dive to the Nature – Enjoy It All”, which was presided over by Tourism and Sports Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn.

Despite the Covid-19 crisis, Phang-nga has been continously attracting foreign tourists this year.
The millionth tourist, Veronika Labajova from Slovakia, arrived in Phang-nga on November 6 for a 20-day stay in the Khao Lak area. She was greeted with presents from the tourism and sports minister, the Tourism Authority of Thailand, and the Foundation for Khao Lak Preservation.

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https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/tourism/40022005

Thai city folk rush up North as mercury drops

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2022

Hundreds of urbanites escaped to Chiang Mai this weekend to enjoy frosty, chilly mornings.

Temperatures atop Doi Inthanon mountain dropped as low as 4 degrees Celsius on Saturday morning, with a light sprinkling of frost.

This was the sixth day in a row that frost was spotted. It was first seen on Monday – a sign marking the start of Thailand’s cool season.

Doi Inthanon in Chiang Mai’s Chom Thong district is a popular tourist attraction in the North, especially during the cool season when people come to catch sight of the sun rising from a sea of fog.

The temperature at Kew Mae Pan Viewpoint on the peak of the mountain dropped to 4ᵒC on Saturday morning, though it was a bit warmer at 9ᵒC near the head office of the Doi Inthanon National Park.

Tourists showed up as early as 6am to watch the sunrise, take photographs and enjoy the chilly weather while walking along the 4.8-kilometre Kew Mae Pan nature trail.

Though temperatures had dropped to 12ᵒC in Chiang Mai’s other mountaintop in Mae Taeng district’s Huai Nam Dang National Park, no frost was visible and visitors were noticeably fewer than at Doi Inthanon.

The Thai Meteorological Department has forecast that temperatures will rise by a degree or two in the North from Sunday to Friday next week due to a weakening high-pressure system covering upper Thailand.

Some areas in the North will experience thundershowers as the easterly and southeasterly winds are blowing in moisture from the South China Sea.

People have been advised to take care of their health, especially with the weather constantly changing.

Related Stories

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Tourists enjoy first sign of frost atop Doi Inthanon this year

Chiang Mai introduces host of travel campaigns to draw visitors for high season

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https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/tourism/40021918

Tourists dazzled by sight of thousands of jumping fish on a Krabi island

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2022

Thousands of fish jumping onto a bridge on Ko Lanta, a tourist island in Krabi province, left hordes of tourists dazzled.

While docking his boat at a pier at Lanta Yai Island on Wednesday afternoon, Sunan Madsaron, a Krabi local, said he saw thousands of small fish jumping on a concrete bridge connecting the pier to the land, prompting him to take a video with his phone.

Sunan said locals called these fish “Ta Maew”, or cat-eye fish, that usually live in shallow waters near the shore. They occasionally jump on land and locals would pick them up, sometimes enough to fill a fertiliser sack, and cook them as food.

An official at Krabi provincial fishery office said that the cat-eye fish is native to Ko Lanta’s shore and would sometimes jump on land during its egg-laying season, which is around March and November.

It is still unclear as to why they would jump out of the water, although some sources said fish might jump out of the water simultaneously when oxygen is inadequate, according to the official.

Ko Lanta Yai is part of Mu Ko Lanta National Park, a famous marine tourist destination about 20km off the coast of Krabi.

Related Stories

Rare twin waterfalls on Krabi’s scenic Koh Rok spring to life, delighting tourists

Travellers find Krabi Thailand’s ‘most welcoming city’

Krabi closes Maya Bay, Loh Samah Bay for two months from Aug 1

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https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/tourism/40021915

Beautiful yellow-orange sea of marigolds in Mae Hong Son beckons visitors

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2022

Gorgeous bua tong, or marigold flowers, at Bua Tong Field in Mae Hong Son are in full bloom until early December and proving a tourist delight.

A ceremony was held on Wednesday to officially open the 500-rai (80-hectare) field in Khun Yuam district to tourists.

Provincial agencies and locals in the area reportedly attended the ceremony.

Mae Hong Son deputy governor Prasert Jitpleecheep, who presided over the event, said police and medical teams are ready to ensure safety and provide any assistance to visitors.

All tourist attractions in Mae Hong Son are now ready to welcome tourists, he said.

“Visitors are increasingly coming to Bua Tong Field,” he added.

Meanwhile, Mae U-kho Subdistrict Administrative Organisation president Tara Chomsamonglert said the tourist attraction has accommodations, campsites and parking lots.

Echoing Prasert, he said many tourists have been flocking to Bua Tong Field to see the sunset and experience cold weather in the morning.

“The weather at the field is cold even at noon,” he said, confident that visitors will not be disappointed.

Panuwat Katnak, director of the Tourism Authority of Thailand office in Mae Hong Son, advised tourists to visit Doi Pui Co Peak in Sop Moei district, Kaew Komol Cave in Mae La Noi district and Pang Ung Reservoir in Muang district.

According to him, Bua Tong is the largest marigold field in the country.

Related stories:

• Blooming marigolds cover fields with sunshine yellow in Mae Hong Son
• 3 spots in Trat, Mae Hong Son, Chai Nat named Thailand’s top ‘sustainable’ tourism sites
• Mae Hong Son national park to become Thailand’s latest eco-tourism destination

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https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/tourism/40021826

Chiang Mai will be Thailand’s Loy Krathong hotspot tonight: survey

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 08, 2022

Chiang Mai will be the hotspot for Loy Krathong celebrations this evening, according to a nationwide Suan Dusit Poll survey.

The polling agency asked 7,536 randomly selected men and women nationwide about their Loy Krathong plans, said Culture Minister Itthipol Khunplome, who commissioned the survey.

Interest in Loy Krathong events was strongest among respondents in three provinces:

– Chiang Mai, for the Yi Peng flying lanterns festival.

– Sukhothai, for the Candle-lit Loy Krathong festival.

– Tak, for the Loy Krathong river festival of 1,000 floating lanterns.

Itthipol did not give the percentage of respondents for each choice.

The survey also found that most respondents planned to float krathongs made from eco-friendly materials out of concern over environmental pollution.

Respondents favoured three types of environmentally friendly krathong:

– 63.59% favoured banana trunk and leaves with lotuses

– 44.49% favoured krathongs made from bread

– 37.75% favoured krathongs made from vegetables.

Asked why the Loy Krathong festival is important:

– 66.81% said to express gratitude to rivers, water sources and spirits.

– 61.49% said to promote and preserve Thai traditions.

– 44.73% said to promote cultural tourism.

Asked whether they would join the festival this year, 65.69% of respondents said yes while 27.24% were unsure and the rest said they would not.

Asked which Loy Krathong activities they were interested in joining:

– 49.30% said floating krathongs made of degradable natural materials.

– 44.24% said making merit and paying respect to Buddha images.

– 38.32% said visiting venues lit up with lanterns and dressing in traditional Thai costume.

The results showed that most Thais valued the ancient tradition of Loy Krathong and planned to make merit at temples today, the minister said.

He said he was also pleased that most people cared about conserving the environment by choosing eco-friendly krathongs.

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https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/tourism/40021791

Tourists enjoy first sign of frost atop Doi Inthanon this year

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 07, 2022

A light dusting of frost on Monday morning atop Doi Inthanon mountain in Chiang Mai marked the start of the cool season.

The first group of tourists who arrived at 7am were delighted by the sight of frost on green blades of grass near the Doi Inthanon National Park’s protection unit.

The temperature at the mountaintop was 4 degrees Celsius and 5ᵒC at the Kiew Mae Parn Viewpoint. The Doi Inthanon park office was warmer at 10ᵒC.

The entrance to the nature study trail at Kew Mae Parn was also popular among snap-happy tourists.

The park office said tourists are slowly returning to the area, with 3,637 showing up on Sunday.

Kriengkrai Chaipiset, chief of the Doi Inthanon National Park, said the temperature at the peak of the mountain was dropping and he expects the area to be covered by frost several times this year.

He said the first frost of the year heralds the arrival of tourists to the mountaintop for this winter.

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https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/tourism/40021784

Chiang Mai tourists get high as Mon Mak mountain mists roll in for winter

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 07, 2022

Hundreds of tourists climbed Doi Mon Mak mountain in Chiang Mai’s Mae Chaem early on Sunday to witness the natural wonder that cloaks the forests of this northern district every cold season.

Crowds gathered at the summit of the 1,100-metre peak to watch the sunrise break through a sea of fog on the horizon. The panoramic view also revealed the iconic Doi Inthanon, Thailand’s tallest mountain, soaring 2,565 metres high.

Doi Mon Mak is in Tha Pha subdistrict, about 120 kilometres from downtown Chiang Mai. It was opened for tourists in 2019 as a new viewpoint in the northern province, offering unobstructed 360-degree views of the sea of fog, and has become increasingly popular despite the pandemic.

Last year Doi Mon Mak opened a campsite so visitors could spend the night and witness the sunrise early next day. The campsite, which is about 300 metres from the viewpoint, also features rental cabins.

Doi Mon Mak expects to see more visitors over the coming months, as Thais like the cool New Year temperatures and the Covid-19 situation is improving, said Mae Chaem district chief Phatthanan Phithakham.

Hotels and resorts in Mae Chaem have opened for the upcoming high season after being closed for more than two years during the pandemic, she said.

The district is also planning to build and upgrade tourism facilities at Doi Mon Mak, including roads leading to nature treks, car parks and campsite expansion to attract visitors all year round.

Related Stories

Thai city folk head up North to enjoy misty cool mornings

Tourism ministry wants pre-emptive measures to prevent ‘Itaewon tragedy’ during upcoming festivities

Tourists descend on Phu Kradueng National Park amid 12C temperature

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https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/tourism/40021767

Thai history illuminated at Muang Boran Museum

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 06, 2022

Muang Boran Museum in Samut Prakan is lighting up its outdoor tour of ancient Thailand with over 1,000 lanterns for Loy Krathong.

The Thailand International Lantern Festival is illuminating the 8-hectare Ancient City – Thailand’s largest outdoor museum – from 5.30pm to 9pm until November 13.

A big hit with visitors last year, this year’s festival is themed “Floating Krathong Beyond Time”.

The idea is to give tourists an authentic experience of the traditional Loy Krathong, enhanced by a futuristic light design.

Brightest among the constellation of 1,000-plus lanterns is the giant lotus krathong, helping to guide people on their tour through Thai history.

Visitors can also float their wish-laden krathong into the grace-giving arms of Phra Mae Khongkha, the goddess of water.

A traditional fireworks display will also be held from 8pm on Tuesday for Loy Krathong and again on Saturday (November 12).

Tickets for the Lantern Festival can be purchased at www.icvticket.com. Thai visitors pay 250 baht (170 baht for children) while foreign tourists pay 400 baht (280 baht for children).

Tickets for the fireworks display cost 350 baht/200 baht for Thais and 600 baht/380 baht for foreign tourists. Samut Prakan locals can show their ID card to receive a 10% discount.

Entry is free for children under 90 centimetres.

All-day tickets inclusive of the Lantern Festival cost 550/320 baht for Thais and 1,000/580 baht for foreign visitors. All-day tickets for the firework display cost 650/350 baht for Thais and 1,200/680 baht for foreigners.

For more info, visit Line account @icvticket or Facebook: Village of Illumination.

Related stories:

• Ancient City lights up the skies in Samut Prakan
• Visakha Bucha at the Ancient City
• Songkran draws visitors to new ‘ancient city’