CHIANG RAI, 21 April 2014 Even though the Songkran festival has ended and several tourists have left Chiang Rai, a number of them still remain to enjoy their holiday retreat in the northernmost province of Thailand.
Natural attractions in Chiang Rai Province have been bustling with tourists, especially at the Ruammit Karen Village, which is also famous for having its own elephant camp. Tourists have come here to ride on the back of elephants for an excursion across the Mae Kok River and to see the local way of life. Outnumbered by the tourists, each elephant at the Ruammit Karen Village has to complete at least 20 trips per day for such a ride. Needless to say, the villagers have earned quite a lucrative income over the weekend, with each family earning an average of 2,000 to 3,000 baht per day.