SONGKHLA, Feb 20 — Hundreds of thousands of foreign tourists, especially from China, Malaysia and Singapore, are now visiting Thailand to celebrate Chinese New Year.
In Songkhla’s Hat Yai district, near the Thai-Malaysian border, known as a shopping paradise among tourists in the deep South, more than 25,000 hotel rooms are fully booked mostly by Malaysian and Singaporean travellers.
Many Malaysian tourists are still visiting the district by buses while security has been tightened for their safety.
Chinese tourists are now packed the northern capital of Chiang Mai.
They are enjoying themselves by visiting popular tourist destinations in the province including rafting and visiting orchards, boosting revenue of traders by as much as three times.
In the northernmost province of Chiang Rai which is especially convenient for tourists from China, many being seen admiring the beauty of Wat Rong Khun, ther White Temple designed by distinguished national artist Chalermchai Kositpipat.
Prapon Pattamakijsakul, director of Suvarnabhumi Airport, said he projected that about 2.15 million passengers would use the airport between February 14-26 to celebrate the Year of the Goat in Thailand.
