BANGKOK, Oct 30 — The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) is busily preparing multiple venues for next week’s Loy Krathong festival, especially piers on the Chao Phraya River, for improved public safety.
Meanwhile, the heart of Chiang Mai is decorated with lanterns to welcome visitors to Loy Krathong.
Bangkok Governor Sukhumbhand Paribatra inspected piers along the Chao Phraya River today to ensure their safe condition ahead of Loy Krathong on Nov 6. He ordered civil servants to secure all piers in the river that night and close substandard piers for public safety.
Meanwhile, decorative lamps are being installed in Chiang Mai municipality to welcome visitors to its Loy Krathong festival beginning Nov 1 through Nov 7.
Over 40,000 hotel rooms there are fully booked.
More than 200,000 visitors are expected and more than Bt700 million is forecast to change hands there.
Thanavath Phonvichai, director of Thai Chamber of Commerce University Economic and Business Forecasting Centre, said a survey found that 77 per cent of people would celebrate the festival in their home province because Loy Krathong was a weekday and people remained concerned about economic situations.
He expects each Loy Krathong festivalgoer to spend Bt1,678 that night and that Bt11,134 million should be circulated overall.
The money amount will increase by only 2.37 per cent year-on-year, the lowest growth in eight years, Dr Thanavath said.
