Downtown roads in Bangkok from Siam Square to Lumpini Park will be closed between 4.30pm – 8.30pm on Wednesday to kick start the 2015 tourism campaign, with more than a thousand performers and floats to advertise the charm of Thailand.
Map shows the parade route on Wednesday evening.
The parade will start at the National Stadium at Soi Chulalongkorn 5, heading to Ratchaprasong intersection on Rama I Road passing Siam Centre to CentralWorld. The parade will turn right along Ratchadamri Road to end its 3.5km route at Lumpini Park, where the Thailand Tourism Festival 2015, with the theme “Discover Thainess”, will be held from the evening of Wednesday to Friday and from noon on the weekend.
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha will preside at the opening televised ceremony in front of Siam Discovery shopping mall at 5pm.
In its advertising of the event, the Tourism Authority of Thailand says The 2015 Discover Thainess Parade will involve over 1,000 performers and six magnificent floats.
At Lumpini Park, TAT offices from each region will present visitors with information on their tourism landmarks and culture, as well as live performances.
The TAT suggests these alternative routes for motorists:
1. For those travelling from Ratchathewi intersection heading toward Pathumwan intersepction, turn right at Pathumwan intersection, then either take a left turn to Rama IV or right turn onto Phetchaburi Road.
2. For those travelling from Ratchaprason intersection heading toward Pathumwan intersection, either take a left turn onto Henri Dunant Road or Phayathai Road.
3. For those travelling from Ploenchit intersection heading toward Ratchaprasong intersection, take a left turn into Soi Lang Suan at Chidlom intersection.
4. For those travelling from Ratchaprasong intersection heading toward Pratunam intersection, take a left turn onto Phetchaburi Road.
5. For those travelling from Rama IV Road heading toward Pathumwan intersection, either take a left turn into Soi Chulalongkorn 12 toward Banthat Thong Road or make a U-Turn before Pathumwan intersection.