Bangkok's Yaowarat Road has been transformed into a vibrant entertainment venue for Chinese New Year celebrations this month, with lighting installations and innovative cultural performances to lift the spirits of the surrounding neighbourhoods.
It's a collaboration between the Tourism Authority of Thailand, Chinese embassy, the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration and the Bangkok Chinatown Business Club to promote tourism and Chinese-Thai culture.
Under the "Celebrating The Golden Year" theme, the Chalermphrakiat Gate, Odeon Circle, is trimmed with Chinatown Chinese New Year 2024 lanterns and the Tunnel of Golden Dragon is designed to be a picturesque backdrop for visitors to take selfies.
From Feb 10-11, visitors can take a ring-side seat for Chinese cultural performances from Quanzhou and Zhejiang, while the Dragon King projection mapping show will light up Krungsri Bank's walls to recount the story of Yaowarat's Chinese-Thai community. Following that, visitors can take a walking tour to five well-known Chinese shrines where they can worship gods for prosperity and good fortune in the upcoming year.
Photos courtesy of TAT
In the South, the coastal town of Hat Yai in Songkhla is celebrating the Chinese New Year Festival from tomorrow until Feb 18. At the Tongxia Xiang Tung Foundation tomorrow, worshippers can take part in the procession of Cai Shen, the God of Wealth, who will banish misfortune in the upcoming year.
Various cultural performances will be on display, including fire walking rituals, shadow puppetry, a stage play telling the story of Guan Yin and Seven Angels by local students, multimedia performances by Supakson, an Eng Kor performance combining dragon and lion dances, and the Tian Gong Birthday celebration.
In Ratchaburi province, the Chinese New Year celebration will take place on the banks of Rat Pracha Phatthana Dam and Koy Kee Old Market from Feb 9-11. Walking through the belly of a brilliant dragon-shaped tunnel is expected to bestow upon tourists long life, prosperity and good fortune.
A few metres away, there's a colourful Chinese lantern tunnel and a series of innovative lighting sculptures that imitate mythological animals and gods, such as gold dragon, Eight Immortals, and kirin.
Visitors may also enjoy a range of fascinating cultural performances on stage, including a Chinese opera performance with a face-changing Chinese opera, a traditional fan dance and a lion dance, as well as a parade of food trucks and creative handicraft workshops.
Visit facebook.com/ThailandFestival.
Trisara Resort Phuket marks the season of love
Trisara Resort Phuket's award-winning Jara Wellbeing spa celebrates the season of love with the Couple's Journey package which is available until the end of the month.
For 26,500 baht++ per couple, guests can enjoy a luxurious 135-minute treatment that includes herbal steam, body scrub, and a 90-minute four-hands massage. A bottle of champagne is served in a villa as a gift, and guests can pay an extra 32,000 baht++ to upgrade their romantic trip to include a six-hands massage.
Visit trisara.com.
Praya Palazzo offers special discount vouchers
From now until Feb 13, Praya Palazzo is celebrating the Chinese New Year by offering incentives to guests at Praya Dining. On the à la carte menu, customers who spend 5,000 baht for each bill will get a 500 baht cash voucher for a subsequent discount when they spend 1,000 baht. A 1,000 baht cash voucher for 2,000 baht spent on your subsequent meal is awarded for 10,000 baht spent on a bill. The vouchers are valid through June 30.
Visit prayapalazzo.com.
