The government plans to promote Yaowarat and its vicinity to attract foreign visitors after the release of a music video from Lalisa "Lisa" Manobal featured the area, also known as Bangkok's Chinatown.
Just released on Friday, the video for Lisa's latest single Rockstar passed 19.2 million views as of press time or just 11 hours after it was posted on YouTube.
The video was the talk of the town in Thailand as most parts of the single were filmed on Bangkok's Yaowarat Road. It shows the superstar of the K-pop group Blackpink singing and dancing on a road in the capital's famed Chinatown.
Rockstar premiered worldwide at the same time, appearing on YouTube in Thailand at 7am. A teaser was released on Wednesday.
The single was released by RCA Records as the singer pursues her career as a solo artist while continuing to work with Blackpink.
Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) governor Thapanee Kiatphaibool said that apart from Yaowarat, which is already well-known among foreign tourists, the TAT will promote other nearby neighbourhoods, such as Sampheng market, Talat Noi, Song Wat Road and Wang Burapha on social media platforms.
The TAT will further promote annual events and festivals in the areas, such as Chinese New Year and the Vegetarian Festival, she said.
"[The music video] is akin to tourism promotion through the entertainment industry. It helps boost the country's image, raise awareness and reach a wider audience," she said.
The TAT will take this opportunity to develop new tourism activities to attract more tourists, she said, adding that local businesses are expected to upgrade the quality of their goods and services to respond to the demands of foreign visitors.
Thai Airways International wasted no time jumping on the bandwagon, postng a Yaowarat-themed tweet on is official X account.
Deputy government spokeswoman Rudklao Intawong Suwankiri said Lisa's latest music video will help draw her global fanbase to Thailand, giving tourism an added boost.
"After the music video's release, Yaowarat has now become a new check-in location," Ms Rudklao said, adding that Lisa's music video also helps promote Thailand's soft power, which aligns with government policy.
Chamnan Srisawat, president of the Tourism Council of Thailand (TCT), said he believed Lisa's new video will help revitalise tourism in Bangkok as her fans from around the world are expected to follow in her footsteps to visit such locations.
Previously, when Lisa promoted any brand or used any Thai product, their sales skyrocketed, he said.
He said that Yaowarat Road, which is already a well-known tourism destination, will become more popular as a result of Lisa's new video, though there has been concern over its subpar cleanliness.
Local authorities must take measures to address this concern as well as ensure the safety of visiting tourists, he said.
He said promoting film productions in Thailand plays a crucial role in boosting tourism revenue, as seen with Lisa's music video and the recent Jurassic Park franchise filming in Krabi, which also gained much attention.
