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BANGKOK CHINATOWN CELEBRATES CHINESE NEW YEAR 2002 IN STYLE

Between February 12-13, 2002, Yaowarat road, known as the Chinatown of Bangkok, will come alive with the biggest Chinese New Year festival ever held as part of efforts to promote Chinese-Thai culture and boost tourism.

The Chinatown Yaowarat 2002 Festival will be held along the one-kilometre stretch of road from Odeon Roundabout (adjacent to the Wat Trimit or “Golden Buddha Temple”) to Ratchawongse Intersection between 18:00-24:00 hours on both days.

Organised by the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration, the Chinatown Yaowarat Community and the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), the Festival is designed to promote and preserve Chinese-Thai culture, tradition and lifestyle, develop the tourism potential of the popular districts and enhance co-operation among local people and businesses.

Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Mr. Somkid Jatusripitak, who also oversees TAT, chaired a press conference to launch the campaign at the Grand China Hotel today.

The event was also attended by Minister to the Prime Minister’s Office and TAT Chairman Mr. Somsak Thepsutin, Bangkok Metropolitan Administration Permanent Secretary Pol. Sub-Lt. Kriengsak Lohachala, TAT Acting Governor and Deputy Governor for Marketing Mrs. Juthamas Siriwan and Chairman of the Organising Committee Mr. Paiboon Saeng Charoentrakul.

Some of themed activities planned for the two-day festival include:

Yaowarat Flashback and Fashion Show -- Photo exhibitions featuring the 110- year history of Yaowarat will be organised with famous Thai stars participating in a fashion show with colourful Chinese costumes;

Chinese Opera, Musical Band and Outdoor Cinema -- Two Chinese Opera bands will perform live, one each in Thai and Chinese. A number of famous Hollywood and Chinese films will be screened, including the award-winning “The Last Emperor”;

Historic Dragon Making -- A 700- metre dragon will be assembled from strips of fabric and paper bearing names and addresses of visitors who will be invited to “sign-up” and record their participation. The strips of paper will then be affixed to the dragon as its “scales”. Registered visitors will be eligible for a lucky draw for 110 gold necklaces.

Street of Gold -- A pure-gold Chinese- style dragon weighing about 9.91 kilogrammes as well as other gold jewellery and home decoration items will be on display. Gold shops will offer special discounts or free gifts to customers.

Food Street and Chinese Health Demonstration -- A special map featuring hundreds of shops and restaurants will be distributed to visitors who will also be able to attend a series of demonstrations and seminars on Chinese food and Chinese tea-making. Six medical shops will display a wide range of Chinese herbal medicines and treatments.

As “Flower Paradise” is the TAT’s monthly tourism promotion theme, the entire area will be decorated with colourful floral and Chinese Red Lantern decorations.

Recognised as a centre of local and international business, Yaowarat is also Thailand’s best-known gold trading centre. The standard of gold and its daily retail price are set by the Gold Traders Association. Gold and jewellery from Yaowarat is famous both locally and abroad for it fine craftsmanship and good quality.

The event is important within the context of the strong and historic political, economic, social and cultural relations between Thailand and China. The social, cultural and economic texture of Thailand has been significantly influenced by immigrants from China.

The Chinese market is one of the fastest growing markets for Thailand. Tabulated by nationality, Chinese visitor arrivals to Thailand totalled 801,362 in 2001, an increased of 6.31% over 2000. This made China the third biggest source market for Thailand in term of arrivals with a 7.96% market share.

Various festivals are celebrated by Chinese- Thai people annually in the Yaowarat area where most of Bangkok’s Chinese community lives and works. These include the Chinese New Year, Vegetarian Festival, Tenth Month Festival and Full Moon Festival.

During the night time, this busy thoroughfare turns into one of the city’s longest food streets, with shops and food stalls selling various kinds of food, especially Chinese delicacies such as bird’s nest soup, roasted chestnuts and a wide variety of noodles.

One of the most popular nearby tourist destinations is Wat Trimit with its five-ton, three-metre tall Sukhothai-style Buddha image made of solid gold known as the Golden Buddha.