THAI TOURISM FESTIVAL TO HIGHLIGHT LOCAL CULTURES AND PRODUCTS

Thailand’s tremendous natural and cultural treasures will be prominently featured in the annual Thailand Tourism Festival to be held during October 26 to November 4, 2001, at the Impact International Exhibition Centre, Muang Thong Thani, Nonthaburi province.

Organised by the Tourism Authority of Thailand, the Festival primarily aims to promote awareness among Thais about the importance of the country’s unique cultural and natural heritage, and encourage domestic tourism.

TAT Deputy Governor for Planning and Development Patpong Abhijatapong commented, “This year’s event is part of our continuing efforts to promote sustainable development by raising the levels of environmental and cultural consciousness among the local people and tourism-related public and private agencies.”

Three major highlights of this year’s Festival are: 1) performances of local festivals from each of the four regions of Thailand, 2) a mini light and sound presentation to celebrate the 220th anniversary of Bangkok, and 3) an agrotourism exhibition featuring local products and crafts.

In the four-region Thai villages, cultural performances as well as local Festivals will be on full display. Visitors will be able to see demonstrations of local people making handicrafts and souvenirs, walk around Thai-style houses and participate in some of the performances.

To cite just a few of the diverse activities, the colourful “Thai Song Dam” wedding procession will be held in the Central Thai village and a demonstration of integrated fruit farming called “Suan Som Rom” will be a highlight of the Southern Thai village.

The Northeast village will feature the Rocket Procession or “Boon Bung Fai” normally organised in the sixth lunar month in the northeast while in the Northern Village, visitors will enjoy the “Tham Khwan Khao” ceremony held to commemorate the Goddess of Rice after the rice-farming season.

The 220th anniversary of Bangkok will be highlighted in a 15-minute panoramic-view light and sound presentation featuring major unique destinations around Rattanakosin Island including the Temple of Dawn (Wat Arun), Grand Palace and Temple of the Emerald Buddha (Wat Phra Kaeo), Phra Sumen Fort, City Pillar, etc. A special 150-seat indoor auditorium is being constructed for this.

The agrotourism exhibition will outline ways by which farm products are processed from local herbs, vegetables and fruits into consumer goods and preserved food. Local communities from Krabi, Ang Thong, Khon Kaen, Nakhon Si Thammarat and Samut Songkhram will take turns displaying their products, which is in line with the government’s “one district one product” policy.

Products include:

- Krabi (October 26-27) -- The use of tropical decorative flowers and plants including flamino plants, orchids, gingers, etc.;

- Ang Thong (October 28-29) -- Food and tea processing and herbal consumer products including herbal tea, shampoo, washing liquid, etc.;

- Khon Kaen (October 30-31) -- Bee farming and honey collecting and economic insects including crickets, red ants, etc.;

- Nakhon Si Thammarat (November 1- 2) -- Preserved food for jungle trekking and herbal food; and

- Samut Songkhram (November 3-4) -- Producing coconut sugar and Thai desserts made from coconut.

Exhibiting their tourism products and services in a trade fair all through the Festival will be local airlines, local attractions/theme parks, hotels/resorts, resorts/recreational products, tourist promotion agencies, transportation, travel companies and leisure and sports equipment.

The opening hours will be 10.00 a.m.-10.00 p.m. daily. Every evening between 6:00-10:00 p.m.s, the main central stage will be the venue of traditional and contemporary dances, local and classical concerts, Thai puppets shows, the Bangkok Symphony Orchestra and jazz performances.

The Festival will also include tourism seminars, exhibition of information technology used to promote tourism and a food festival of hundreds of award-winning dishes from popular restaurants and stalls nationwide.

About 1.5 million people are expected to visit the Festival, including youth, expatriates in Thailand and regional tour operators and travel agents.

To help publicise and provide information about the event, TAT has set up a 24-hour automatic call centre at Tel: 02-365-9655 (60 lines). The information is in Thai. For English, please call 02-282-9773 or 694-1222 ext.