Chinese New Year Celebrations Active in Thailand

SONGKHLA, Feb 7 (TNA) - Thais of Chinese descent nationwide on Sunday began celebrating the Chinese New Year Festival 2016 by paying respects to Chinese Gods and their family ancestors. In Hat Yai district in the southern Songkhla province near the Thai-Malaysian border, double celebrations were organised to celebrate the annual festival. The first one was held along a business district area in the heart of Hat Yai, known as shopping paradise in the South, amid colourful lights. Chinese Gods, respected by the Chinese, have been placed to enable the celebrants to pay respect and for their future prosperity. Another colourful celebration was held at a school on the outskirt of the town. Musical shows along with popular movie and singing stars were presence while participants, especially Malaysians and Singaporeans, were delighted. Joyful activities will be held until this Wednesday while it is projected that about 35,000 celebrants would attend the fair and approximately 200 million baht would change hands during the Chinese New Year festival in the district. Thais of Chinese descent in the northern capital of Chiang Mai on Sunday travelled to Chinese temples to pay respect to Chinese Gods while at least two major roads in the heart of the province are closed to traffic as people organised the 14th Chiang Mai Chinatown festival. More than 100 foodstalls have been set up while a Chinese cultural show is performed, aimed at promoting tourism as well, on the roads. The celebrations will continue until Tuesday. (TNA)