Phuket to organize grand Chinese New Year Festival, Valentine’s Day

PHUKET, THAILAND, February 1 (TNA) - Thailand's Andaman resort Phuket Province is being decorated for this year's grand Chinese New Year or Lantern Festival and Valentine’s Day. People in the globally-renowned southern Thai resort province are decorating their buildings and areas with red lanterns to celebrate the 2016 Chinese New Year or Lantern Festival and Valentine’s Day. The lantern decoration is also to celebrate Phuket's winning of a honorable prize by the the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) as one of 18 Cities of Gastronomy for impressive food. Phuket's beautiful decoration at the Provincial Hall, other government offices, as well as private companies and shops, especially in important business districts, is impressing international visitors. Phuket's Lantern Festival will be organized during February 2-22 with support from many parties, including the state-run Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT). Phuket Governor Chamroen Thiphayaphongthada told journalists on Monday that his province's annual lantern festival will promote the tradition of local residents of the Chinese origin and it has been planned greater this year as lanterns from the local public and private sectors and even local residents will illuminate throughout the island province. According to the governor, the lantern festival will be organized simultaneously with the food festival, during which about 300 food dishes of Phuket will be the highlights and a proposal has been sent to TAT that February be a month of major tourist festivals in Phuket regarding its Lantern Festival and celebrations for the Valentine’s Day. (TNA)