Tourism boomed on recent long holidays

BANGKOK, July 12 (TNA) -- About 1.17 million Thai people made merit-making trips and spent about 7.1 billion baht during the past holidays including Asalha Puja and Buddhist Lent days last weekend, said the minister of tourism and sports. Minister Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul said that during the extended holidays from July 8 to 10, most Thai tourists visited the Central and the Northeastern regions. According to the minister, the number of one-day trips soared in the Central region as there are a large number of famous Buddhist temples and monasteries in many provinces, and vacationers could visit many destinations in one day. For the Northeast, many people returned to their home provinces for family reunion and visits to famous religious places including destinations related to Naga. “Many people flocked to Wat Kham Chanot in Udon Thani province, the place of Naga stories. About 100,000 people visited the temple daily. It has become a tourist destination with huge money circulation and great income distribution,” Ms Kobkarn said. She added that tourism in Bangkok during the period did not show any significant change. (TNA)