Tourism booming in Thai North, Northeast

BANGKOK, December 11 (TNA) - Tourism in several significant tourist attractions in Thailand’s North and Northeastern regions is booming as cold spell has hit the areas. Many foreign and local tourists travelled by cable car while youngsters walked over 300 stairs and paid respect to revered temple atop Doi Suthep in the northern capital of Chiang Mai ahead of New Year celebrations. Plant lovers were seen wandering around and viewed over 100 colourful flowers usually seen in Europe at the Horticultural Exposition Royal Flora Ratchaphruek just behind the provincial government office centre. They also took pictures of the blooming flowers, especially tulip, a popular flower in the West. At least 1,000 of tourists gathered atop Phu Chee Fah in the northernmost province of Chiang Rai before dawn to admire the beauty of sea of fog amid cold weather. Tourists including their Hmong guides were in full dress as they wore sweater, scarf, gloves and hats as the temperature dropped sharply due to rain earlier, making the fog looked even more beautiful. With the current three-day-long public holiday, tourists were seen admiring the beauty of Phu Hin Rong Kla National Park in Phitsanulok province amid the cold weather as the temperature fell to between 6-8 degrees Celsius. Tourists also expected to see early morning dew on the grass and the livelihood of Hmong tribesmen living at the park. In the northeastern province of Loei, as many as 5,000 tourists travelled atop the Phu Kradueng. Most of the tourists walked about two kilometres to see the sun rises at the mountain. Most tourists were, of course, dressed in fashionable coat. Sanong Kaewampai, chief of Phu Kradueng National Park, said happily that he expects a large number of tourists would visit the place until New Year celebrations due to pleasant cold weather and long public holidays during the annual festival. The temperature is expected to stay at between 4-6 degrees Celsius and it would satisfy most tourists. (TNA)