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The month of May 2024 boasts an exciting lineup of local cultural celebrations of Visakha Bucha Day and Bun Bung Fai Rocket Festival, as well as many other exciting events and festivals.

Visakha Bucha Day
22 May 2024
At temples nationwide

Held each year on the full moon of the sixth lunar month, Visakha Bucha Day celebrates the birth, enlightenment and death of Lord Buddha. On this day, Buddhists will go to the temple in worship and remembrance of the teachings and social and spiritual values of Buddha, and perform merit-making and candlelight ceremonies. This includes an evening Wien Tien candlelit procession where Buddhist devotees hold lighted candles in hand and go around a temple three times, representing one the Buddha, two his teachings, and three the monkhood.

Here are some of Thailand’s distinctive Visakha Bucha Day celebrations:

Sukhothai ‘Wien Tien Ta Khan’ Visakha Bucha Day 2024
21-22 May 2024
Wat Chang Lom, Sukhothai Historical Park
Sukhothai

Nakhon Phanom Visakha Bucha Day 2024
22 May 2024
Wat Phra That Phanom
Nakhon Phanom

51st World’s Only Wien Tien Ceremony on Water, Phayao Lake
22-24 May 2024
Wat Tilok Aram’s Pier and Wat Tilok Aram
Phayao Lake
Phayao

Kalasin Visakha Bucha Day 2024
22-26 May 2024
Phrathat Yakhu
Kamalasai District
Kalasin

Other events and festivals

Here is a list – sorted by event date – of cultural, entertainment, sporting and other occasions taking place around Thailand in May 2024, including the exhilarating Bun Bung Fai Rocket Festival in the Northeastern Thai provinces of Yasothon, Kalasin and Roi Et.

Spotlight Koh Tao 2024
3-5 May 2024
Ao Luek, Ko Tao
Surat Thani

Mango Art Festival 2024
7-12 May 2024
River City Bangkok
Bangkok

Yasothon Bun Bang Fai Rocket Festival
10-12 May 2024
Chaeng Sanit Road
Yasothon

Wai Kru Nora Wat Tha Khae
15-18 May 2024
Wat Tha Khae
Phatthalung

OUTDOOR FEST 2024
16-19 May 2024
11.00-20.00 Hrs.
Hall 5-6, Queen Sirikit National Convention Center
Bangkok

Krabi Wellness Festival 2024
17-18 May 2024
Sport Complex, Thailand National Sports University, Krabi Campus
Krabi

OCEANMAN Krabi 2024
17-19 May 2024
Varana Hotel Krabi
Krabi

Kalasin Bun Bung Fai Talai Lan Festival
18-19 May 2024
Kutwa Municipality, Kuchinarai District
Kalasin

Samui Regatta 2024
25 May – 1 June 2024
Chaweng Beach, Ko Samui
Surat Thani

Supersports 10 Mile Run Series 2024 Thailand
26 May 2024
centralwOrld
Bangkok

Roi Et Bun Bung Fai Festival
29 May – 2 June 2024
Suwannaphum District
Roi Et

The post May 2024’s Festivals and Events in Thailand appeared first on TAT Newsroom.

The month of May 2024 boasts an exciting lineup of local cultural celebrations of Visakha Bucha Day and Bun Bung Fai Rocket Festival, as well as many other exciting events and festivals.

Visakha Bucha Day
22 May 2024
At temples nationwide

Held each year on the full moon of the sixth lunar month, Visakha Bucha Day celebrates the birth, enlightenment and death of Lord Buddha. On this day, Buddhists will go to the temple in worship and remembrance of the teachings and social and spiritual values of Buddha, and perform merit-making and candlelight ceremonies. This includes an evening Wien Tien candlelit procession where Buddhist devotees hold lighted candles in hand and go around a temple three times, representing one the Buddha, two his teachings, and three the monkhood.

Here are some of Thailand’s distinctive Visakha Bucha Day celebrations:

Sukhothai ‘Wien Tien Ta Khan’ Visakha Bucha Day 2024
21-22 May 2024
Wat Chang Lom, Sukhothai Historical Park
Sukhothai

Nakhon Phanom Visakha Bucha Day 2024
22 May 2024
Wat Phra That Phanom
Nakhon Phanom

51st World’s Only Wien Tien Ceremony on Water, Phayao Lake
22-24 May 2024
Wat Tilok Aram’s Pier and Wat Tilok Aram
Phayao Lake
Phayao

Kalasin Visakha Bucha Day 2024
22-26 May 2024
Phrathat Yakhu
Kamalasai District
Kalasin

Other events and festivals

Here is a list – sorted by event date – of cultural, entertainment, sporting and other occasions taking place around Thailand in May 2024, including the exhilarating Bun Bung Fai Rocket Festival in the Northeastern Thai provinces of Yasothon, Kalasin and Roi Et.

Spotlight Koh Tao 2024
3-5 May 2024
Ao Luek, Ko Tao
Surat Thani

Mango Art Festival 2024
7-12 May 2024
River City Bangkok
Bangkok

Yasothon Bun Bang Fai Rocket Festival
10-12 May 2024
Chaeng Sanit Road
Yasothon

Wai Kru Nora Wat Tha Khae
15-18 May 2024
Wat Tha Khae
Phatthalung

OUTDOOR FEST 2024
16-19 May 2024
11.00-20.00 Hrs.
Hall 5-6, Queen Sirikit National Convention Center
Bangkok

Krabi Wellness Festival 2024
17-18 May 2024
Sport Complex, Thailand National Sports University, Krabi Campus
Krabi

OCEANMAN Krabi 2024
17-19 May 2024
Varana Hotel Krabi
Krabi

Kalasin Bun Bung Fai Talai Lan Festival
18-19 May 2024
Kutwa Municipality, Kuchinarai District
Kalasin

Samui Regatta 2024
25 May – 1 June 2024
Chaweng Beach, Ko Samui
Surat Thani

Supersports 10 Mile Run Series 2024 Thailand
26 May 2024
centralwOrld
Bangkok

Roi Et Bun Bung Fai Festival
29 May – 2 June 2024
Suwannaphum District
Roi Et

The post May 2024’s Festivals and Events in Thailand appeared first on TAT Newsroom.

Bangkok, 25 April 2024 – The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) invites hotel operators and tourists to be a part of its ‘CF-Hotels’ initiative to help reduce the impacts of climate change.

The www.cf-hotels.com online platform has been created to enable hotel and lodging operators to create a database of environmental inventory (energy, water, waste and greenhouse gases) and calculate the carbon footprint of their operations.

This will reflect the impact of the hotel operations on the environment and can indicate how successful the business is in sustainable management. The data can also be analysed to find ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, allowing hotels to make informed business management decisions to increase revenue and reduce expenses from energy consumption.

Hotels can also present the database as part of the submissions for a STAR (Sustainable Tourism Acceleration Rating) certification and the Thailand Tourism Awards.

The www.cf-hotels.com online platform currently has a network of 160 hotels across Thailand.

Tourists to can be a part of this effort to help prevent climate change by choosing to stay in any of these hotels where possible.

TAT developed the CF-Hotels online platform in cooperation with the Research Unit for Energy Economic and Ecological Management, Science and Technology Research Institute, Chiang Mai University. The project is carried out under the guidelines of the Thailand Greenhouse Gas Management Organisation.

The CF-Hotels initiative forms part of the TAT’s push towards more sustainable tourism and Net Zero Tourism.

The post CF-Hotels Initiative Reiterates TAT’s Push Towards Sustainable Tourism appeared first on TAT Newsroom.

Bangkok, 25 April 2024 – The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) invites hotel operators and tourists to be a part of its ‘CF-Hotels’ initiative to help reduce the impacts of climate change.

The www.cf-hotels.com online platform has been created to enable hotel and lodging operators to create a database of environmental inventory (energy, water, waste and greenhouse gases) and calculate the carbon footprint of their operations.

This will reflect the impact of the hotel operations on the environment and can indicate how successful the business is in sustainable management. The data can also be analysed to find ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, allowing hotels to make informed business management decisions to increase revenue and reduce expenses from energy consumption.

Hotels can also present the database as part of the submissions for a STAR (Sustainable Tourism Acceleration Rating) certification and the Thailand Tourism Awards.

The www.cf-hotels.com online platform currently has a network of 160 hotels across Thailand.

Tourists to can be a part of this effort to help prevent climate change by choosing to stay in any of these hotels where possible.

TAT developed the CF-Hotels online platform in cooperation with the Research Unit for Energy Economic and Ecological Management, Science and Technology Research Institute, Chiang Mai University. The project is carried out under the guidelines of the Thailand Greenhouse Gas Management Organisation.

The CF-Hotels initiative forms part of the TAT’s push towards more sustainable tourism and Net Zero Tourism.

The post CF-Hotels Initiative Reiterates TAT’s Push Towards Sustainable Tourism appeared first on TAT Newsroom.

Chicago, 25 April 2024 – The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has soft-opened its newest overseas office in Chicago, in a warm ceremony joined by the Team Thailand, Chicago.

The TAT’ Chicago Office is located at the Royal Thai Consulate-General, Chicago. It is scheduled to be fully operational on 1 August with an opening ceremony planned for September. It is the TAT’s third office in the America Regions, joining existing offices in Los Angeles and New York.

Together with the Team Thailand, Chicago, TAT commits to expand the ‘Friends of Thailand’ community in the US.

Ms. Thapanee Kiatphaibool, TAT Governor, said “The TAT Chicago Office would play a pivotal role in helping to boost the number of travellers from the Americas Region to Thailand to reach 1.43 million visitors, generating a revenue of 105.53 billion Baht. This would contribute to this year’s target of 35 million visitors from all markets and an income of 1.92 trillion Baht.”

The TAT Governor also highlighted a strategy to promote Thailand’s tourism offerings with a primary focus on five inspirational concepts to create a perfect journey: 1) It begins with our People 2) Our product is diverse 3) We offer wellness beyond Massage 4) Sustainability is our lifestyle 5) And this is why when you come to Thailand, your stories will never end with 5 Must Do in Thailand.

Conceptualised under the government’s vision to ‘Ignite Tourism Thailand,’ the 5 must-do activities are: Must Beat (Muay Thai), Must Eat (Thai food), Must Seek (Thai culture), Must Buy (Thai fabric), and Must See (Thai shows).

The soft-opening event of the TAT Chicago Office on 23 April was marked with a religious ceremony. In coincide with Songkran or the traditional Thai New Year, the Song Nam Phra ritual of purifying a Buddha image with scented water as a way of paying respect to the Lord Buddha and bringing good fortune to the person and the Rot Nam Dam Hua ritual were also held as part of the Thai soft power promotion in the US.

Present at the event were Mrs. Katanawadee Kalayanamit, the Consul General of Thailand in Chicago, Mrs. Natnapang Damrongsoontornchai, Deputy Consul-General of Thailand in Chicago, and Mrs. Suprattana Gamolvej, Thai Trade Center in Chicago, as well as officials and staff of the Team Thailand, Chicago (the Royal Thai Consulate-General and the Thai Trade Office, Chicago).

From the TAT, executives included Ms. Thapanee Kiatphaibool, Governor, Mr. Siripakorn Cheawsamoot, Deputy Governor for International Marketing – Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and the Americas, Mrs. Titiporn Maneenate, Executive Director for the Americas Region Department, and Mrs. Malinee Nitikasetsunthorn, Deputy Executive Director for the Americas Region.

Also attended the ceremony were the Honorary Advisor and the President of the Thai American Association of Illinois as well as strategic partners in the tourism industry and local media.

The post Tourism Authority of Thailand soft opens new office in Chicago appeared first on TAT Newsroom.

Chicago, 25 April 2024 – The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has soft-opened its newest overseas office in Chicago, in a warm ceremony joined by the Team Thailand, Chicago.

The TAT’ Chicago Office is located at the Royal Thai Consulate-General, Chicago. It is scheduled to be fully operational on 1 August with an opening ceremony planned for September. It is the TAT’s third office in the America Regions, joining existing offices in Los Angeles and New York.

Together with the Team Thailand, Chicago, TAT commits to expand the ‘Friends of Thailand’ community in the US.

Ms. Thapanee Kiatphaibool, TAT Governor, said “The TAT Chicago Office would play a pivotal role in helping to boost the number of travellers from the Americas Region to Thailand to reach 1.43 million visitors, generating a revenue of 105.53 billion Baht. This would contribute to this year’s target of 35 million visitors from all markets and an income of 1.92 trillion Baht.”

The TAT Governor also highlighted a strategy to promote Thailand’s tourism offerings with a primary focus on five inspirational concepts to create a perfect journey: 1) It begins with our People 2) Our product is diverse 3) We offer wellness beyond Massage 4) Sustainability is our lifestyle 5) And this is why when you come to Thailand, your stories will never end with 5 Must Do in Thailand.

Conceptualised under the government’s vision to ‘Ignite Tourism Thailand,’ the 5 must-do activities are: Must Beat (Muay Thai), Must Eat (Thai food), Must Seek (Thai culture), Must Buy (Thai fabric), and Must See (Thai shows).

The soft-opening event of the TAT Chicago Office on 23 April was marked with a religious ceremony. In coincide with Songkran or the traditional Thai New Year, the Song Nam Phra ritual of purifying a Buddha image with scented water as a way of paying respect to the Lord Buddha and bringing good fortune to the person and the Rot Nam Dam Hua ritual were also held as part of the Thai soft power promotion in the US.

Present at the event were Mrs. Katanawadee Kalayanamit, the Consul General of Thailand in Chicago, Mrs. Natnapang Damrongsoontornchai, Deputy Consul-General of Thailand in Chicago, and Mrs. Suprattana Gamolvej, Thai Trade Center in Chicago, as well as officials and staff of the Team Thailand, Chicago (the Royal Thai Consulate-General and the Thai Trade Office, Chicago).

From the TAT, executives included Ms. Thapanee Kiatphaibool, Governor, Mr. Siripakorn Cheawsamoot, Deputy Governor for International Marketing – Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and the Americas, Mrs. Titiporn Maneenate, Executive Director for the Americas Region Department, and Mrs. Malinee Nitikasetsunthorn, Deputy Executive Director for the Americas Region.

Also attended the ceremony were the Honorary Advisor and the President of the Thai American Association of Illinois as well as strategic partners in the tourism industry and local media.

The post Tourism Authority of Thailand soft opens new office in Chicago appeared first on TAT Newsroom.

Bangkok, 18 April 2024 – The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) and Klook, Asia’s leading platform for experiences and travel services, signed a Letter of Intent of Strategic Partnership to enhance collaborations on the development and promotion of quality tourism experiences in Thailand.

TAT Governor, Ms. Thapanee Kiatphaibool, said “The time could not have been better for TAT and Klook to support each other in promoting Thailand as a top tourist destination. We have set our goals to collaborate and create comprehensive joint marketing with Klook to promote quality tourism experiences in the kingdom for the ASEAN, South Asia, and South Pacific Market. Our country is well-recognised as a friendly destination with rich tourism resources that can definitely serve the needs and demands of these markets.”

“We are excited to team up with TAT to enrich tourism in Thailand with a diverse range of meaningful and exclusive experiences that best reflect the destination, from iconic activities to hidden gems,” said Eric Gnock Fah, COO & Co-Founder, Klook. “At the same time, we want to help boost income to local communities and strengthen Thailand’s sustainability profile, stimulating economic growth across the wider industry.”

Under the agreement, TAT and Klook have agreed to enhance collaborations on increasing awareness and raising travel demand to Thailand, leveraging Thai soft power to promote meaningful travel experiences in key and secondary cities, strengthening efforts on the promotion of sustainable and community tourism, and adopting digital transformation to help drive Thai tourism industry.

Creating a New World of Five Must-Do Experiences in Thailand
According to Klook’s Travel Pulse survey, the majority of travellers are becoming more intentional in prioritizing experiences as the focal point of their trip. In fact, travellers today are seeking exciting and different ways to experience destinations across local cuisine, rich culture, iconic sights and attractions, and mega-events.

In Thailand, Klook currently offers close to 1,700 experiences and more than 10,000 packages and this number is set to increase by 20% this year. This will include curated experiences in line with Thailand’s five must-do’s, for example; tickets to exhilarating Muay Thai matches in Bangkok and Siam Songkran Music Festival 2024 for those looking to soak in the festive spirit of Songkran and local culture. More recently, Klook launched an exclusive experience featuring local Michelin Bib Gourmand restaurant Jeh-O and iconic Chao Phraya cruise to allow travellers to savour the famous ‘Jeh-O Mama Tomyum’ while cruising along the Chao Phraya River and taking in the backdrop of the city’s skyline.

Furthermore, the collaboration will enable Klook and TAT to work closely together to forge partnerships with Thailand’s major ticketed festivals to offer an integrated booking experience that transcends traditional event ticketing. This extends to seamless bookings for an extensive range of in-destination services across accommodation, curated experiences and local attractions to ensure travellers have access to a comprehensive itinerary at their fingertips. Collaborating closely with TAT, Klook is committed to showcasing the best of Thailand’s cultural tapestry and hospitality to a global audience. By leveraging technology and local expertise, Klook is poised to diversify and elevate the global traveller experience in Thailand with major festivals.

Empowering Local Communities Through Digitalization
Klook has been working with TAT to spotlight hidden gems and lesser-known authentic Thai experiences by empowering small-medium operators with the tools to digitize their business and expand their reach to Klook’s global user base.

Among the new experiences that Klook will be offering in 2024 in Thailand, about 80% will be supplied by local small and medium-sized operators with the goal of uplifting local communities, distributing income and promoting more sustainable travel.

One local community key to Thailand’s tourism ecosystem are elephant sanctuaries, and Klook has been investing in improving elephant welfare camps, educating travellers to make informed decisions when booking activities and ensuring that they are not supporting poor animal welfare practices. The partnership will see Klook close to double the number of sustainable and responsible tour operators that not only celebrates local culture but empowers local communities to benefit from tourism through new partnerships and product offerings.

Positioning Thailand as a top destination for quality tourist
As a top tourist destination, Thailand has sustained tourism recovery with a 44% growth in foreign tourist arrivals over the past year and is set to welcome even more tourists this year. In parallel, Klook expects to double the number of bookings for tourism packages in Thailand last year to at least 2 million this year.

Klook’s latest Travel Pulse survey reveals that travellers are looking to increase their overall travel budgets in 2024 by up to 50%, with 3 in 5 willing to allocate half of their travel budgets on experiences. With travellers chasing unique events, Klook observes that more than 40% are keen to visit a destination for specific events including splurging on once-in-a-lifetime events like the Olympics, music festivals and concerts, and cultural celebrations like Songkran.

Looking ahead, TAT and Klook will continue to position Thailand as a choice destination for quality tourists with elevated spending power and who are keen to experience Thailand authentically, meaningfully and responsibly.

About TAT
Tourism Authority of Thailand is Thailand national tourism board with an objective to promote Thailand’s tourism industry through marketing and communication to expand high-value market base, along with restoring confidence in travel to Thailand and delivering high quality tourism experiences.

About Klook
Klook is Asia’s leading platform for experiences and travel services. We curate quality experiences ranging from attractions and tours to local transport and experiential stays, in over 2,700 destinations globally. Founded in 2014, we are here to inspire and enable more moments of joy for travelers anytime, anywhere.

The post TAT and Klook sign Letter of Intent of Strategic Partnership appeared first on TAT Newsroom.