Tourists swarm Yaowarat Road for Chinese New Year
Bangkok’s Yaowarat Road has been bustling with an influx of Thai and foreign travellers ahead of Chinese New Year, tourists and merchants told The Nation recently.
As the Lunar New Year celebration is to take place on Wednesday, January 29, several travellers have visited the Bangkok Chinatown for shopping, dining or worshipping Chinese gods for prosperity.
Visitors in the neighbourhood increased further thanks to dazzling displays of lights and decorations, featuring a massive dragon-shaped light installation and colourful floral displays.
The opening ceremony for two archways – Vajirasathit 72 Phansa and Vajirathamrong 72 Phansa – to commemorate the 72nd birthday of His Majesty King Maha Vajiralongkorn was held on Saturday.
To celebrate the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Thailand and China, the Lunar New Year festival in Yaowarat runs until February 9.
Thanks to spiritual tourism trends, several travellers visited before the New Year, including Chinese and Western tour groups, said a retailer identifying herself as Lang.
She confirmed that retailers in the Leng Buai Ia shrine community gained benefits from the influx of tourists, as well as restaurant operators who purchase ingredients for serving their customers.
She expects the new Vajirasathit 72 Phansa and Vajirathamrong 72 Phansa archways to attract more tourists to take photos and check in on social media, especially younger people.
“I would like to ask audiences to purchase goods in Yaowarat’s Leng Buai Ia shrine community,” she said. “We have a lot of good stuff, and a shrine where worshippers have achieved desires, whether it is career, wealth, or education.”
Two young visitors, Ing Fah and Graphic, advised travellers to prepare some water and other supplies before visiting Yaowarat, saying that the road is crowded with people and has a lot of beautiful places.
“Leng Buai Ia Shrine is a good place for worshipping. There are a lot of lanterns, decorations and photo-taking spots here,” Graphic said.
“I think Wat Leng Noei Yi, also known as Wat Mangkon, is a good place to visit because it has a lot of beautiful landmarks,” Ing Fah added.
