Emerging Thai spots beckon Chinese

BANGKOK — About 20,000 visitors cheered as the clock struck midnight, ringing in the New Year, in eastern Thailand’s Rayong province. Fireworks lit up the sky above the seaside town, where the national tourism authority had organized a massive countdown event to welcome 2018.

Activities included live music, local food and DIY workshops.

It was the first time the Tourism Authority of Thailand had worked to make the local countdown event such a grand gala. The hope was to attract more visitors, including Chinese.

Thailand received about 35 million inbound visitors last year. But most spent much of their time in major cities like Bangkok, Pattaya, Chiangmai and Phuket, says Tanes Petsuwan, the TAT’s deputy governor of marketing communications.

“The TAT is trying to increase the flow from major destinations to secondary provinces,” Tanes says.