Festive celebrations to bring joy, wishes in Thailand
Sudawan Wangsuphakitkoson, Thai minister of tourism and sports (left), and Han Zhiqiang, Chinese ambassador to Thailand (center), give gifts to people on board the BTS Skytrain in Bangkok on Friday.
To celebrate the Chinese New Year, officials from Thailand's tourism authorities and the Chinese embassy jointly announced a series of public activities on Friday, calling for deeper cooperation on culture and tourism between the two countries.
This year's Chinese New Year falls on February 10. Based on the Chinese zodiac, this is the Year of the Dragon. The Chinese believe that the dragon represents dignity, prestige and auspiciousness.
The mascot for the Year of the Dragon is "Jixiang Long", a lucky dragon featuring a welcoming gesture and a smiley face, auspicious cloud ears and a gold ingot-shaped nose.
A wide range of celebrations, including concerts, art exhibitions, performances and light shows, will be held across Thailand. In the capital Bangkok, a light show kicked off on Friday evening in Chinatown.
On Friday morning, the Chinese ambassador to Thailand, together with ministers from both the Thai Ministry of Culture and the Thai Ministry of Tourism and Sports, visited the BTS Skytrain in Bangkok, giving gifts to passengers as good wishes for the Chinese New Year.
In Thailand, Chinese New Year is mostly celebrated by the Thai-Chinese communities. Traditional celebratory events include lion and dragon dances and fireworks, which attract participants ranging from the Royal family to the general public.
"We'd be happy to share the joy and best wishes for the most important Chinese holiday with not only people in Thailand, but also friends from the rest of the world," Han Zhiqiang, Chinese ambassador to Thailand, said.
He noted that China and Thailand signed an agreement on mutual visa exemption a few days ago – a historical move that is expected to boost people-to-people exchanges as well as cooperation between the two countries.
