Director's Message

SAWATDI KHRAP.

IT gives me great pleasure to present to you the third issue of our Amazing Thailand Travel Talk. This issue the cover story is of course our Thai New Year. As usual the event is celebrated in great style and colour, albeit a wet one.

It is also the time of our water festival of Songkran. Most Malaysians, I am sure, are quite aware of what this celebration entails. The splashing of lots of water adds to the merriment. Nationwide the celebration is from April 13-17. In Hat Yai, we start with the Midnight Songkran at the eve of April 12, which is hugely popular with Malaysian travellers.

On behalf of the TAT, I would also like to take this opportunity to thank the travel agents, the Press and all of you have helped Malaysia surpass the two million mark again in visitor arrivals to Thailand. Last year Malaysia generated visitor arrivals to Thailand of 2.5 million from 2.4 million in 2011. Thailand also recorded the biggest number of visitor arrivals of 22.3 million last year, up almost 16 per cent from the previous year.

Music lovers would be happy to note that in March, the Pattaya International Music Festival would be held along Pattaya Beach Road and fetures various music genre from pop and rock to hip hop and R&B.

In Ayutthaya would be the World Thai Martial Arts Festival and Wai Khru Thai Ceremony. This event is also slowly gaining popularity among martial arts lovers especially with the popularity of Thai kickboxing worldwide. If you are a bird fan, of course, then you must head to the south to Yala province for the Asean Barred Ground Dove Festival. There would be participation from Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore and Brunei. Our featured destination this time are the northern beauty or the provinces of Mae Hong Son and Lampang, the lesser known of the provinces in the north. These areas are unique in that they are home to a number of attractions including the Mexican sunflowers that only bloom in November and December, a fish cave, a Chinese village, a town whose transport attractions are horse carriages and an elephant hospital.

If you are a great fan of leather products then head to the Bangkok fashion and leather fair in mid-March. It is the place to be if you happen to be a wholesaler or importer of such materials.

For the Trang Underwater Wedding, this year the TAT Kuala Lumpur took an active part by bringing two couples from Malaysia. Apart from taking part in the unique Thai wedding, they also had a short honeymoon in Krabi. There are a variety of things to do when you decide to visit Thailand. Whether you just love eating or shopping or entertainment, we have everything in store for you. And as usual we look forward to welcoming you to Amazing Thailand.

WIBOON NIMITRWANICH
Director
Malaysia & Brunei