Chiang Rai Tourism Authority to Launch”Winter Festival”

The Tourism Authority of Thailand has announced that it will launch a “Winter Festival” campaign to boost tourism in Chiang Rai, which has been devastated by flooding for the past two months.

The Governor of the Tourism Authority, Ms. Thapanee Kiatphaibool, visited and listened to the concerns of business owners affected by the recent major flood in Chiang Rai Province. They expressed an urgent need for financial assistance and capital to rehabilitate and stimulate the economy.

The Governor said she understood the concerns of the business owners and would request an urgent resolution from the Cabinet on relief measures, such as soft loans to help entrepreneurs who need capital and low-interest loans to rehabilitate their businesses.

She said the government will coordinate with local MPs to provide initial assistance in rehabilitating tourism. There are both short-term and long-term plans.

The most important message is that Chiang Rai is ready to welcome tourists. The people of Chiang Rai need encouragement from everyone. We want Thais to come and visit Chiang Rai together.

The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has launched a campaign to boost tourism in Chiang Rai called “Winter Festival,” which is a “Half-Half” project. It will start at 800 baht, with the government covering half and the people covering the other half, while entrepreneurs will receive the full amount.

Currently, we are allocating 10,000 spots for the program. However, if it’s successful for entrepreneurs and tourists, the government will reconsider extending the budget, Ms. Thapanee said.

Meanwhile, rehabilitation efforts have been ongoing for over a month in Chiang Rai’s Mae Sai district. Many areas still need assistance because the mud is very thick and high.

In Wiang Phang Kham Subdistrict, defense volunteers and district personnel worked together to clean the area, spraying water to wash away the mud and dust before returning the area to the people after complete rehabilitation.

Due to heavy rain, another round of flooding hit some Sai Lom Joy Market areas, as mud clogged the drains and prevented proper drainage.

The water has since receded, and the district chief has ordered pump trucks and crews to remove the mud from the drainage pipes to allow for proper water flow.