CNI News
15 March 2024
Myanmar tourists are getting interested in Thai Thingyan that will be celebrated grandly from 1st until 21st April and making preparations to participate in the event, according to tour operators.
Thai Thingyan (Songkran) was recently listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Songkran Water Festival 2024 will become the biggest and most celebrated event in Thai history, which the Thai government has announced.
At present, air ticket offices and foreign travel service companies have sold out all the air tickets for the Songkran; tourists from all over the world are interested in Thai Thingyan and so are Myanmar tourists, U Thet Lwin Toe, managing director of the Myanmar Voyages International Tourism, told CNI News.
While seeing Thai Thingyan (Songkran)
" All the air tickets have been sold out since 9th or 10th March. Our company was selling air tickets everyday. Air tickets have been sold out till April for Yangon-Bangkok airline, Yangon-Singapore and Yangon-Malaysia. But because Malaysia has restricted Myanmar people lately, the number of people who go to Malaysia has decreased quite a bit. Thailand is currently opening its doors. When Thailand held Songkran in a big way, the event got global attention. About 25 million tourists entered Thailand last year. Of them, there were more than eight million Chinese tourists. This year, a lot of Myanmar people will also go to Thailand. There aren't many package tours. There are also trips to South Korea, Japan and Europe." he said.
The people from Yangon and Mandalay Regions are interested in visiting Thai Thingyan and those from Mandalay Region are more interested reportedly. Some are planning to go by flight and others, in groups by road, to participate in Songkran.
However, because battles are breaking out along the Thai-Myanmar borderline, going to Thailand through the border is being weighed, a travel service entrepreneur told CNI News.
While seeing Thai Thingyan (Songkran)
" The first day of the new year is the main one of the Songkran. Tourists are planning to arrive in Thailand for that day. Tourists from Putao, Tachileik and Kawthaung tend to go to Thailand. The situation should be reviewed on the 20th of March. Tourists from Yangon are interested in going to the Songkran and those from Mandalay, more interested. If transportation is convenient,some want to go by car. Going by flight is more expensive. It will cost you about 6 lakh kyats for a round trip if you go there by plane." he said.
The Travel trade fairs from many countries around the world are also interested in Songkran and making preparations and they are preparing to use the festival to their advantage.
Due to the outbreak of Covid-19, although tourist arrivals decreased, Thailand was able to attract tourists by using the Thingyan period and over 20 million tourists entered Thailand.
Thailand has expected that more tourists will enter Thailand this year during Songkran period because the Thai Thingyan has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site recently.
