Individuals take footage alongside Yaowarat Street in Chinatown in Bangkok on February 10, 2024, on the primary day of the Lunar New Yr of the Dragon. (Picture by Lillian SUWANRUMPHA / AFP)
BANGKOK, Thailand — A riot of scarlet lanterns hung over the red-clothed crowds providing candles as they murmured prayers at a conventional temple in Bangkok to have a good time the Lunar New Yr.
Hundreds of thousands of Thai-Chinese language marked the event with events, household meals and visits to most of the shrines dotted round Chinatown.
The outdated streets within the capital’s downtown got here alive on Saturday afternoon, with hundreds of curious vacationers and completely happy devotees resembling Watcharin Parichatwuttikoon, 70, having fun with the event.
“It’s very sacred. I’ve attended since I used to be younger,” he instructed AFP exterior Wat Mongkorn, among the many metropolis’s largest.
Individuals mild incense at Kuan Yim shrine in Chinatown in Bangkok on February 10, 2024, on the primary day of the Lunar New Yr of the Dragon. (Picture by Lillian SUWANRUMPHA / AFP)
“I wish to make deserves, wash away unhealthy deeds. At the moment, it’s refreshing as a result of it’s raining.”
There’s a lengthy historical past of Chinese language migration to Thailand, with Thai-Chinese language folks accounting for roughly 10 p.c of the inhabitants — together with a few of the kingdom’s most distinguished enterprise households.
Temple-goers discovered a second for quiet reflection as they lit candles and made conventional choices in Wat Mongkorn — generally known as the “Dragon Temple” — earlier than returning to the bustle exterior.
Chawanakorn Arunthanachotikul, 31, had traveled together with his household and buddies to be there.
“At the moment is an effective day for Thai-Chinese language folks,” he instructed AFP.
“I pray for luck and ask for this yr to finish easily.”
Lion dancers carry out at Kwang Tung shrine in Chinatown in Bangkok on February 10, 2024, on the primary day of the Lunar New Yr of the Dragon. (Picture by Lillian SUWANRUMPHA / AFP)
Whereas many in downtown Bangkok had been from the dominion, the celebrations are a busy and extremely profitable time for tourism in Thailand as properly.
Between January 1 and February 8 Thailand welcomed greater than 730,000 Chinese language guests, a Thai authorities spokesperson instructed native media on Saturday.
It follows final month’s visa waiver settlement between Bangkok and Beijing, which Thai officers hope will enhance the dominion’s important tourism sector, which is struggling to bounce again from the Covid-19 pandemic.
In Chinatown, vacationers had been perusing the numerous stalls that had set out vibrant merchandise, with distributors typically wearing purple cheongsams.
Amongst these visiting was American-Chinese language vacationer Cassandra Branson, 22, who had travelled from Beijing.
“I wished to come back to Chinatown throughout Chinese language New Yr as a result of it appears like house,” she instructed AFP, saying she normally celebrated in New York.
“I spend it with household at house and it’s like extra quiet, much less buzzing. It’s very festive right here,” she stated.
“It’s much more full of life.”
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