More than 200,000 visitors are expected to attend a grand festival designed to celebrate and homour His Majesty the King, the world's longest reigning monarch, who will be celebrating his 82nd birthday on December 5.
The opening ceremony will be held on December 1, but the entire festival well run from November 30 to December 10 at the Ratchaphruek 2006 Garden in Chiang Mai.
His Majesty the King ascended the throne in June 1946 and was crowned in May 1950.
Organised by the Tourism Authority of Thailand(TAT), the Agriculture and Cooperatives Ministry, and the Chiang Mai provincial administratiion, the festival is expected to attract thousands of Thais, resident expats, and international visitors.
Juthaporn Rerngronasa, TAT deputy governor for marketing communications, said TAT was proud to host such a grand event for our beloved King.
The event is designed to honour His Majesty and to publicise and promote tourism to Northern Thailand, especially the Ratchaphruek 2009 Garden.
"It fits in perfectly with our plans to diversify our range of destinations, and encourage visitors to travel around the country to help raise the incomes of rural people," he said.
The festival will help boost domestic tourism, increase hotel occupancies in Chiang Mai, and give extensive exposure to North Thailand, projected to be a bridgehead for Thailand's future economic development plans and links with the Greater Mekong Subregion.
The official opening ceremony will be on December 1, with parades from all four regions of Thailand. Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva will deliver the opening address and then take part in releasing 999 Kom Loi (Sky Lanterns). This will be followed by classical dances from the four regions with 99 performers from each region.
The number nine is consdered luckey for the Thai people. A slight variation of its pronunciation also means "progress" or "advancement" in Thai.
Highlight of the festival will be on His Majesty's birthday on December 5 with the lighting of thousands of candles, offering of prayers and blessings for his good health and singing congratulatory songs, followed by a fireworks display and a light and sound show.
Throughout the festival, visitors will view a horticultural exhibition of flowers, trees and fruits, and sales and competitions of agri-products, handicrafts and village-made souvenirs.
Orchid lovers will find this festival of special interest.
The Ratchaphruek Garden was built for the Royal Flora Ratchaphruek 2006,. an international horticultural expo, held in Chiang Mai as part of the celebrations commemorating the 60th anniversary of His Majesty the King's accession to the throne. Roughly 2.5 million plants and flowers, including some rare species of orchids, were on display at that expo, which had over two million visitors.
Chiang Mai is the economic, communications, cultural, and tourism centre of Northern Thailand. In recent years, it has undergone considerable economic development but still retains its historic heritage. It is also becoming increasingly well-known as a centre of traditional Thai massage, meditation, health, and wellness spas.
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