Chinese New Year is coming up, and while you may be thinking, "I'm in Thailand, why are we celebrating Chinese New Year?", Chinese Thais actually make up approximately 14% of the population (more than 10 million people).
Additionally, with China having just recently reopened its borders after years of restrictions due to the Covid pandemic, Chinese are returning to Thailand. China is roughly thirty percent of Thailand's overall tourist arrivals, the largest piece of the overall pie, and critical to the overall Thai tourism industry.
With such a large population of Thais that are also Chinese, it makes for rather large Chinese New Year celebrations in the land of smiles. This year the New Year falls on Sunday, January 22nd. The date varies annually based on the Chinese lunar calendar. This year, it is the year of the rabbit.
While it is not an official holiday in Thailand, you will no doubt see countless red decorations strewn about in celebration of the holiday. There are also many festivals and events across the country, including right here in Pattaya.
This will be a time for Chinese and Thai Chinese families to spend with their loved ones and to pay respect to their ancestors.
Every year Thailand sees thousands of visitors coming to take part in the festivities that surround the Chinese New Year celebration. This year officials expect that the turn-out will far exceed the previous years, due to Covid-19 stopping anything other than small traditional celebrations for THREE YEARS!
If you are in Pattaya this weekend, be prepared for throngs of people who are here to celebrate the holiday and to give and receive good fortune and luck to everyone for the next year.
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