On Wednesday 14 January iTravel was privileged to cover the grand opening ceremony of the
2015 ‘Discover Thainess’ campaign, an innovative new initiative which aims to promote
and preserve Thai culture and boost tourism to the country.
The ceremony took place in front of the Siam Discovery Centre on Rama I Road and was followed
by a colourful 3.5 kilometre parade through the streets of Bangkok, a dazzling spectacle
which included vibrant cultural shows, elaborate floats and exquisitely dressed dancers and performers.
Proceedings kicked off in grand style with speeches by the Prime Minister of Thailand,
General Prayut Chan-o-cha, and Minister for Tourism and Sport, H.E. Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul.
General Prayut described what Thainess represents and explained the benefits that the Discover
Thainess campaign would have for the Thai people.
In her speech, Minister for Tourism and Sport, Kobkarn, told us what we can expect for the
year ahead as the Discover Thainess campaign promotes 12 ‘hidden gems’ for tourists
to explore, and explained that at least one major event celebrating Thainess, would take
place every month in conjunction with regional festivals.
Following the opening ceremony, a series of 6 colourful processions began winding their
way through the streets of Bangkok. At the head of the first parade was a majestic
replica of the Royal Barge; this was followed by floats depicting episodes from Thai epic,
the Ramakien. Other processions were dedicated to showcasing
different aspects of Thai culture, from muay thai to Thai cooking, while the final procession
was called ‘Smiles of Siam’ and celebrated the famous Thai smile.
The second stage of the parade route was located at Ratchaprasong Intersection, where a large
crowd gathered to enjoy the dynamic cultural shows taking place.
Onlookers watched, enthralled, filming with their phones and cameras, as Thailand’s
Got Talent champion Leng Ratchanikorn performed a spectacular aerial show, a thrilling feat
of acrobatics
The third stage of the event was held at Lumpini Park where the Thailand Tourism Festival is
taking place. Large crowds amassed to watch the colourful
shows and admire the diverse exhibitions. The Thailand Tourism Festival, which is celebrating
its 35th anniversary this year, is being held in Lumpini Park from January 14-18; usually
this important event is scheduled for later in the year but the Tourism Authority of Thailand
decided to hold it in conjunction with the Discover Thainess grand opening ceremony.
The Thailand Tourism Festival showcases the many wonders of Thai culture and tradition
and features 5 vibrant cultural villages representing the five major regions of Thailand and their
unique ways of life. This fascinating 5-day festival is the perfect
introduction to the diversity and innate beauty of Thai culture and is sure to attract crowds
of visitors.
The spectacular launch of both 2015’s Discover Thainess campaign and the Thailand Tourism
Festival has been an amazing success. With such a mesmerising start, the Discover
Thainess campaign is sure to achieve great things in the year ahead and will make 2015
a very special year, both for international visitors to Thailand and for the Thai people
themselves.