The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Thailand offering Chiang Mai as ‘wedding destination’

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Jul 13, 2009
ePaper | Mobile/PDA Version

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Thailand offering Chiang Mai as ‘wedding destination’

Special Correspondent

CHENNAI: Tourism Authority of Thailand has started offering Chiang Mai as ‘wedding destination’ to lure more Indians to Thailand.

Chiang Mai is in the north of Thailand and about one-and-half hour by air from Bangkok. Last year, four Indian weddings were conducted, said officials from Tourism Authority of Thailand.

On offer are weddings in Indian, western or in Thai traditional styles, on beaches, on cruise, underwater and in grand ball room. The package includes venue, food, decorations, photographs among other things. Tour operators along with representatives of hotels, spa, resorts and theme parks were in the city as part of ‘Amazing Thailand Road show 2009.’

Talking to reporters, Tourism Authority of Thailand, Deputy governor for International Marketing, Santichai Euachongprasit said “despite recession, the number of arrivals from India has increased by 1 per cent, even as tourists from other markets dropped by 20 per cent. The frequency of flights from India has remained the same, whereas others have reduced it. Last year, we received 5.40 lakh tourists from India and we expect it to grow by five per cent more. We have variety of products to offer. The Amazing Thailand Grand Sale 2009, which offers discounts up to 80 per cent, is on till August,” he added.

Mr.Euachongprasit said that visa fee exemption for tourists will be in force till March 2010.

Suphot Yanthukij, Consul-General, Royal Thai Consulate in Chennai, said that they were processing 300 visas per day. Around 20 per cent of the tourists are from business community.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Tamil Nadu