Tourists flock to shivering North, Isaan

[webfact]

Tourists flock to shivering North, Northeast
By Digital Content



CHIANG RAI, Nov 17 -- As temperatures atop Phu Chi Fah in the northernmost province of Chiang Rai dropped to 14 degree Celsius before dawn Sunday, about 1,000 Thai and foreign tourists braved the chilly weather to see the sun rise and the sea of fog.

Several tourist destinations in the province are now packed with tourists, especially Phu Chi Fah, because visitors could admire the beauty of the sun when it starts rising amid the sea of fog.

Those carrying cameras also did not miss their chance to photograph frozen dew on the grass.

Bantherng Kruawong, chief of the Chiang Rai tourism operators community, said that tourism atmosphere at Phu Chi Fah has been active since the beginning of this month and is expected to remain bullish until the New Year’s celebrations when at least 10,000 tourists visit Phu Chi Fah.

Mr Bantherng said there are more 1,000 resort and hotel rooms in the area and most are now fully booked by tourists.

In the northeast, the temperature in Si Sa Ket province dropped to 19 degrees Celsius at Pa Mor E-Dang in Khao Phra Viharn national park.

Tourists from nearby provinces including Ubon Ratchathani and Surin went up the mountain to see the exciting scenery and, of course, the sun as it rises above the meeting point of three countries -- Laos, Cambodia and Thailand.

The general situation at the ancient Preah Vihear temple nearby, contested by Cambodia and Thailand, remains calm as border patrol security from both countries perform their duties as usual along the border. (MCOT online news)


-- TNA 2014-11-17

[webfact]

Winter tourism to generate more than 20 million baht

CHIANG RAI, 17 November 2014 (NNT)-Tourists have flocked to tourist attractions in the North and North East to experience winter firsthand. The cash flow during this season is expected to be in excess of 20 million baht in Chiang Rai alone.

Chiang Rai is famous for its beautiful lilies that have begun to blossom at the arrival of winter. Visitors are drawn to Doi Hua Mae Kham National Park each year to see the beautiful yellow lilies as well as watching cultural shows performed by hill tribe people.

Hotel rooms and other accommodations have been fully booked. More than 20 million baht in cash circulation has been forecast for Chiang Rai tourism. In Pitsanulok, Phu Hin Rong Khla National Park, a tourist attraction as famous as Chiangrai's Doi Mae Kham, also attracts large numbers of tourists.

The temperature has dropped by another 1-2 degree Celsius. The freezing temperature has provided perfect conditions for a variety of wild plants to grow. The tourists also have an opportunity to see the sea of fog on the mountain top. Room reservations have been booked solid all the way to the end of this year.

In the northeastern province of Ubon Ratchathani, the spectacular sun rise has attracted a large number of people to Pha Tam National Park. The hospitality industry has once again turned lively in this province.


-- NNT 2014-11-17

[Costas2008]

I'm boiling hot in Khon Kaen.

Why didn't I find a wife in Chiang Rai to live?

But there is still time............................

[JOC]

Getting desperate??

Biggest selling-point in the Kingdom is low temperatures!!

Third time they repeat this story in as many weeks!!

On a positive note: Beautiful picture in the OP!!

[gerry123]

in the photo i see 6 people hardly a flock but there you go maybe later after breakfast

[ratcatcher]

in the photo i see 6 people hardly a flock but there you go maybe later after breakfast

All the other sheep have jumped off the cliff.

[toybits]

Shivering in the North? Are you joking? Is this another one of those Diana King titled songs "LLLL!@#"

Edited November 17, 2014 by toybits

[villagefarang]

Here is an uncrowded morning on top of Phu Chi Fa from a few years back. Believe me the crowds are huge some days. People hike up in the dark to wait for the sunrise.

[webfact]

Colder wind a windfall for tourism operators



BANGKOK: -- As more and more tourists are travelling to Thailand's upper region to feel the first cold spell this year, tourism operators are also getting ready to welcome tourists back particularly windfall from new wave of cold snap approaching the North this week. All hotel and resorts in leading tourist spots reported full bookings till end of year.

Last weekend, tourists have flocked to various tourist attractions in the North and North East to experience winter firsthand.

In Chiang Rai alone, local tourism authorities and operators said cash flow during this period is expected to be in excess of 20 million baht.

Chiang Rai is famous for its beautiful lilies that have begun to blossom at the arrival of winter.

Visitors are drawn to Doi Hua Mae Kham National Park each year to see the beautiful yellow lilies as well as watching cultural shows performed by hill tribe people.

Hotel rooms and other accommodations have been fully booked. More than 20 million baht in cash circulation has been forecast for Chiang Rai tourism.

In Pitsanulok, Phu Hin Rong Khla National Park, a tourist attraction as famous as Chiang Rai’s Doi Mae Kham, also attracts large numbers of tourists.

The temperature has dropped by another 1-2 degree Celsius. The freezing temperature has provided perfect conditions for a variety of wild plants to grow. The tourists also have an opportunity to see the sea of fog on the mountain top.

Room reservations have been booked solid all the way to the end of this year.

In the northeastern province of Ubon Ratchathani, the spectacular sun rise has attracted a large number of people to Pha Tam National Park. The hospitality industry has once again turned lively in this province.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/colder-wind-windfall-tourism-operators


-- Thai PBS 2014-11-17

[dddave]

Here is an uncrowded morning on top of Phu Chi Fa from a few years back. Believe me the crowds are huge some days. People hike up in the dark to wait for the sunrise.

Reminds me of the summit of Mt. Cadillac in Acadia National Park in Maine, supposedly the first land area in the United States to be touched by the morning sun.

Every day during tourist season, flocks of tourists drive or hike to the summit to be among the first to see the new days dawn. Being Maine; it is usually very windy and cold but the view over Frenchman's Bay is stunning.

Later, you drive to a little shack and get a couple of boiled lobsters and steamed clams.....Hmmmm!!!!!!

[wayned]

"Frozen dew" at 14 degrees centigrade! That's quite a trick!

[Fat Haggis]

in the photo i see 6 people hardly a flock but there you go maybe later after breakfast

All the other sheep have jumped off the cliff.

You know what they say when life hands you a lemming !!

[Johnnie99]

Considering this lot shiver when the temperature drops below 30° then 14° is certainly chilly ... for them.

[masuk]

I'm boiling hot in Khon Kaen.

Why didn't I find a wife in Chiang Rai to live?

But there is still time............................

I can't imagine many Chinese would be amongst those flocking to experience cold. It's cold enough there.

As it is, it seems to sit on 30C every day lately in Chiang Mai.

[Jeremy50]

Send all Thai journalists to Siberia for a few days to understand what cold is, then we might have an end to these silly articles year after year.

Thai frost occurs at 14 degrees?

[Dah fahrang]

Well, it's nice to see tourists "flocking" - makes a real change from them being "lured" (Tourism Authority speak)

[dddave]

Thai frost occurs at 14 degrees?

Frost can occur well above freezing, especially in a small valley if the mist hovering just above starts to rapidly evaporate when early rays of sun hit it.

Evaporation is a cooling process and the supercooled air drops to ground level and can cause areas of frost.

[trainman34014]

Seems to be a lot of 'Flocking' going on in this country lately. I do wonder if this is similar to 'Flucking' ?

[MexicanFarang]

Sounds like a business opportunity for someone in BKK with a walk in cooler.

No need to leave BKK to experience the cool weather. 15 minutes, 150B...

[ginjag]

I'm boiling hot in Khon Kaen.

Why didn't I find a wife in Chiang Rai to live?

But there is still time............................

Fans at full blast in UDON this eve 26c

[Loptr]

14C? Hardly cool enough to make your nipples hard...

[ginjag]

14C? Hardly cool enough to make your nipples hard...

Oooohhh knickers knackers knockers, let's get it down to 8c then. (Cosmo Smallpiece-Les Dawson)

[whatawonderfulday]

My my, can I see "Thailand, the hub of cold weather" coming ?

[ableguy]

Well, it's nice to see tourists "flocking" - makes a real change from them being "lured" (Tourism Authority speak)

Flocking hope you are not suggesting they are a bunch of sheep, or is the l and o miss spelled.

[Jaggg88]

Getting desperate??

Biggest selling-point in the Kingdom is low temperatures!!

Third time they repeat this story in as many weeks!!

On a positive note: Beautiful picture in the OP!!

Shame about the earthquakes

[Halion]

Again just another load of crap and while we are at it lets rewrite the laws of physics, simply not possible to have frost on grass at a temperature of 14 degrees C. Furthermore who shivers at 14 degrees. Certainly not tourist from either Europe of China.

Send these journo's back to school or give them another job less taxing to their abilities.

[Torrens54]

BRING IT ON in Chiang Mai!

Just got last months Electricity bill and thanks to the dire need to run Air Conditioning in order to be able to breath, it was once again, almost 4-Thousand Baht.

Maybe moving to Chiang Rai is a good option!

[kieran2698]

"Frozen dew" at 14 degrees centigrade! That's quite a trick!

It sounds it but, it's actually quite normal. For a start, the temperature readings are taken about 5 foot off the ground while the ground will often be several degrees cooler, also the temperature reading was not necessarily so close to the places with frost. Most importantly, a combination of conditions, humidity, lack of wind and atmospheric pressure can result in a cold layer of air near the ground causing frost while the air temperature just above it is well above freezing.

[kieran2698]

Again just another load of crap and while we are at it lets rewrite the laws of physics, simply not possible to have frost on grass at a temperature of 14 degrees C. Furthermore who shivers at 14 degrees. Certainly not tourist from either Europe of China.

Send these journo's back to school or give them another job less taxing to their abilities.

You're wrong about the frost, read my last post.

And, if your core temperature drops then your body starts to shiver in order to bring the temperature back up, just a 2 degree drop can kill. People have a mitochondria in their fat, known as brown fat, which makes them able to burn fat to stay warm, the same as new born babies do, new born babies don't shiver. People with a high percentage of brown fat are generally skinny as they burn almost twice as many calories as people with white fat but, they don't feel the cold. Fat people don't feel the cold because of the insulation from their fat. There is a much higher prevalence of this mitochondria in Caucasian people and there is also a much higher prevalence of obesity, so it is natural that Thais feel the cold more than Europeans. In fact, Europeans on average can increase their thermogensis by 20% without shivering while SE Asians on average cannot increase their temperate at all without shivering.

[NamKAheng]

I am in the wrong business, should do package tour for the Thais in Canada in January when it get to -30°C and -45° with the wind chilled effect, I am sure they will shiver.