Chiang Mai:- The 13th Chiang Mai’s China Town festival will be held in the northern city on February 18, 19 and 20 to promote tourism and ties between China and Thailand.

The event is expected to generate spending about Bt700 million in Chiang Mai during the period.

The festival will be held with coopeation among the Chiang Mai Provincial Administrative Organization, the Muang Chiang Mai Municipality, the Chiang Mai Tourism Authority Office, and the Chiang Mai Sino-Thai Businessmen Association.

Muang Chiang Mai Municipality Mayor Thassanai Buranupakorn said the festival will be held on the Kuang Meru Road, Chang Moi Road and Waroros Market area on the Wityanon Road.

According to Thassanai, many activities will be held, including a parade of dragon dances, a pageant of smart, handsome and beautiful Chinese kids, Chinese puppet shows and fire dragon show. Moreover, all houses on the roads, where the festival will be held, will be lavishly decorated with Chinese lanterns and other decorations in line with the traditional Chinese New Year celebration.

During the celebration, alcohol drinking and smoking will be prohibited in the festival zone, Thassanai added.

Not only in Chiang Mai downtown, the festival will also be held in other communities of Chinese descendents throughout Chiang Mai, he said.

Chiang Mai chief tourist officer Wisut Buachoom said it is expected that the festival will draw about 100,000 Chinese tourists to Chiang Mai during the three-day festival.

He said about 85 per cent of occupancies in Chiang Mai have already been booked. He believes the occupancy rate would rise to 95 per cent and the festival would generate some Bt700 million spending.

Oh God. I hope someone dredges the moat in anticipation of the hoards heading to the city.

Time to get out of Dodge......