Fun fair to restore festival spirit, boost tourism in Hat Yai

SONGKHLA: -- Local authorities in this southern province are gearing up for a fun fair scheduled for this Friday, an event to boost tourism after a widely-publicised series of bombings has led some holiday makers to choose other destinations, a senior tourism official said Wednesday.

Suthep Kuesang, head of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) Southern Region 1 Office, said the one-day-event would be held amid tight security to restore confidence among foreign tourists who have stayed away from the region following the September 16 bombings in Hat Yai that killed four and injured nearly a hundred.

Dubbed ''A Colorful Hat Yai Fair'', Friday's event will kick off amid Friday afternoon with a colorful musical and costume parade along the city's main thoroughfare followed by a concert and food fair.

''The tight security would give tourists confidence in their safety'', Mr. Suthep said, adding that he hopes it will help local tourism, investment and trade affected by the bombings to recover in three months.

Mr. Suthep said that in order to speed up the area's recovery in tourism and commerce alike, the province has planned a series of events this month--including the annual Chinese vegetarian food festival, as well as Hari Raya or Eid-el Fitr, a three-day celebration at the end of the time fasting represented by Muslim Ramadan.

Songkhla has lately become a target of southern insurgents from nearby Muslim predominant provinces of Yala, Pattani and Narathiwat where continuing violence has claimed more than 1,700 lives since it erupted in early 2004.

Despite a heavy deployment of government forces in the troubled region, insurgents have launched attacks almost daily.

There are hopes that overtures reportedly made by some insurgent groups to Thailand's new government will lead to the establishment of peace and prosperity once again.

--TNA 2006-10-04

Hmmmmm, a funfair

I hope the ghost train isnt too scary cause it sounds like a great place for a suicide bombing!

(Buddha forbid it would happen)