China News Service, Bangkok, February 11 (Reporter Li Yingmin) On the evening of the 10th local time, the first day of the Chinese Lunar New Year, Thailand's "Happy Spring Festival" event opened in Bangkok's Chinatown. Princess Sirindhorn of Thailand came to the scene and presided over the opening ceremony.
Princess Sirindhorn of Thailand presided over the opening ceremony. Photo courtesy of the Chinese Embassy
Thai Prime Minister Saitha Thawan, Minister of Tourism and Sports Sudhawan, Minister of Culture Sensak, Bangkok Mayor Chacha, Chinese Ambassador to Thailand Han Zhiqiang, Minister Wu Zhiwu and others attended the opening ceremony.
Thai Prime Minister Saitha Thakur (first from right) and other government officials attended the event. Photo courtesy of the Chinese Embassy
Han Zhiqiang delivered a speech at the ceremony. After 20 years of development, the "Happy Spring Festival" event has become an important platform and link for the people of China and Thailand to celebrate the festival together. This year, the Chinese government specially dispatched art troupes from the Tibet Autonomous Region and Fujian Province to perform in Thailand, delivering the best wishes of the Chinese people to the Thai people with their exquisite singing and dancing arts. China is willing to work with Thailand to build on the past and open up the future, continuously enhance the friendship and political mutual trust between the two peoples, continuously deepen mutually beneficial cooperation between the two countries in various fields, jointly build a China-Thailand community with a shared future, and better benefit the Chinese and Thai people.
Chinese Ambassador to Thailand Han Zhiqiang delivered a speech at the opening ceremony. Photo courtesy of the Chinese Embassy
Mayor Chacha delivered a speech at the ceremony and said that over the past 20 years, with the strong support of the Chinese government, Samphan District of Bangkok has participated in the event together with the Chinese Embassy in Thailand, the Ministry of Tourism and Sports of Thailand, the National Tourism Administration, and Chinese merchants on Yaowarat Road. The "Happy Spring Festival" celebration organized is aimed at wishing Thailand, China and the two peoples good luck and good luck. This year, the Chinese government has specially selected an outstanding Chinese art troupe to perform in Thailand for the "Happy Spring Festival", which will promote cultural exchanges between Thailand and China, as well as tourism cooperation and people-to-people exchanges between the two countries.
The event was grand. Photo courtesy of the Chinese Embassy
At the ceremony, Princess Sirindhorn presented hand-drawn New Year greeting cards with the words "Good Luck in the Year of the Dragon" to Han Zhiqiang, Sai Tha and other Chinese and Thai guests. Accompanied by the noisy gongs and drums of the dragon dance team, Princess Sirindhorn held up the golden dragon ball to open the 2024 Thailand "Happy Spring Festival".
After the ceremony, Princess Sirindhorn, accompanied by Sai Tha and Han Zhiqiang, visited a series of Spring Festival booths and special shops along Chinatown on Yaowarat Road to celebrate the New Year of the Year of the Dragon with the people. (over)