Thailand Expects Millions of Tourists to Join Songkran Festivals

Thailand is expecting more than two million tourists to join in the Songkran festivals. Yuthasak Supasorn, the governor of Tourist Authority of Thailand (TAT) expects hundreds of thousands of foreign tourists with millions of locals to celebrate the five-day festival which kicks off on April 12.

Yuthasak said visitor numbers of the festival have grown over the years and this was good for Thailand's tourism industry. He also shared his concern about the poor air quality in the Northern provinces, especially Chiang Mai, which was home to a major Songkran festival in the region.

The governor said Chiang Mai is also one of the several provinces struggling with haze due to open-air burning of farm waste and rubbish. The heavy smog had resulted in the temporary suspension of flights between Chiang Mai and Mae Hong Son.