Thousands of tourists thronged the famous Wat Phra That Pha Sorn Kaew in Phetchabun and Khao Phaeng Ma mountain in Nakhon Ratchasima on Saturday, boosting the economy during the New Year holiday.
In Phetchabun, traffic on four lanes leading to the hilltop temple in Khao Kho district was congested from 7am on Saturday as vehicles taking Thai and foreign tourists, numbering more than 20,000, headed to the temple.
Many visitors were there to seek blessings from Buddha statues and other sacred artifacts, and to take photos of the striking architectural designs. It took more than one hour for vehicles to reach the temple from the road below.
Ekkachai Ketkorn, a freelance photographer in Phetchabun, said the number of visitors to Wat Phra That Pha Sorn Kaew was higher than before, estimating that people from Myanmar accounted for as much as 80% of the total on Saturday.
People were seen rubbing shoulders with one another as the main road at the popular site was very crowded he said. Many tour buses with visitors from Myanmar were parked everywhere in the temple compound and nearby areas, he added.
“As there are many holidays during the New Year festival, coupled with the subsiding Covid-19 pandemic, people want to travel,” said Mr Ekkachai. “Wat Phra That Pha Sorn Kaew is popular among Myanmar nationals as they also have faith in Buddhism and want to pay tribute to Buddha statues and seek blessings during the New Year holiday.”
Beautiful scenery and the cold weather were also drawing tourists to the hilltop temple, he said. In addition to Thai devotees, foreign nationals at the site included Chinese, Lao and Cambodian visitors.
In Nakhon Ratchasima, many tourists were camping at the Khao Phaeng Ma non-hunting area in Wang Nam Khieo district on Saturday to view gaurs and experience the cold weather on the mountain.
Officials set up three telescopes on tripods for visitors to view wild gaurs from the lofty site. There are about 250 to 300 gaurs living in the forested area.
Pongthep Manasasing, chairman of the Wang Nam Khieo tourism promotion club, said the atmosphere at Khao Phaeng Ma was lively with many tourists setting up camps there.
