Thai PM launches Chinese New Year celebrations

BANGKOK, January 18 (TNA) - Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra attended an open house event to celebrate the Chinese New Year 2012 at the Chinese Embassy on Ratchadaphisek Road in Bangkok on Wednesday. Chinese Ambassador to Thailand Guan Mu and his wife Wu Hui Qin welcomed the Thai premier, who later watched a lion dance, painted lion dance eyes with a Chinese paintbrush for the good luck of Thai people, gave rewards to dancers and watched Chinese cultural shows, Chinese painting and Guzheng (Chinese zither) shows. On the occasion, Premier Yingluck, on behalf of all Thai people, extended best Chinese New Year wishes to Chinese people through the China Central Television (CCTV). It was the first time for the Chinese Embassy in Bangkok to organize such the activity to celebrate the Chinese New Year. Aslo present at the Chinese Embassy were Chinese-blooded Thai people, Chinese expatriates, Thai Foreign Minister Surapong Tovichakchaikul, Culture Minister Sukumol Kunplome and key business persons. Meanwhile, Bangkok-based Dhurakijpundit University conducted its survey on 419 owners of gold shops in Bangkok and 13 other Thai provinces, namely Nonthaburi, Pathum Thani, Samut Prakan, Nakhon Pathom, Kanchanaburi, Chon Buri, Rayong, Chiang Mai, Phitsanulok, Phuket, Trang, Nakhon Ratchasima, and Udon Thani, from January 5-16 showing that 56 per cent of the respondents foresaw their gold sales would drop in this year's Chinese New Year festival, beginning from the coming weekend till next week, with 41 of them attributing it to weaker purchasing power due to recent widespread flooding in the country. (TNA)