BANGKOK, Nov. 14 (Xinhua) -- Thailand's state tourism agency launched a festival of light along Bangkok's Chao Phraya River on Friday, staging free laser, drone and fireworks shows as part of a broader effort to promote night tourism during the peak travel season.
The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has forecast that the month-long event, Vijit Chao Phraya 2026, will draw more than 1.4 million visitors and generate at least 8.6 billion baht (about 253.87 million U.S. dollars) in spending before it closes on Dec. 13.
The Chao Phraya, the capital's main waterway, represents generations of Thai history, culture, architecture and ways of life, said Tourism and Sports Minister Surasak Phancharoenworakul.
Surasak said the festival combines heritage with creativity, innovation and technology to create new tourism value and present Thailand's identity in a contemporary way.
He noted that night-time attractions encourage visitors to travel more and stay longer, creating jobs and income for communities along the river while presenting Bangkok to the world as a creative city at the start of the year-end tourism season.
TAT Governor Thapanee Kiatphaibool said the program brings the river, historic landmarks, contemporary creativity, Thai culture and riverside communities together as one night-time journey through Bangkok.
Thapanee said the event supports the TAT's night-economy strategy by generating business for cruises, hotels, restaurants, transport and other operators, with tourism income reaching communities along both banks.
The TAT has made the program one of the flagship events of its 2027 marketing plan, dubbed "The Year of Transformation," which leans on festivals to add value to tourism.
The agency says Thailand is now prioritizing visitor value over volume as it seeks to become Asia's leading high-value and meaningful destination.
Now in its fifth year, the festival is themed "The Light of Imagination" and uses light art, projection mapping and multimedia to reinterpret the river's history, architecture and cultural heritage across 19 sites on both banks.
Highlights include an 800-drone light show over Wat Arun, the riverside Temple of Dawn, and fireworks at Rama VIII Bridge, Memorial Bridge and Rama III Bridge on selected nights.
Other displays include projection-mapping shows on The Langham, Custom House hotel and the First Presbyterian Church of Bangkok, a multimedia water show at the ICONSIAM shopping complex and Thai cultural performances at Wat Kalayanamit temple.
For the first time, the TAT has partnered with three universities to design installations at riverside sites, including Thammasat University's Tha Prachan campus and Asiatique pier. ■