Bangkok hangover: Heady days at the quintessential tourist destination
Bangkok remains a dazzling destination that rewards anyone who takes the time to explore its many layers.
INDOOR floating market at ICONSIAM.
One night in Bangkok and the world's your oyster. Imagine staying for three nights.
Daytime markets and buzzling late-night bazaars. Soaring skyscrapers with panoramic views of the city. Hip districts full of high-end stores and massive malls with hundreds of outlets. Homegrown theme parks. Amazing beaches. World-class museums. Ornate temples and tranquil nature parks. Top-notch cooking schools. Numerous festivals dedicated solely to food — and more food.
Bangkok's got everything. There, it's almost like the pandemic never happened. It remains a dazzling destination that rewards anyone who takes the time to explore its many layers — whether you're seeking glimpses of traditional Thai heritage or shopping for the latest fashion trends, craving for authentic Thai curries, tom yum and pad thai or eager to visit its famous temples.
Elephant show, main attraction at Safari World.
"From a once concrete jungle as they say, Thailand is now a top tourist destination with different modern buildings," said Len Rivera, manager and Philippine representative of the Tourism Authority of Thailand. "Thailand's fascinating architectural designs are the likes of Mahanakhon Tower, Baiyoke Tower and Icon Siam, to name a few, with interesting local touches designed by visionary architects, and is now what Bangkok is."
Rivera disclosed that the Philippine market saw a significant growth year after year at an average of 15 to 20 percent before the pandemic. In 2019, over half a million Filipinos visited Thailand. But, the pandemic in 2020 precipitated a sudden stop in tourism flows and a significant contraction in economic activity. However, since the opening of Thai borders in 2022, Filipino travelers are slowly making their way to Thailand, their second top country of choice after Singapore at the time.
"To date, we are now moving on a positive figure and we hope to sustain the market through innovative programs that will enrich the expectations of each traveler. We'd like to showcase the grandiosity of Thailand, most especially the warmth of the people welcoming all visitors to 'The Land of Smiles.' We also want to promote Thailand to Generations Z and Y," Rivera said.
