Pattaya City officials invited to China’s Hunan for strengthened ties

Pattaya City officials received a visit from the Vice Governor of Hunan province in China, accompanied by a delegation. They extended an invitation for Pattaya officials to visit Hunan province, aiming to enhance friendship and mutual understanding between Thai and Chinese communities.

The initiative seeks to promote shared prosperity through cooperation in economics, trade, tourism, science and technology, culture, education, and human resource development.

Poramese Ngampiches, Mayor of Pattaya City, warmly greeted the delegation. He spoke about Pattaya’s robust economy and thriving tourism sector, expressing enthusiasm for strengthening the sister city relationship between Hunan Province and Pattaya City, reported Pattaya News.

In related news, travellers are one step closer to an epic train journey from Bangkok to Beijing as a new railway bridge over the Mekong River has opened, linking Thailand and Laos by rail for the first time. This milestone, completed last month, leaves just a few dozen miles of a trackless gap before the route can finally reach China.

With the launch of this new service, passengers can now enjoy a 12-hour train journey from Bangkok’s Krung Thep Aphiwat Station to Khamsavath Station in Vientiane, the capital of Laos.

However, Khamsavath, located about 9.7 kilometres outside Vientiane, is currently the final stop on this route. Travellers wishing to continue their journey to China must navigate Vientiane’s streets via taxis or vans to reach the larger, Chinese-built Vientiane Railway Station, which lies 16 kilometres northeast of the capital.

In other news, Thailand is pulling out all the stops to lure Chinese tourists back in droves with the launch of its ambitious Nihao Month campaign. With a staggering target of attracting 8 million Chinese visitors by the end of the year, the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is betting big on a series of irresistible promotions and star-studded events.

Since the beginning of the year, an impressive 4.55 million Chinese travellers have flocked to Thailand, spurred on by the visa-free scheme introduced in March.