Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha led key members of the United Thai Nation Party (Ruam Thai Sang Chart) on a tour of Chinatown, to visit Thais of Chinese descent and to pay respects to their deities at Wat Mangkon Kamalawat on Chinese New Year.
The prime minister told the media that he wanted to visit the Mangkon Kamalawat Temple to pay his respects to the deities and to see, with his own eyes, that businesses in Chinatown are picking up, after having received reports that the Thai economy is steadily recovering, with increased foreign arrivals and hotel occupancy rates, as well as increasing consumer purchasing power.
He was seen talking with some foreign tourists, asking where they came from.
He wished the Thai people happiness, good health and prosperity for the Chinese New Year.
During the Chinatown tour, some cheered him on, but some detractors among the crowd called on him to quit now.
The prime minister, his followers from the United Thai Nation Party, including Pirapan Salirathavibhaga, Akanat Promphan, Dr. Trairong Suwankiri and former Bangkok Governor Aswin Kwanmuang spent about an hour in Chinatown after arriving at 6pm.
On Saturday, Pheu Thai Party members, led by Paetongtarn Shinawatra, head of the “Pheu Thai Family” and real estate tycoon Srettha Thavisin toured Chinatown to woo Thai-Chinese residents
