Historic Thalang Rd in Phuket Town was busy yesterday (Feb 16) with Thai and international tourists strolling beneath rows of red lanterns and auspicious decorations.
Shop owners and street vendors reported a noticeable increase in sales compared with last year, particularly from visitors arriving from China, Singapore and Malaysia. Many businesses introduced special promotions to mark the Lunar New Year, contributing to what operators described as a welcome boost to the local economy.
According to the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) Phuket Office, the province is forecasting an average hotel occupancy rate of 81.87% during the official Chinese New Year period from Feb 17-23, with tourism revenue expected to exceed B600mn.
Siriwan Siharat, director of the TAT Phuket Office, said the positive outlook is being driven by a wide range of cultural and tourism activities staged across the island throughout February.
Among the key highlights are the Thailand Biennale, Phuket 2025 international contemporary art festival, running until the end of April; the annual Wat Chalong Fair from Feb 16-22; the 29th Bay Regatta from Feb 18–22; the Phuket Lantern Festival from Feb 11 to Mar 3; and the Phuket Chinese New Year Festival ‘Duan Sam Ban Rao’ from Feb 22-24 in Old Town.
The main Chinese New Year Festival will transform key streets including Thalang, Krabi, Phang Nga and Thepkrasattri roads into a major cultural and food zone from 6pm to 11pm each day from Feb 22-24.
Phuket City Mayor Suppachoke Laongphet said the event aims to preserve the cultural heritage of Phuket’s Chinese community while stimulating tourism and supporting the local economy in line with the government’s soft power policy.
Festival highlights will include a grand parade featuring more than 300 participants from public and private organisations, schools and community groups. More than 400 food and product stalls will operate in a designated City of Gastronomy zone, while visitors can also enjoy cultural demonstrations such as Chinese paper-cutting, calligraphy and guzheng music performances.
The popular ‘Fire Dragon Tunnel’, stretching more than 40 metres, will return along Thepkrasattri Rd and Phuket Rd, accompanied by multiple performance stages and check-in points throughout the festival area.
To enhance the visitor experience and promote sustainable tourism, free open-top electric tram services are operating daily from 11am to 8pm throughout February, with boarding at Dragon Square. The service allows tourists to explore Phuket Town’s historic architecture and major viewpoints without adding to traffic congestion.
Authorities have deployed police and municipal officers to manage traffic and ensure public safety during the celebrations. Additional parking areas have been arranged to accommodate hundreds of vehicles, while relevant agencies have coordinated crowd management plans in anticipation of high visitor numbers.
In preparation for the festival, Phuket City Municipality also launched a city-wide clean-up campaign from Feb 9-16, offering free collection of bulky household waste in line with the traditional belief of clearing away bad luck before the New Year.
Phuket welcomed 14.12 million tourists in 2025, generating more than B546 billion in revenue, and officials say this year’s Chinese New Year period is a crucial early boost for 2026’s tourism performance.
With vibrant street scenes, cultural performances and strong advance bookings, this year’s celebrations are reinforcing Phuket’s reputation as one of Thailand’s leading destinations for Chinese New Year festivities ‒ while ensuring money continues to circulate throughout the island’s economy.