Throwing light on the history and glory of the Ayutthya era
In bid to promote nighttime tourism, 4 temples and a palace in Ayutthaya to be lit up
Selected historical sites in Ayutthaya province will be illuminated with lighting art installation and projection mapping shows from now until November 17 to showcase the glory of the old kingdom.
The Culture Ministry, the Fine Arts Department, and related agencies joined hands to launch a collaborative project “4 Temples, 1 Palace of Early Ayutthaya Era”, aiming to boost nighttime tourism in Ayutthaya, the ancient capital of Thailand.
Complementing the government’s plan to organise “winter festivals” around the kingdom to boost tourism at the year-end, the project also aims to raise public awareness of Thailand’s arts, culture, tradition and folk lifestyle of the early Ayutthaya period (1350-1448), the Culture Ministry said during the press event on Friday.
From November 9 to 17, the Fine Arts Department will decorate four temples and a palace in Ayutthaya with lighting art installation, namely Wat Chaiwatthanaram, Wat Ratchaburana, Wat Mahathat, Wat Phra Ram, and Chankasem Palace, from 6pm onwards.
At Wat Chaiwatthanaram and Wat Phra Ram, there will also be project mapping shows displaying the history of Ayutthaya Kingdom and Thai ancient arts, culture and tradition. The shows start at 6.30pm daily.
Wat Phra Ram will also serve as the venue for Ayutthaya’s Nopphamas Beauty Pageant on November 15 to celebrate this year’s Loy Krathong Festival when Thais will launch decorated floats or krathong onto waterbodies to pay respects to Phra Mae Khongkha, the Goddess of Water.
There will also be cultural performances and booths selling foods and handicraft products at these venues throughout the period, said the ministry.
The ministry has urged visitors to dress up in Thai traditional costumes to create an authentic experience while admiring Ayutthaya’s historical sites, and preserving the country’s cultural heritage and tradition.
