London double-decker gets a Thai makeover
The “Amazing Thailand Bus”, plastered with the latest tourism campaign from Thailand, will soon be cruising around London, passing several landmarks in the UK capital to promote Thailand’s soft power.
The campaign, organised by Tourism Authority Thailand (TAT) and Thailand Privilege Card, sees one of London’s iconic double-decker buses wrapped in a mammoth sticker highlighting TAT’s tourism campaign. The bus will be providing free service to Londoners from Wednesday to Sunday (November 8-12).
The bus was unveiled to the public on Monday at the ExCeL London centre in a ceremony led by Tourism and Sports Minister Sudawan Wangsuphakijkosol and TAT Governor Thapanee Kiatphaibool.
The bus’s decoration follows TAT’s 2024 marketing theme of “Meaningful Relationship”, which invites foreigners to create meaningful experiences by travelling in Thailand, Thapanee said.
“The Amazing Thailand Bus will help promote Thai culture, communities, foods, nature and people via mobile media that showcase positive images among viewers as it travels around important London landmarks,” she said.
Photos of Wat Arun’s pagoda, a beach on Koh Phi Phi and Sahatsadecha, a Yaksha (giant guardian) of Wat Phra Kaew have been selected to represent Thai identity on the bus’s exterior.
Inside, passengers will learn about festivals and attractions, as well as the latest promotions from Thailand Privilege Card which targets at high-spending visitors.
TAT aims to welcome from 8.5 to 9 million visitors from Europe, Africa and the Middle East in 2024 with the help of promotional campaigns in target overseas markets, following the government’s policy of using soft power to drive the country’s economy.
