{"id":2298,"date":"2022-01-27T13:25:46","date_gmt":"2022-01-27T06:25:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pacificprime.co.th\/blog\/?p=2298"},"modified":"2022-01-27T13:25:46","modified_gmt":"2022-01-27T06:25:46","slug":"4-things-to-do-in-thailand-to-ring-in-the-chinese-new-year","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pacificprime.co.th\/blog\/4-things-to-do-in-thailand-to-ring-in-the-chinese-new-year\/","title":{"rendered":"4 things to do in Thailand to ring in the Chinese New Year"},"content":{"rendered":"

Taking place on February 1st this year, the Chinese New Year is less than a week away and those without plans are starting to wonder how they\u2019ll spend the auspicious occasion. As the most important festival amongst Chinese people, the Lunar New Year is celebrated across the globe, so if you\u2019ve been wondering: does Thailand celebrate Chinese New Year? The answer is definitely yes.<\/p>\n

With around 15%<\/a> of the Thai population believed to be of Chinese descent, Chinese New Year in Thailand calls for a large celebration. In fact, it\u2019s hard to miss CNY decorations throughout the streets, shopping malls, and hotels, especially in Bangkok and other major cities. Wan Trut Jin (as the Lunar New Year is called in Thai) might be quieter this year due to COVID-19 restrictions, but that doesn\u2019t mean it can\u2019t be celebrated.<\/p>\n

This Pacific Prime Thailand<\/a> article is your guide to ringing in the Chinese New Year in Thailand.<\/p>\n

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1. Celebrate Chinese New Year in a traditional way<\/h2>\n

Despite not being a national holiday, Chinese New Year is widely celebrated throughout the country. Over the course of two or three days, families come together for quality time and to pay respect to their ancestors. It\u2019s common for relatives living in China and other areas of Southeast Asia to travel to Thailand to spend time with their families during the new year.<\/p>\n

People flock to local Chinese temples and shrines to pray for good fortune for the year ahead. Another tradition is for family members to hand out red envelopes (or ang pao in both Hokkien and Thai) with money inside. Red is the lucky color for Chinese New Year and is reflected in everything from the envelopes and decorations to firecrackers and clothing.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s customary to spend New Year\u2019s Day itself at home with family and not do much else. Spring cleaning<\/a> is done before the start of the new year so as not to remove any good fortune that may arrive. Families share a communal feast to honor their ancestors, enjoying traditional CNY foods<\/a> like dumplings, fish, Nian Gao (glutinous rice cake), and spring rolls.<\/p>\n

2. Enjoy a delicious Chinese feast with loved ones<\/h2>\n

On the topic of food, sharing a meal with family and friends is a huge part of Chinese New Year. While some families may prefer to cook at home from scratch, it\u2019s just as common to eat out nowadays. The best restaurant in Thailand for the Chinese New Year is a personal preference, but a quick search for the best spots in your area is bound to bring up delectable results.<\/p>\n

Bangkok, in particular, is spoiled for choice when it comes to celebrating CNY around the table. Time Out<\/a> has a mouth-watering list of restaurants to cater to any budget. Family sets can be found at Conrad Bangkok\u2019s Liu restaurant, Swiss\u00f4tel Bangkok Ratchada’s Loong Foong, and Shang Palace, while special per-person menus are available at:<\/p>\n