Yi Peng: Lanna Light Festival 2024 Press Conference

November 5

A press conference was held at the Ratilanna Riverside Spa Resort to announce the “Yi Peng: Lanna Light Festival 2024”, and it’s vision, aims and goals.
“Yi Peng: Lanna Light Festival 2024″ The Yi Peng Festival in Chiang Mai is a traditional festival reflecting the unique identity and values of Lanna culture. It is an international event that significantly contributes to sustainable local and urban economic development. This aligns with Chiang Mai’s policy of “12 Months, 12 Festivals,” and also supports the government’s Soft Power strategy to promote economic growth through local cultural identity. The Visit Lanna Association for MICE and Tourism Industry, in collaboration with the Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) and Chulalongkorn University, with support from the The Office of National Higher Education Science Research and Innovation Policy Council (NXPO) and the Program Management Unit for Competitiveness Enhancement (PMU-C), has worked to develop the Yi Peng Chiang Mai Festival with the theme “Lanna, Worship, and Lights.” The festival connects four main events, fostering participation through technology and innovation to generate economic value and restore the city post-flood. This approach aligns with strategies for promoting a creative economy and attracting quality tourists and MICE travelers, bringing positive impact to Chiang Mai and the wider Northern Economic Special Zone. The four main activities include: 1. Yi-Peng Communication: Expanding channels for promoting festival activities, products, and services through social media and the website www.visitlannaassociation.com. This aims to market Yi Peng and other Chiang Mai festivals in cooperation with public, private, and community partners, broadcasting information and local products to target audiences. 2. Yi-Peng Illumination: The “Tam Phang Patid” activity showcases Lanna cultural traditions, illuminating public areas, temples, communities, and cafes. Local businesses are encouraged to decorate their spaces for the Yi Peng festival, enhancing Chiang Mai’s evening ambiance to boost the night-time economy and reinforce the festival’s image as a Night-Light Festival. 3. Yi-Peng Product & Service: Curated products and services will be offered for the Yi Peng Festival under the theme “Lanna, Worship, Lights.” In collaboration with local businesses and shops, items that reflect Lanna culture and the spirit of Yi Peng will be highlighted, with an emphasis on eco-friendly options. Examples include special food menus, spa products, handicrafts, and networking events to foster an integrated network for collaborative product and service development, promoting joint sales efforts. 4. Yi-peng Navigator: Creating maps of festival activities for visitor guidance and organizing mission-style tourism within the festival, encouraging appreciation of key sites and local spending. The initiative promotes connected tourism routes across other Northern Economic Corridor, generating positive regional economic impacts. This year, the “Tam Phang Patid” activity, from November 13th –15th, will kick off the festival. Led by the Chiang Mai Preservation Network, which has organized this event for over a decade, this year’s event will emphasize lighting traditional “Patid” in place of floating lanterns in the city center. Under the theme “Lanna, Worship, and Lights,” it aims to revive and unite the Lanna community post-flood. The Chiang Mai Preservation Network, Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) Chiang Mai, technical and vocational institutions, Thai Health Promotion Foundation, SDN Thailand. The Visit Lanna Association for MICE and Tourism Industry, in collaboration with the Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) and Chulalongkorn University, with support from the The Office of National Higher Education Science Research and Innovation Policy Council (NXPO) and the Program Management Unit for Competitiveness Enhancement (PMU-C), Chiang Mai University’s Social Research Institute, and Grab, envision this event as a way to showcase the festival’s history and invite everyone to participate in decorating the city with lights in Lanna worship style. The Yi Peng: Lanna Light Festival 2024 will highlight Chiang Mai’s readiness to welcome tourists, making this year’s Yi Peng a key attraction for both Thai and international visitors to experience Chiang Mai and its surrounding Northern Economic Special Zone during the festival season.