BANGKOK — The man behind a viral disparaging remark about Chinese tourists is scheduled to feed them five tons of mango sticky rice Sunday.
In an event titled “We Care For You,” deputy junta chairman Prawit Wongsuwan will inaugurate the feast of Thailand’s most famous dessert for 10,000 Chinese tourists, the government said Friday.
Officials also hope the event – held next to a lake in Muang Thong Thani – will break the Guinness World Record for the biggest sticky rice mango banquet ever. They said representatives from the reference book would be present.
The feast is co-hosted by multiple private and government entities, including the interim parliament, the tourism ministry, the tour companies association and Sino-Thai communities. Organizers said the event – which will be broadcast on state media – will give a good image of Thai hospitality.
Chinese arrivals, which were booming in early 2018, were stunted by a deadly ferry sinking in July which killed 47 Chinese tourists.
Gen. Prawit said at the time the ship was run by a Chinese firm and that the incident occurred because the “Chinese did it to the Chinese,” causing outrage on social media in China.
Although yearly arrivals for 2018 exceeded a historic milestone of 10 million in December, monthly arrivals were lower than during the same period last year.
