Rung Hiranwong explained that gate receipts showed 2,740 tourists entered the park on Friday alone. He carried on by saying the thermometer at the top of the 2,565-metre-high mountain showed 9°C early on Saturday and 16°C at the park’s HQ.
He added that the temperatures would likely keep dropping for the rest of the year and not start climbing again until mid-January at least. 12GO ASIA says the colder than average temperatures for a tropical country are a major draw for Asian tourists during the winter months.
Bathed in swirling fog, Doi Inthanon at this time of year appears almost unearthly. The rare chance of seeing ground frost and winter flowers is an added incentive to make the 90km trip from Chiang Mai. A cluster of guesthouses and resorts near the entrance to the park provide good bases for exploring.
Plummeting temperatures entice tourists to Doi Inthanon
News in Asia
National park authorities at Thailand’s highest mountain report visitor numbers are rising. Doi Inthanon National Park’s head-ranger told reporters at the weekend the winter’s cooler temperatures had already triggered the customary annual spike in visitors.