Question for a Chiang Mai area expert
 

I think this is going to be an obscure question, but we'll see...

There's a village called Bo Sang just outside Chiang Mai where there is an annual "Umbrella Fair" in January. Internet research shows that the past pattern has been that this falls on the third weekend in January. (Maybe, some websites confirm that this was the case in 2005, others dispute it)

We've seen what looks to be wrong dates on 2006 and we think we've established that you just can't count on the internet. Jan 1 is on a Sunday this coming year so we can't figure if that would be counted as the first weekend or not anyway.

<b>So does anyone know when this fair in 2006 or know where we could find out?</b> We're trying to figure out how to arrange around it if possible.

Thanks!

I'd call the thai tourist board. It's usually the same time as the flower festival in CM. I've been to the umbrella fair and I wouldn't say it's worth arranging your schedule around. You can pretty much see the same thing at other times of the year.

Hi Gloria. Thanks for the response and the suggestion.

I just realized that my comment on schedules didn't come out just right. We're going in mid to late January regardless.

But since this was the only reference we could find to any sort of festival going on in Bangkok or parts north, and since we enjoy festivals/celebrations, we might arrange things within the 2 weeks in order to be there. It's our first real trip to Asia and thought a bit of an event would be interesting.

We'll be sure to get hold of the tourist board and thanks again. PS if you know of any sort of things along this line in mid to late Jan, and not necessarily in CM, we'd certainly be receptive.

Hello Clifton: Did you ever get an answer on this? We're in the same situation, and wanted to find the dates for the 2006 Umbrella Fair.

Thank you.
Larry

You are right, not easy to find, there were articles relating to 2000 and 2002, I am getting fed up with searches these days when it seems no matter what you search for all you get are junk loads of links or simply hotel booking sites ( my Sunday morning rant over ! )
I looked on Tourism Thailand and the Tourist Org site but no dates.

Anway I eventualy found something on Yahoo Asia and they say it is 14-16 January 2006.

larryr: Suggest you re-post:&quot; Att: Tangata/others. CM Umbrella Festival 2006 dates?&quot;

That may catch the attention of anyone who knows for sure and also Tangata who lives I belive partof the year in Chiang Mai, I am in Thailand and I will see if I can ask around because my brother-in-law goes up to CM all the time so he might know.

Hi Larry. We took Gloria's advice and wrote to TAT directly.

This was the reply:

With reference to your e-mail, we would like to inform you that the
Bo
Sang Umbrella Festival will be held on January 20 -22 ,2006 but not be
comfirmed for the date so could you please check again in the begining of
December 2005 or countact directly to :
The Tourism Authority of Thailand
Northern Office Region 5
105 /1 Chiangmai -Lamphun Road, A.Mueang
Chiangmai 50000
Tel. 6653 -248 604, 6653 248-607 , 6653 -241 -466
Fax. 6653 -248-605
E-mail: [email protected]
Also, you can visit our website :www.tourismthailand.org

Thank you for your responses. I will try to repost and see what else I can find out, since we now have dates of either Jan. 14-16 or Jan. 20-22!

Larry