Thailand promotes panning for gold to boost tourism

Bangkok – Thai officials are hoping to trigger a tourist bonanza by promoting a gold panning festival in April along the Wang River in the northern province of Lampang, a news report said Saturday.

Residents of Wang Nua district in northern Lampang have been supplementing their income for generations by panning for gold along the river during the dry season.

The Bangkok Post on Saturday quoted Wang Nua district chief Songsak Ditsathan as saying an influx of gold-panning tourists would help stimulate the local economy.

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