Songkhla: The Deputy Spokesperson led a group of journalists to Songkhla to experience the charm of community-based tourism, visiting the reclining Buddha temple at Wat Laem Pho and the woven fabrics of Koh Yo. "Ploy Talay" pointed out that Songkhla offers more than just nature; there are many temples to explore, encouraging tourists to visit for spiritual and spiritual reasons. According to Thai News Agency, the Spokesperson's Office of the Prime Minister, led by Ms. Ploytalay Laksmisangchan and Captain Patthadarasmi Thongsalooykorn, Deputy Spokespersons of the Prime Minister, organized a press tour for over 30 journalists from television stations, newspapers, and online media to Songkhla Province from August 30 to September 1, 2026. The purpose was to explore the potential of Songkhla Province and the southern provinces, as well as the implementation of government policies on tourism, promoting the grassroots economy, preserving local identity and wisdom, and creating income opportunities for the local pop ulation, prior to attending the first official Cabinet meeting outside of Bangkok in 2026. The first stop for the media group was Koh Yo Subdistrict, Mueang Songkhla District, where they visited Wat Laem Pho to pay respects to the reclining Buddha, a significant landmark of Koh Yo, and experienced local products. Following this, they visited the Koh Yo Weaving Learning Center at Wat Khok Piaw to learn about the conservation and development of Koh Yo weaving wisdom into cultural products and creative economy initiatives. This aligns with the "creative economy" concept, which aims to leverage cultural capital, local wisdom, and identity to create added economic value while preserving cultural roots and promoting the sustainable continuation and development of Koh Yo weaving tradition. Ms. Ploytalee expressed her gratitude to the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) for facilitating the field trip, allowing her to experience firsthand the attractions of Songkhla. She highlighted that many Thai and foreign touri sts have visited Songkhla province, which offers more than just food and beaches. Songkhla boasts modern tourism, wellness tourism, nature, community lifestyles worth learning about, and even "Mootelu" (a type of Thai spiritual tourism), as Songkhla is known for its many sacred temples. She encouraged more people to visit Songkhla and mentioned that the government is conducting roadshows and advertising campaigns to promote tourism in Songkhla to international visitors. Meanwhile, Captain Patthadarasmi remarked that Songkhla is a multi-faceted tourist destination, encompassing natural beauty, community lifestyles, and diverse experiences. She emphasized the importance of learning about local culture and traditions, encouraging everyone to focus on this aspect as it helps stimulate the grassroots economy. Later in the afternoon, the media delegation visited the Thaksin Studies Institute to follow up on the progress of tourism and service development in Songkhla province and the southern provinces. They toure d the exhibition hall to learn about history, lifestyle, and local wisdom before visiting Laem Son On and Samila Beach to study the development of public spaces and tourist attractions, including the water-spouting Naga sculpture, the Songkhla Lake viewpoint, and the golden mermaid, a symbol of Songkhla city.
