BANGKOK, Jan. 17 (Xinhua) -- Thailand is preparing for the ASEAN (the Association of Southeast Asian Nations) Tourism Forum (ATF) 2018 in Chiang Mai scheduled from Jan. 22 to 26 under the theme of "Sustainable Connectivity, Boundless Prosperity".

Yuthasak Supasorn, governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), said on Wednesday that the TAT will have a dedicated area called "Thailand Prestige" highlighting Thai local experiences through the country's rich culinary tradition in line with its marketing focus on Thai gastronomy tourism.

"Thai food continues to gain worldwide acclaim and is a major attraction for the millions of tourists who visit Thailand every year. ATF 2018 will draw on Chiang Mai's outstanding reputation for tasty Thai gastronomy tourism that is so engrained in its traditional Lanna culture both for international and domestic tourists visiting Thailand's Northern Region,"said the governor.

According to Yuthasak, the "Premium Product Display" will also showcase kitchen products and decorative items featuring a Thai design for international markets in the field of food innovation and the award-winning itineraries helps promote Thai local experiences.

Highlights include an interactive cooking demonstration by celebrity chefs from Chiang Mai.

For first-hand experiences of Thai gastronomy tourism, the "Premium Product Display" features some of the Thailand Tourism Awards "Best Itineraries" including a Hivesters' Talat Noi Neighbourhood tour of Bangkok's old community; Andaman Island Group's The Phuket Explorer that features the charming Peranakan culture; and NG River Guide' Fly Fishing Project Season 2, which highlights the way of life of the local hill tribe in the northern province Lamphun.

All the member countries of ASEAN are invited to showcase their uniqueness at the "ASEAN Product Showcase" section.

The ASEAN countries are collectively Thailand's largest visitor source markets in Asia. Thailand welcomed more than 8.19 million ASEAN visitors during last January to November.

Malaysia is the largest market with a total of 2.98 million arrivals, followed by Laos with 1.45 million and Singapore with 898,965.