National Geographic Creativeさんのインスタグラム写真 - (National Geographic CreativeInstagram)「Photo by @amandamustard / Happy New Year from southern Thailand, where I recently visited a chicken-adorned temple that has drawn hundreds of thousands of Thai tourists in 2020. They are visiting Wat Chedi Ai Khai in Sichon, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Thailand, to pay their respects to a statue of a legendary 9 year old boy, Ai Khai (or 'Egg Boy', pictured in images 2 and 3), to make wishes for prosperity and good luck. For many in Thailand, times of uncertainty and desperation can often be met with superstitious solutions. In stark contrast to the rest of the country during the pandemic, the Sichon area has seen a massive spike in tourism as a result of popularity of this wish-making temple. Visitors can perform a range of merit-making actions, including the purchase and donation of chicken statues, fireworks, children's toys and clothing, and food items said to be desired by the spirit of Ai Khai. Until a new outbreak in December 2020, Thailand has largely kept COVID at bay since May with a strict response and tight border control - while cases and deaths remain low, the local economy has suffered with the loss of tourism revenue, which normally accounts for about 15% of Thailand's GDP.」1月5日 22時00分