Kathmandu, January 23: Permission has not been given to celebrate Chinese New Year in Thamel, the capital’s commercial sub-area, which has been the center of tourism industry in Kathmandu for more than four decades. Apart from this, the Mayor of Kathmandu has also refused to allow decorating the entire Thamel area with Chinese lanterns.
The Chinese Embassy had sought permission to organize an event in Thamel, Kathmandu’s largest tourist area, to celebrate the Chinese New Year, which the Mayor of Kathmandu has refused to give permission. The Deputy Chief of Mission of the Chinese Embassy had written a letter to the Kathmandu Metropolitan Corporation requesting to provide space for organizing the Spring Festival 2025 in Thamel from January 26 to February 25. In its letter, the Chinese Embassy had mentioned about arranging security, parking, electricity, traffic in addition to the venue for the event.
In response to this, the Mayor of Kathmandu said that instead of organizing the event in Thamel, the Chinese Embassy should organize it in that part of Kathmandu’s ring road, which is the responsibility of China for the last 10 years.
Mayor Balen Shah has also written that the Chinese Embassy should organize the event on the same road to understand the problems that the people of Kathmandu have been facing on that road for the last 10 years. Mayor Balen Shah said that keeping in mind cleanliness and security, permission for the event cannot be given in Thamel.
Apart from this, the Mayor of Kathmandu also did not allow the Light Up program proposed by the Chinese Embassy, โโunder which permission was sought to decorate the entire Thamel area with Chinese lanterns.
