With the country’s new emphasis on soft power, a series of Thai festivals will be held in 36 countries and 45 cities this year.
India is one of six countries that will hold its flagship festival this weekend in New Delhi. Other cities are Hanoi, Beijing, Riyadh, Paris and Washington.
“It’s our passion project for 30 years, but it’s been rebranded this year,” said Suchitra Muangnil, an advisor to the Department of Cultural Diplomacy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. “The festival will have a logo, mascot and a special theme, “Creative Pulse”.
“The idea is that in addition to traditional forms, there are many creative and innovative forms in Thailand,” she said.
She mentioned that the Thai Festival has various names in different cities (Sawasdee Washington, DC and Touting an existing one Thailand in Paris). In India, it is known as the Thai Namast Festival.
The Thai Festival held in India last year was a huge success and attracted a large number of adults and children. They expect to attract more people this year. It was held in New Delhi and Kolkata in early February this year, with more events going on this weekend.
These activities include Thai food tasting and cooking classes, Thai massage, Muay Thai boxing performances, classical dances like Khon and jazz music from the famous Thai jazz – Koh Saxman. Workshops on Thai handicrafts, such as umbrella making, fan paintings and sand pagoda creation will also be held. A special event will be the artistic speech by renowned professor Pairoj Pittayamatee, in line with the theme of the festival, whose theme will be “Ancient Thai Colors in Modern Production”. He will also compare the colors of Holi and Songkran.
“There will also be a lot of “dehydrated, easy-to-eat foods that we call “future foods,” and what we are introducing to new markets,” said the MFA bureaucrat. ”
The festival will be the first major event for the New Thailand Ambassador to India after the appointment of vibrant Thai Ambassador MS Pattarat Hongtong Chavanart Thangsumphant.
Building a human-to-human bond between Thailand and India should indeed be a good start. With Indian tourists pouring into Thailand, this will be the best introduction to Thai art, crafts, food and culture.
