H.E. Ms Pattarat Hongtong, Ambassador of Thailand to India, presided over the opening ceremony of the Namaste Thailand Festival 2023. This event, organised by the Royal Thai Embassy, New Delhi, in collaboration with the Tourism Authority of Thailand and various partners, will take place from 24 – 26 March 2023 at the Plaza, Select CITYWALK, New Delhi.
The Namaste Thailand Festival has returned after a three-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It aims to showcase Thailand to Indians and foreigners residing in India through Thailand’s various elements of Thainess. There are 7 renowned restaurants in Delhi and nearby areas presenting authentic Thai cuisine to those who want to try tasty and zesty food. Moreover, one can stroll around many of 15 stalls and enjoy shopping various kinds of products from Thailand such as kitchenware, ceramics, herbal balm, accessories, clothing lines, food items and jewelry. Ambassador of Thailand, in her remarks, welcomed everyone to visit the Festival to enjoy the fun-filled activities and immerse oneself in the vibrant and colourful world of Thailand.
The Royal Thai Embassy has also arranged many activities on stage such as a cooking demonstration by the Ambassador of Thailand to India, who will demonstrate how to make the famous authentic Som Tum or Thai Papaya Salad. Following that is a cooking competition in which participants can try their hand at making Thai dishes with a close suggestion by the team from the International Institute of Culinary Arts (IICA). The participants can win a voucher from IICA for a short cooking class. Workshops on fruit and vegetable carving and Thai food cooking are provided twice a day on 25 – 26 March 2023 at the Royal Thai Embassy’s booth. Participants can learn about the ingredients and techniques used in making delicious Thai dishes. The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has also provided many activities at their booths to cater to the interests of enthusiasts who wish to be on a vacation in Thailand.
Also on the stage, a Muay Thai demonstration is also one of the highlights performed by the United Muay Thai Association – India (UMAI) who came all the way from Jaipur. Furthermore, Namaste Thailand Flash Quizzes by the Embassy and Quizcraft Global challenged audiences’ knowledge about Thailand.
This year the Royal Thai Embassy, in cooperation with Thai Airways International, has brought in Ma Kao Hang (the nine-tailed dog) Band from Kalasin province in the Northeast of Thailand to showcase Thai-traditional and classical music in the evening mini concert. Their uniqueness and musical talents in fusing Isan (Northeastern region of Thailand) traditional instruments with other musical instruments entertained and made the evening memorable for everyone. At the end of the programme each day, visitors have a chance to win the lucky draws sponsored by the Tourism Authority of Thailand, Phuket Tourist Association, Sawasdee Traditional Thai Spa and Thai restaurants in Delhi.
Apart from the Tourism Authority of Thailand as a major partner in hosting the Namaste Thailand Festival 2023, the Royal Thai Embassy has also received support from various partners i.e. Thai Airways International, SCG, Global Power Synergy Company, Aditya Birla Group, VFS Global, and BLS International.
