The Royal Thai Consulate-General in Osaka organized the 16^th Thai Festival in Osaka 2018 at Taiyo no Hiroba, Osaka Castle Park, during 19-20 May 2018. The event was enjoyed by over 190,000 visitors including local Japanese, Thai people and foreign tourists.

          Mr. Munin Paniswasdi, Consul-General of Thailand in Osaka, presided over the opening ceremony attended by about 100 invited guests comprising representatives of local government agencies, the Kansai consular corps, private sector, local non-governmental and non-profit organizations, Team Thailand in Japan, Thai agencies, Thai and Japanese press and media. H.E. Mr. Kazuhide Ishikawa, Representative of the Government of Japan & Ambassador in charge of Kansai, Representative of the Governor of Osaka, Representative of the Mayor of Osaka, LCDR. Worawit Techasupakura, RTN., Secretary to the Minister of Tourism and Sports of Thailand, Mr. Nadda Buranasiri, Chief Executive Officer of Thai AirAsia X and Mr. Santisuk Klongchaiya, Chief Executive Officer of Thai AirAsia, were among the distinguished guests at the opening ceremony.

          The objectives of the 16^th Thai Festival in Osaka were to strengthen Thailand-Japan bilateral relations, especially at people-to-people level. It also aimed to promote Thailand in Japan in various aspects, be it economics, culture or tourism, through Thai food, beverages, products, culture, sport and music. The Thai Festival, which has become an annual event, has also helped strengthened the network of Thai Community in Kansai.

          A variety of activities was featured at the 16th Thai Festival in Osaka including an exhibition booth in honour of His Majesty the King of Thailand, 57 booths selling Thai food, beverages, products and services, 16 booths in the Thai Pavilion to introduce Thailand in multifaceted aspects encompassing trade, investment, tourism, agriculture, SMEs product promotion, and cultural activities like Thai dessert workshop and Thai fruit carving demonstration. Thai agencies participating in the Thai Pavilion booths were the Royal Thai Consulate- Generel in Osaka, Tourism Authority of Thailand Osaka Office, Thai Trade Center Osaka, Thailand Board of Investment Osaka, Bangkok Bank Osaka, Thai Airways Osaka Office, Thai Air Asia & Thai Air Asia X, Office of Agricultural Affairs Tokyo, the Queen Sirikit Department of Sericulture, the Royal Project Foundation and the Office of SMEs Promotion.

          The action-packed activities on the main stage were popular among the Thai Festival attendees including Thai cultural performances by Thai Me Dee Southern Breeze from Chiang Mai, Muay Thai demonstration by Shiseikai Muay Thai Club Osaka, live concerts from RSiam Thai artists, Thai traditional performance by Air Asia Cultural Youth Ambassadors from Thairath Vittaya 84 School Khonkaen, live concerts by “MFF ASA 85” Thai youth band and CHERRSEE band, and lucky prizes drawing with 4 return air tickets to Thailand of Thai Airways and 9 return air tickets of ThaiAirAsiaX as the main prizes. Mrs. Taksaorn Paksukcharern Taechanarong, and representatives from Miss Thailand World, Miss Chattarika Sittiprom and Miss Phatlada Kullaphakthanaphat, were invited to promote Thailand as goodwill ambassadors at the 16^th Thai Festival in Osaka.

                This year’s Thai Festival in Osaka accomplished its main objective in enhancing Thailand-Japan relations especially at people-to-people level. Many of the Festival attendees expressed their appreciations on a variety of cultural activities offered at the two-day event.

                Apart from the support of the Thai government agencies and private sector, this year’s Festival enjoyed the generous support from the Osaka City Government, the Osaka Prefectural Government, Osaka Castle Park, Osaka Metro and J. League.