Art & Culture

Collateral Event of the 60th International Art Exhibition – La Biennale di Venezia

As armies of locals and tourists lay down their water guns to end the world-famous Songkran Festival, The Nation takes a look at four other soft-power weapons that Thailand is wielding to conquer international hearts and minds.

Phan Van Chanh, a 69-year-old man living in Phu Nhuan District in HCM City, has adorned his house and household items with pink.

Songkran’s inclusion as a UNESCO intangible cultural heritage has offered an opportunity to promote the traditional Thai New Year as one of the best festivals in the world, Tourism and Sports Minister Sudawan Wangsuphakijkosol said on Thursday.

A massive Songkran festival will take place for five days at Sanam Luang in Bangkok, highlighting a seamless fusion of Thai traditional and modern activities, catering to people of all generations.

When the water guns are filled and people don colourful floral printed shirts, you know it’s Songkran time. Also known as the water festival, Songkran takes pride of place among Thai festivals, as the mostly widely celebrated, the most famous, and undoubtedly the most entertaining.

Labubu, a toy doll with high, pointed ears and serrated teeth, became a much-sought-after item after K-pop sensation Lisa Blackpink posted a photograph of her holding a Labubu Macaron on Instagram.

When talking about magicians, names like David Copperfield, Jeff McBride or Criss Angel are the first to come up. However, amid these luminaries, there shines a young Thai magician whose talents have captured attention – Thirawat Kongnugul, better known as “Smart Magic”.

With Songkran fast approaching, both government and private sectors have kicked off preparations for fun celebrations in 118 venues across Bangkok.

Ever noticed the sculptures in front of Bangkok skyscrapers and wondered what they mean and who made these strange artworks?

In this big Buddhist city boasting 450 temples, there are also 194 mosques and some 600,000 Muslims living in communities in different nooks and crannies. And one of them is the Phetchaburi Soi 7 community with the 150-year-old Darul Aman Mosque at the centre of it.

A Czech artist is working with a Thai government agency to showcase paintings that reflect Thai traditions, at a Prague gallery.

The first "Vietnamese language and culture camp" opened on the campus of Pathumthep Wittayakarn High School in Thailand's Nong Khai province on March 25, attracting teachers and students from 14 high schools in the country.