Thailand to showcase Asean cultures in Europe

Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha tries out a mask that dancers wear during the Ghost Festival in Loei province. Nation/Vorawit Pumpuang 

Also present at the event were dancers for the Ghost Festival, which runs in Loei province from July 5-7.

This scheme is part of Thailand’s “soft power” push to boost economic and political solidarity in a region seeking trade leverage with the rest of the world. 

“Thailand will promote the region’s rich cultural diversity under the theme ‘Asean: Oneness to the World’, as 2019 has been designated as ‘Asean Cultural Year’,” Vira said.

Thailand is also looking for ways to tap into the region’s diverse culture and develop a unified “creative industry”, he said.

Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha said Asean countries aim to pursue the goals of Asean 4.0, as he watched bright masked dancers offer a glimpse of the Loei Ghost Festival. 

Also on Tuesday evening, Asean performers gave the public a sneak peek of “Viva Asean” at Iconsiam in Bangkok. 

The Europe road show starts in Denmark’s Copenhagen, before it moves on to the Netherlands where shows will be held in Amsterdam and The Hague.