Blackpink’s Lisa applauded as mascot for all things Thai
The latest trend sparked by K-pop sensation Lalisa “Lisa” Manoban has not just brought Thai culture to the forefront but also won her a pat on the back from the prime minister.
“The premier [General Prayut Chan-o-cha] praised Lisa for her expression of love and pride in being Thai, as well as promoting the country globally,” government spokesman Anucha Buraphachaisri said on Saturday.
Lalisa, who is with the Korean K-pop band Blackpink, sparked a new craze for all things Thai after posting a photograph of herself in Ayutthaya wearing a white shirt and a “Sinh” skirt in traditional blue hand-woven fabric.
Anucha said Lalisa’s photograph did not just bring tourists to Ayutthaya but also helped increase the income of retailers there.
Besides, her outfit sparked an interest in traditional fabrics, he said.
Her blue Sinh had been made with Udon Thani’s famous indigo-dyed cotton called “Pha Fai Mak Clone Yom Kram”.
Anucha added that the caretaker government is working with the private sector to promote Thailand’s soft power.
The Tourism Authority of Thailand has devised a special trip to Ayutthaya in which travellers can visit the three temples Lalisa visited, namely Wat Na Phra Men, Wat Phra Mahathat and Wat Mae Nang Pluem, he said.
