Southeast Asia Information Port News (www.dnyxxg.com) June 20, 2026 – The 11th Seoul Sawasdee Festival officially opened. His Excellency Thirakun Niyong, Special Representative of the Thai Minister of Foreign Affairs, presided over the opening ceremony. South Korean National Assembly Member Kwak Sang-eon was invited as the guest of honor. His Excellency Thani Sanrath, Thai Ambassador to South Korea, representatives from Thai and South Korean government departments and cooperative institutions, representatives of expatriates from both countries, and numerous international guests gathered at the event for this transnational cultural extravaganza.
At the opening ceremony, Special Representative Thirakun Niyong delivered a speech, reiterating the core deployment of the Thai Ministry of Culture to continue relying on a proactive economic and cultural diplomacy model to fully promote the high-quality development of Thailand's creative economy. He stated that Thailand and South Korea have maintained close bilateral exchanges for a long time, accumulating a profound foundation of cultural exchange, which is a solid basis for both sides to continuously deepen pragmatic cooperation in multiple fields and achieve mutual benefit and win-win results. The successful hosting of this Seoul Sawasdee Festival is an important achievement of collaborative efforts between the public and private sectors in Thailand, bringing together high-quality resources from multiple parties.
The Thai participating entities in this event are diverse, encompassing the official Thai delegation in Seoul, the Creative Economy Agency, the National Innovation Agency, the Tourism Authority of Thailand, the Ministry of Community Development, agencies under the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, the Pattaya City Government, Chanthaburi Province, Bandipatthana Silpakorn College, as well as local Thai artists and community representatives. It is also co-organized with several South Korean partner organizations, fully demonstrating the vibrant collaboration and cross-sectoral cooperation between Thai and South Korean government and businesses.
As a highly influential annual cultural event in East Asia and beloved by the South Korean public, the Seoul Sawasdee Thai Festival has become an important symbol of cultural exchange between Thailand and South Korea. This year's festival, themed "Creative Life, Creative Heartbeat," will be held from June 20th to 21st, 2026, at Cheonggye Plaza in Seoul. It will focus on the contemporary cultural characteristics and lifestyles of Thailand and South Korea, showcasing the creative vitality of both countries and building a high-quality platform for the exchange of ideas, experiences, and cultures.
The event is positioned to both promote culture and enhance brand awareness. Through immersive cultural experiences, it aims to deepen the understanding and appreciation of Thai culture among the South Korean public and international tourists, continuously enhancing Thailand's national cultural brand. Meanwhile, it serves as an international showcase for Thailand's unique products, high-quality services, and creative industries, helping Thailand's local creative industries to go global and expand into international markets.
It is reported that this year's Thai Festival boasts a rich and diverse program, featuring exhibitions on Thai creative industries, traditional folk culture performances, Thai classical dance, Muay Thai performances, themed concerts, and meet-and-greets with renowned Thai artists and actors. Compared to previous years, the event venue has doubled in size, accommodating over 100,000 visitors, significantly enhancing the event's capacity and public experience, and further amplifying the reach and influence of Thai-Korean cultural exchange.
