A Thai cultural festival unfolded from Feb. 10 through 14 at the Taichung Cultural and Creative Industries Park, celebrating the intangible cultural heritage of Thailand.
Organized by the Bureau of Cultural Heritage, the festival was centered on "Wai Khru,” a traditional Thai ceremony of paying homage to teachers through rituals such as Buddhist rites, musical performances, traditional dances, and prayers.
The opening ceremony was joined by Bureau Director Shy Gwo-long (施國隆), representatives from the Thailand Trade and Economic Office in Taipei, and art university members from Thailand. Thai students also traveled to Taichung to offer flower wreaths and pay their respects.
Wu Rung-shun (吳榮順), chairman of the School of Music at the Taipei National University of the Arts, served as event host to explain Thai music culture to the visitors.
The festival offered traditional performances twice a day, presenting various classic instruments and garments as well as royal arts. Each performance was followed by a demonstration by Thai musicians, offering the audiences the experience of playing such traditional instruments.
Featuring percussion and string instruments, the Thai music performances were presented by the Plphat ensemble, the Mahori ensemble, and the Khruang Sai ensemble from Thailand.
The stage was decorated with instruments dressed up with red tape on the left side, and an ornate drum was placed at the center of the stage to symbolize the Thai drum deity. Offerings, flowers, and nine different masks representing nine auspicious deities were also featured on the stage.