PARIS: Princess Sirivannavari Nariratana Rajakanya presided over the opening of the Thai festival “Tout à fait Thaï 2026” at Parc de Bagatelle in Paris on Saturday (Oct 3).
The welcoming party included Thailand’s vice minister for foreign affairs, the permanent secretary of the Ministry of Labour and the president of the Ministry of Interior’s Ladies Association, together with the directors-general of the Community Development Department, the Department of Employment and the Department of Information.
The governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand and the Thai ambassador to France were also present, alongside officials from the Royal Thai Embassy in Paris, members of Team Thailand and their spouses, and representatives of relevant agencies.
Princess Sirivannavari viewed displays of Thai textiles and handicrafts presented by the Sustainable Arts and Crafts Institute of Thailand (SACIT), a public organisation, and entrepreneurs selected by the Community Development Department under the Ministry of Interior.
She also visited the festival’s Thai food stalls and spoke with Thai and international visitors.
The Royal Thai Embassy in Paris organised “Tout à fait Thaï 2026” on October 3–4 to give the French public, tourists, the Thai community and friends of Thailand a chance to discover the country’s appeal and diversity through food, arts and culture, performances, music, Muay Thai, Thai massage, Thai textiles, handicrafts and contemporary entertainment.
The festival also forms part of the 2026 celebrations of the 170th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Thailand and France.
Through Thai culture, food, art and creativity, it aims to promote greater knowledge and understanding and bring people in the two countries closer together.
On the opening day, visitors experienced Thai cultural heritage alongside contemporary culture through traditional Thai dance, Muay Boran displays, Thai cooking demonstrations and presentations of Thai textiles and handicrafts.
Contemporary Thai artists also performed, including “Boun–Prem” from GMMTV, “Q” of Flure and “Leew Ajareeya”.
The event also featured a musical performance by disc jockey “TukTuk Radio”.
The performances created a lively atmosphere and allowed visitors to experience Thailand through both traditional culture and contemporary creativity.
The festival is due to continue for one more day at Parc de Bagatelle on Sunday (Oct 4). - The Nation/ANN
