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Postcards and Morsels: Thai Food & Cultural Festival 2012

25/9/2012

 
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Sawasdee, a Thai welcome greeting in the beautiful gardens of the Royal Thai Embassy in Canberra
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H.E. Mr Maris Sangiampongsa, Ambassador of Thailand, gives his welcome address at the 10th Thai Food and Cultural Festival
Sunshine and blue skies presented the perfect setting for the 10th Thai Food and Cultural Festival 2012 at the Royal Thai Embassy in Canberra, last weekend.

One of Canberra's most anticipated annual cultural events, and held every Spring since 2001, the Festival celebrates Thai culture, food, music, sport and dance. Thai sports were the theme of this year's, reflecting the 2012 Summer Olympics. Lively and colourful performances of Thai dance, kick boxing and Krabi Krabong martial arts were sponsored by Bangkok Metropolitan Administration and the Tourism Authority of Thailand. 

His Excellency, Mr Maris Sangiampongsa, Ambassador of Thailand opened the Festival with a very warm welcome, noting that December this year will mark the 60th anniversary of Thai-Australian diplomatic relations. 

'With the firm and longstanding foundation of the two countries, various areas of cooperation, especially political and economical aspects have been significantly strengthened,' His Excellency said. 'People-to-people contact continues to flourish, with more than 800,000 Australians visiting Thailand last year and the Embassy will continue to attach greater importance to promoting people-to-people contact through cultural diplomacy, bearing in mind that closer ties between Thais and Australians will contribute to sustainable and admirable relationships. I do hope you will enjoy our festive day, which offers you even greater variety of "Thainess".'

And enjoy it, we did, together with thousands of other visitors! Spread across the grounds of the Embassy were more than 20 stalls offering a range of traditional finger foods and dishes from some of Canberra's best Thai restaurants; as well as massage, 'made-in-Thailand' products. The Thai Temple, Wat Dhammadharo, also had a stall, with profits helping fund the Temple’s building project in Lyneham.

If you missed the Festival this year, there's always next time, and please don't let a cloudy day discourage you from attending. This event is simply too good to miss. 'It's such a wonderful day out. I can't believe we've never been before!,' one of my dear friends told me on Monday morning.

Postcards and Morsels:

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Delicious morsels of finger food for the invited guests
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Colourful and beautiful traditional Thai dancers from Siam Dance Studio, sponsored by Tourism Authority of Thailand in Sydney
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Weapons for Krabi Krabong, a martial art used by the ancient Siamese military. Krabi is the curved sword, Krabong is the staff.
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Preparing for Muay Thai
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The Ambassador and performers from Bangkok Metropolitan Administration. The group showcases Thai sports and martial arts.
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Outside the steps of the Royal Thai Embassy's event hall, Sala Thai
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In the gardens of the Embassy
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Decorative wall depicts Hindu God (Hindu was Siam's influential religion before Buddhism)
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This stand in the garden reflects Thai hospitality in its subtle way. Thai people store rain water in clay container, which helps keep water cool. The coconutshell ladle is used for drinking from the vessel. In the old days, and even nowadays in rural areas, there is a wooden stand with a water container and ladle in front of each house so that thirsty passers-by can stop for a sip of cool rain water!
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Satay sticks on banana leaves
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Carved fruit on display at one of the stalls
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Steamed sticky rice with taro or banana in banana leaves
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Annette Ellis, patron of the Australia Thailand Assoc and His Excellency, Mr Maris Sangiampongsa officially open the event
The Thai Food and Cultural Festival is held at the Royal Thai Embassy in Yarralumla, Canberra, to coincide with Floriade. For more information about the event, visit the web site for the Office of Educational Affairs, Royal Thai Embassy, Canberra.
Jane @ Shady Baker
24/9/2012 06:09:45 pm

This looks like a wonderful, vibrant festival Lizzy. The Thai Embassy looks beautiful.

Lizzy
24/9/2012 06:23:03 pm

Jane, thank you. If ever you are in Canberra at this time, you simply must come along to this Festival!

Lisa link
24/9/2012 06:59:34 pm

Such a great event! I'm sad we missed it this year

Lizzy
24/9/2012 07:53:29 pm

Ah, Lisa. There's always next year! Such a great event.

Claire @ Claire K Creations link
24/9/2012 08:18:51 pm

Tell me.. why do they not have Thai food festival in Brisbane? How delicious!

Lizzy
24/9/2012 08:22:31 pm

Hi Claire, they may do. Check http://www.watthaibrisbane.com.au/culture.php

Rosa link
24/9/2012 08:45:49 pm

A wonderful event! I love Thai food and would love to visit Thailand. Thanks for sharing.

Cheers,

Rosa

Lizzy
24/9/2012 09:53:54 pm

Thanks Rosa, me too! It's on the bucket list. This festival provides us with a tiny sample of Thai food and culture all in one glorious afternoon.

Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella link
25/9/2012 12:10:32 am

What fun you must have had and you had beautifully sunny weather too! :D

Lizzy
25/9/2012 10:36:04 am

I could stay all day, Lorraine. Love this event!

celia link
25/9/2012 09:29:21 am

What a wonderful feast, Lizzy! Such gorgeous photos, thank you for taking them to share with us! xx

Lizzy
25/9/2012 10:36:19 am

Celia, thank you ; D

A link
25/9/2012 10:03:38 am

Absolutely gorgeous photos. My youngest daughter, Lauren, now at OT just out of San Francisco, was sent to Thailand for 3 months with the University of Alberta and their Play Around the World Program. She was so afraid, and so timid, but I encourage, and she is still thankful. The food has always been one of my very favourites, and she came to love the culture and the people. She even traveled through the jungle up North on her own. Momsey was very concerned when she did that. She did a lot of "out of her comfort zone" kinds of things, came back and knew she wanted to be an Occupational Therapist. It changed her destiny. She attended Tufts in Boston and met her husband there. They both lived in Cambridge and became fast friends in 2006 - just got married last November.
Thai anything just warms my heart!
:)
V

Lizzy
25/9/2012 10:37:14 am

Oh Valerie, how wonderful! What a great adventure for your daughter. You must be very proud.

InTolerant Chef link
25/9/2012 11:22:55 am

What an awesome day out indeed, we always love going too. Wasn't the weather gorgeous?

Lizzy
25/9/2012 05:21:31 pm

Bec, hi. Yes, it was perfect. But even last year when it was cooler, it was still a brilliant day out!

Jane @ EarthAppleJane link
25/9/2012 11:57:14 am

Lizzy, what a fantastic day you had, and the food, the dancing. Love that carved fruit too!

Lizzy
25/9/2012 05:22:16 pm

The carved fruit is amazing. When I managed the Belconnen Markets, I often had a Thai fruit carver doing demonstrations. So clever.

Eha
25/9/2012 01:54:09 pm

Thank you so much for sharing this event in such detail with us! As one of my best girlfriends lived and worked in Bangkok for decades I have been so fortunate to see much of this from a traveller's and not tourist's viewpoint: your photos brought back lovely memories and those satay sticks are to die for :) !

Lizzy
25/9/2012 05:23:05 pm

How fortunate you are, Eha. I would love to visit Thailand someday. Definitely on the bucket list!

Kyrstie @ A Fresh Legacy link
25/9/2012 11:05:59 pm

My favourite food, I could eat it every day! I am so excited to be visiting Thailand soon and of course am going to be squeezing in as many cooking courses as possible in our time there :)

Christine @ Cooking Crusade link
26/9/2012 10:59:42 pm

Wonderful photos Lizzy! I just love the carved fruit, so beautiful!

Tony Eastaway
7/10/2012 01:33:32 pm

Those that missed this wonderful spectacle would regret that. A cultural experienced by all are we not very fortuneate having this kind of function Congratulations to all concerned


Comments are closed.

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