Thai Festival Santiago showcases culture, cuisine and creativity

SANTIAGO, Chile — 13 September 2026, The Royal Thai Embassy in Santiago held Thai Festival Santiago 2026 at the Plaza Central of the Gabriela Mistral Cultural Center (GAM), drawing more than 9,763 visitors to a day-long showcase of Thai culture, cuisine, tourism, Muaythai, wellness, music and contemporary entertainment.

Held under the theme “Creative Life, Creative Heartbeat,” the festival aimed to promote Thailand through both its rich cultural heritage and contemporary creativity, highlighting how Thai food, fashion, music, performing arts, handicrafts, tourism, wellness and self-care continue to connect with audiences around the world.

Thai Ambassador to Chile Vimolbajra Ruksakiati welcomed visitors and spoke about the concept behind the festival, which brought different aspects of Thailand together in one venue and offered Chilean audiences opportunities to experience Thai culture through a wide range of activities.

The Ambassador also highlighted the contributions of Her Majesty Queen Sirikit The Queen Mother to the promotion of Thai handicrafts and the development of Chud Thai, or traditional Thai dress, as an important part of the country’s cultural identity.

An exhibition featured different styles of Chud Thai, showcasing Thai textiles and traditional handicrafts. Visitors could also use an AI-powered programme to create images of themselves wearing different styles of Thai traditional dress, offering an interactive way to engage with Thai cultural heritage.

The festival featured booths from Thai restaurants and Thai product vendors, offering handicrafts, ingredients and Muaythai equipment. Representatives from the hotel and tourism sectors and Thai massage providers also took part.

At the Embassy’s cultural booth, visitors learned about Phuang Malai, the traditional Thai art of floral garland making. Thai desserts prepared by chefs from the Ambassador’s Residence were also distributed to visitors.

The stage programme featured Thai classical dance performances by dancers from Los Angeles, who presented dances representing cultural traditions from different regions of Thailand. Performances included Fon Khan Dok, Phra Ram Tam Kwang, Tari Kipás and Praewa Kalasin.

A Muaythai demonstration introduced audiences to Thai martial arts and self-defence techniques, while a presentation on Thai traditional medicine and Thai massage highlighted Thailand’s longstanding knowledge and practices related to health and physical well-being.

Contemporary Thai culture was also featured, with a Chilean singer and band performing Thai songs, followed by T-Pop dance performances by Chilean dance groups. The performances reflected growing interest in contemporary Thai popular culture among young people in Chile and its ability to connect with audiences beyond Thailand.

The festival was the first Thai festival featuring commercial and cultural booths to return to Santiago since 2018, providing a large-scale platform for the public and businesses to engage with Thailand.

The Embassy said the event represented an important step in strengthening cultural exchange and people-to-people relations between Thailand and Chile. Attendance exceeded expectations and demonstrated strong interest among Chilean audiences in Thailand across culture, tourism, food, wellness and contemporary entertainment.

The Royal Thai Embassy thanked the Gabriela Mistral Cultural Center, artists, performers, restaurants, businesses, partner organisations and institutions, the Thai community in Chile and Chilean visitors for contributing to the festival’s success.

The Embassy said it would continue creating opportunities for cultural exchange and further strengthening people-to-people ties between Thailand and Chile.