On 19 September 2026, the Royal Thai Embassy in Budapest organized the Thai Festival in Zagreb 2026 at Flower Square (Cvjetni trg), in Zagreb. H.E. Mr. Phrommes Bhaholpolbhayuhasena, Ambassador of Thailand to Hungary presided over the opening ceremony.

Before the opening speech, the master of ceremonies invited all participants to stand in silence to pay tribute to Her Majesty Queen Sirikit The Queen Mother, and to Her Royal Highness Princess Bajrakitiyabha Narendiradebyavati Kromluangrajasarinisiribajra Mahavajrarajadhita.

In his opening remarks, the Ambassador emphasized Thailand’s strategy to promote greater awareness and understanding of Thai culture among foreign audiences. He noted that promoting Thai culture in Croatia will contribute to increasing people to people exchanges, strengthen mutual trust, and serve as a foundation for a deeper bilateral cooperation between Thailand and Croatia in all dimensions. Meanwhile, Dr. Stjepan Ćurić, Honorary Consul of the Kingdom of Thailand in Zagreb, remarked that promoting greater awareness and understanding of Thailand and Thai culture in Croatia through the organization of the Thai Festival will contribute to strengthening bilateral relations and fostering closer people to people ties between the two countries.

The Thai Festival in Zagreb featured main stage performances including Khon masked dance and Thai classical dance by Kalasin College of Dramatic Arts; Muay Thai demonstrations by Muaythai Association in Zagreb; quiz activities about Thailand; Thai massage demonstration; interviews with Thai restaurants entrepreneurs from Croatia and Hungary; and presentations of Thai products to promote and explore the market in Croatia, including instant noodles, canned seafood, seasoning sauces and jelly drinks.

On this occasion, the Ambassador also presented the “Thai SELECT” awards to Saralee's Thai Street Food Siam Thai Restaurant Rab. Thai SELECT is a certification issued by the Ministry of Commerce of Thailand to Thai restaurants that serve authentic Thai food and meet standard of quality and service.

In addition to the stage performances, the Thai Festival in Zagreb included booths from well-known Thai restaurants in Croatia and Hungary (listed in order of booth placement from the front of the stage): Rim Thanon (in Hungary), Saralee's Thai Street Food (in Zagreb), AT BANGKOK Thai Restaurant (in Zadar), as well as a Thai massage booth by Thai Centar Máli. The festival also featured a beverage booth by Thai-Croation Chamber of Commerce and a trade promotion booth by the Office of Commercial Affairs in Budapest. Moreover, the Thai President Foods supported the organization of the Thai Festival in Zagreb by presenting MAMA instant noodles.

The Royal Thai Embassy in Budapest also organized an egg fishing booth where participants could fish for eggs containing various prizes, including gift sets from Anantara New York Palace Budapest Hotel, vouchers from Thai restaurants and the Thai massage provider, as well as Mama instant noodles from Thai President Foods and numerous souvenirs from Thailand.

Additionally, the Royal Thai Embassy in Budapest set up information panels presenting the eight styles of Chud Thai (Thai national dress). The information panels aimed to promote Thai culture and formed part of Thailand’s global campaign to promote Chud Thai, in conjunction with Thailand’s nomination of “Chud Thai” for inscription on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in December 2026.

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