On 10 April 2026, Her Excellency Ms. Lada Phumas, Ambassador of Thailand to Malaysia, presided over the Official Launch of the Malaysia’s Premier Songkran Festival 2026, jointly organised by the Royal Thai Embassy in Kuala Lumpur, EQ Solutions Sdn. Bhd., and 1 Utama Shopping Centre, during 9 - 19 April 2026 at Forecourt, 1 Utama Shopping Centre in Damansara, Selangor.

 

In attendance of the Official Launch were YB Tuan Gobind Singh Deo, Minister of Digital of Malaysia and Member of Parliament for Damansara, who delivered welcome remarks; Ms. Teo Chui Ping, Managing Director of 1Utama; Mr. Jo Vin Chuah, Director of EQ Solutions; foreign ambassadors and chargé d’affaires such as Ambassador of Belgium, Ghana, Indonesia, Lebanon, Lao PDR, Turkmenistan, Uruguay, Viet Nam and Venezuela, as well as Chargé d’affaires of Brunei Darussalam and Myanmar; representatives from over 20 diplomatic missions, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Malaysia, Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture of Malaysia (MOTAC); member of the ASEAN Ladies’ Circle (ALC) in Kuala Lumpur; the Friends of Thailand, Malaysian media; as well as Thai business and community in Malaysia. The Festival has welcomed several thousand visitors over the past few days.

 

The Minister of Digital of Malaysia underscored the close and enduring friendship between Thailand and Malaysia, which is deeply rooted in shared traditions, ways of life, and strong people-to-people ties, as well as mutual cultural understanding, contributing to robust economic strength and diplomatic trust between the two countries. The Minister also expressed appreciation to the Royal Thai Embassy and the Thai community for sharing the beautiful tradition of Songkran with the international community, including Malaysia.

 

In her opening remarks, Ambassador Lada highlighted that the Festival aims to celebrate Songkran, which was inscribed in the UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2023, testifying its significance as a global symbol of joy, unity, and renewal, while also serving as a platform to showcase Thailand’s booming tourism and creative economy, in alignment with the country’s multidimensional and multidirectional foreign policy, aiming at positioning Thailand as a key strategic and active player on the global stage, including through stepping forward as a premier host for global events such as the 2026 Annual Meetings of the IMF and the World Bank Group and the International Horticultural Expo 2026, among others.

 

On this occasion, Ambassador Lada invited the participants to explore over 40 Thai food, beverage, and products stalls of Thai businesses and community at the Festival area. The Ambassador also emphasised the importance of the Festival in advancing trade and investment cooperation between Thailand and Malaysia, as both countries move towards the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations in 2027. Furthermore, the Ambassador encouraged all participants to celebrate Songkran in a sustainable and responsible manner, particularly through the responsible use of water and energy conservation, while extending an invitation to Malaysian tourists and the Friends of Thailand to experience Songkran traditions in Thailand firsthand.