On April 6, 2025, the Royal Thai Consulate-General in New York and Team Thailand agencies in New York participated in the event titled “Celebrating Thai Songkran: Uniting Cultures Through Tradition,” organized by the Thai Cultural Center of New York.

 

This annual event aims to preserve and promote Songkran , traditional Thai New Year, and to enhance awareness and understanding of Thai cultural heritage—particularly among younger generations of Thai descent. It also seeks to harness “Thainess” as a form of soft power to promote a deeper appreciation of Thailand among the general public in the United States. This year, the event welcomed approximately 400 attendees, including members of the Thai community and international guests who brought their families to enjoy the celebration.

 

On this occasion, Ms. Somjai Taphaopong, Consul General of Thailand in New York, delivered the opening remarks and expressed her appreciation to the Thai Cultural Center of New York for its longstanding commitment. She praised the Center’s efforts over the past 38 years in transmitting and promoting Thai language and culture abroad, and expressed hope that the Center would continue to serve as a vital hub for passing down Thai identity to younger generations born and raised in the United States.

 

This year’s event was supported by the Royal Thai Consulate-General, the Thai Trade Center in New York, the Tourism Authority of Thailand, as well as Thai associations and community organizations that hosted booths to promote Thailand. Activities included Buddha bathing rituals, the traditional water-pouring ceremony for elders, Thai dessert-making and fruit carving demonstrations, a children’s coloring corner under the theme “Thailand as I Know It,” and various cultural performances.

 

The event beautifully showcased the creativity and vitality of the Thai community within New York’s multicultural landscape, while reinforcing cultural pride and unity across generations.