On September 14, 2025, Ms. Somjai Taphaopong, Consul General of Thailand in New York, together with Ms. Ketsuree Vijaranakorn, Director of Thai Trade Center, New York, Ms. Chompu Marusachot, Director of Tourism Authority of Thailand, New York Office and members of the Thai community, joined the opening of the Sawasdee DC Thai Festival 2025 at the National Mall in Washington, D.C. This year’s festival featured over 40 Thai food vendors, booths from Team Thailand agencies showcasing traditional crafts, Thai silk fashion, a Wellness Pavilion with Thai massage demonstrations, as well as live performances by Thai artists, Muay Thai showcases, and Thai cooking demonstrations — all warmly welcomed by a large local audience.

     At this year’s festival, the Royal Thai Consulate General in New York, in collaboration with the Tourism Authority of Thailand (New York Office) as part of “Team Thailand in New York,” proudly presented a booth under the theme “Saneh Thai”. The booth highlighted Thailand’s tourism attractions and offered craft workshops, giving visitors hands-on experiences of Thai culture. These activities aimed to strengthen the popularity of Thailand and encourage both Americans and international visitors to choose Thailand as a top travel destination.

     Throughout the day, a large number of visitors actively joined the workshops, including making artificial flowers from velvet-wrapped wire, soap carving, and creating herbal body scrubs with Thai moringa. These experiences showcased Thailand’s creativity, sustainability, and unique soft power - aligning with this year’s festival theme: “Innovation, Creativity, and Cultural Fusion”.