On Sunday 14 September 2025, the Royal Thai Embassy in Canberra, in collaboration with Team Thailand agencies in Australia, Thai businesses related to Thai products and services, Wat Dhammadharo, Thai associations in Australia, and the Thai community in Canberra and surrounding areas, organised the Thai Festival 2025 at the Royal Thai Embassy.

The Embassy was honoured by the presence of Mr. Michael Pettersson MLA, Minister for Multicultural Affairs of ACT, as the guest of honour, at the opening ceremony. He joined H.E. Ms. Arjaree Sriratanaban, Ambassador of Thailand, in delivering remarks and striking the gong to officially open the Festival. The ceremony was attended by members of parliament, senior representatives from the ACT government, members of the diplomatic corps, Heads of Team Thailand agencies in Australia and event supporters.

The Thai Festival provided an opportunity to showcase “Thai-ness” through diverse culture, food, arts, music, traditional dance, and warm hospitality of Thailand and her people. It also aimed to promote Thailand as a tourist destination, encouraging foreigners to visit and return to Thailand, while highlighting Thailand’s innovation and fostering economic, trade, and investment cooperation between Thailand and Australia. The Festival was attended by 4,445 visitors, including Thais, Australians, and international visitors from Canberra and surrounding areas.

This year’s Festival included a wide range of activities, including Thai food stalls, Thai fruits, Thai beverages, Thai products, Thai dance and music performances, Muay Thai demonstrations, and live music, combining Thailand’s unique cultural identity and heritage with modernity and innovation. There were also activities for children, games, and lucky draws for top prizes that included round-trip ticket between Sydney and Bangkok from Thai Airways International Public Company Limited and hotel accommodations in Thailand and Australia from Minor Hotels. In addition, there were booths promoting Thai tourism, Team Thailand agencies, Thai associations and businesses, as well as a booth providing information on Thailand’s marriage equality law, which legalises same-sex marriage under Thai law and allows same-sex couples to enjoy the same legal rights and benefits. The information about this law, which became effective on 23 January 2025, received significant interest from participants.

The Royal Thai Embassy in Canberra has continuously held Thai Festivals for more than two decades as a platform to connect people, strengthen relationships, and reflect Thailand’s cultural diversity and peaceful coexistence, in line with Australia’s multicultural society.

The Royal Thai Embassy acknowledges the cooperation and support of our partners including Team Thailand agencies in Australia, the Thai community, performers who travelled from Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, as well as our generous sponsors, including Thai Airways International, ThaiBev, SinghAus Beverages, Cabarao Beer, MSF Sugar, Ratch Australia Corporation, Enserv Holding, Oriental Merchant Group, PTTEP Australasia and Minor Hotels.