Festival participants holding floating lanterns to be set afloat, which symbolically removes bad luck. — Photos: SHAARI CHEMAT/The Star
Floating lanterns, Thai street food and traditional performances await visitors at Puchong mall
WHEN asked on his thoughts about the Loy Krathong festival being held in Puchong, Keyu Chee Kong remarked that it was as if “the best of Thai street food” had been brought to his doorstep.
“It feels like being on the streets of Bangkok,” said the Bandar Puchong Jaya resident.
For the Loy Krathong celebration at IOI Mall Puchong, all the food on sale are prepared by Thai nationals.
Open daily until Nov 27, the event is held from noon to 11pm and features 24 stalls selling a variety of Thai street food.
To set the mood, there is Thai pop music playing in the background.
Beauty pageants and cooking competitions will be held throughout the event.
The annual celebration involves the release of krathong (floating lanterns) in a large pool to symbolise the removal of bad luck and negativity.
The event has the support of Tourism Malaysia and the international trade promotion department (DITP) which is a department under the Thailand commerce ministry.
It is organised by EQ Solutions with IOI Mall Puchong as one of the main sponsors.
More than 20 stalls selling authentic Thai street food have been set up as part of the Loy Krathong celebration at IOI Mall Puchong until Nov 27.
Present to launch the event was Senior Colonel Nikom Tonginkaew from the Royal Thai Embassy.
In his speech, he said he was not surprised by the encouraging turnout of visitors at the event since Malaysia and Thailand had always maintained good relations.
“The influx of Malaysian tourists to Thailand has exceeded one million visitors since mid-October,” he noted.
The two countries also enjoy an active trading partnership, said DITP commercial counsellor Chaiyut Boonkong.
“Malaysia is one of Thailand’s top 10 trading partners.
“In the last two years, trade between the two countries totalled US$24bil (RM110bil).
“Up to 70% of trade is at the Thai border involving industrial products, electrical and electronics, oil as well as agricultural products like rice and rubber,” said Chaiyut.
Also part of Col. Nikom’s entourage was Brigadier-General Naing Oo, the defence attache with the Myanmar Embassy in Kuala Lumpur.
Col. Nikom, Chaiyut and Brig-Gen Naing, who brought their families to the event, were taken on a tour of the event area by IOI Mall Puchong assistant general manager Richard Lye.
The guests took part in a graceful dance around the pool, led by traditional Thai dancers, before releasing the krathong into the water.
EQ Solutions managing director Chuah Jo Vin said judging from visitor response to the event, it was clear that the close ties with the Thai Embassy was one reason for the event’s success.
“We are looking to organise more culturally themed events with other South-East Asian countries,” he said.
