The three-day festival began on Friday (June 21), with a cultural exchange workshop featuring participants from Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia, alongside the Phuket Peranakan community and representatives from six other Andaman and southern provinces.
The grand parade through the heart of Phuket Town was held yesterday (June 22), with Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) Governor Thapanee Kiatpaiboon joining Phuket Governor Sophon Suwannarat and other notables for the occasion.
Among those joining the event were Phuket Provincial Administrative Organisation (PPAO) President Rewat Areerob; Anchalee Vanich Thepbutr, Chairman of the Advisory Council of the Peranakan Association of Thailand; and Dr Kosol Taenguthai, President of the Peranakan Association of Thailand.
More than 20 organisations and more than 1,600 people took part in the parade, said an official report of the event.
More than 15,000 people lined the streets to observe the spectacle pass by, the report said.
The report noted that the festival is expected to generate more than B300 million for the local economy.
The festival emphasises the local culture of Phuket Province as a highlight in promoting tourism, the report noted.
The festival’s theme for this year is ‘Abundance’, to “showcase the rich cultural heritage and sustainable economic practices of the Peranakan community”.
The PPAO, the Thailand International Events and Festivals Trade Association and the Peranakan Association are aiming to submit the festival for the prestigious Grand Pinnacle Awards in the City Festival category at the World Federation of Festivals and Exhibitions (World IFEA].
The results of the submission are expected by the end of August.
The festival will conclude tonight with an international Peranakan Street Performance Art event at the Lard Yai Walking Street Market in Phuket Town.