Cultural feast gets Thai New Year underway

MEMBERS of Ballarat’s Thai community have joined with people from across the state to celebrate the country’s New Year, also known as a Songkran Festival.

The event held at the Mining Exchange on Sunday highlighted elements of Thai culture and others from further afield, brought the community together.

“It’s like a family day, or Christmas, but a traditional Thai New Year,” said organiser Kru Dip Yuanjit.

“We also like to get other communities involved, like the Philippines, Koreans, to join with us to share culture, and mix it up with the Australian culture.”

Songkran got underway with a lavish parade involving singers, dancers and drummers.

The event also included Thai food, performance art and traditional martial arts like Muay Thai, or Thai kickboxing, and sword fighting.

Mr Yuanjit said the strength of the Thai community was rooted in Buddhist ideals of altruism and respect, with the event also serving as a fundraiser for a meditation centre in Mt Helen.

“The Thai way of life is about respect,” Mr Yuanjit said. “Respect for older people, younger people, we keep friendly, smiling, happy and peaceful, and that’s what we try and promote.

“A lot of Thai people love donating because they want to help people out.”

City of Ballarat councillor Des Hudson was the municipality’s representative at the event and officially opened proceedings.

He said the Songkran Festival was an opportunity for everyone to celebrate everything Thai.

“We pride ourselves on being a multi-cultural city and a welcoming community,” Cr Hudson said. “With many different cultures comes many different times of year to celebrate.

“We really want to encourage the festival and bring out Thai culture, but it’s also an opportunity for other residents of Ballarat to join in as well.”