PATTANI, Aug 8 — The rain did not deter thousands of visitors from attending a gala held in conjunction with the Selangor and Thailand Cross-Cultural Programme 2024 at Sarit Road here last night.
The event was the highlight of the Pa Ploen Pattani Walking Street Festival from August 6 to 10, featuring various art and cultural performances and promoting the sale of community products that constitute the identity of the Pattani region.
Visitors seemed mesmerised by the cultural performances, a unique collaboration between the Selangor and Pattani governments, held here for the first time.
Twenty-two cultural artistes under the patronage of the Selangor Malay Heritage and Customs Corporation and Selangor Culture and Arts Department participated in the festival.
Introducing Selangor’s culture and arts to the people of Thailand, performances included tarian piring, joget and ronggeng. There was also a special cempuling (traditional music) performance by Javanese arts group Riadah Cempuling, as well as a keroncong performance by the Seri Kencana troupe.
Visitors were also treated to traditional southern Thai dance performances, including the menora dance and khon monkey dance by 37 dancers from Phokiriratseksa School, Saiburi Chenggprakcakan School, Dechak Pattanak Yanuk Khun School and Watsu Wannakorn School.
The atmosphere was enlivened when the crowd joined in the Thai rambong dance and Selangor’s joget lambak, performed together by artistes from both sides.
State executive councillor for housing and culture Borhan Aman Shah said the Selangor and Thailand Cross-Cultural Programme 2024 celebrates the close ties between the two governments, while also strengthening Nusantara arts, culture and heritage sectors.
“The Malay community in the southern provinces of Thailand share many similarities with the Malay community in Peninsular Malaysia, in terms of lifestyle, language, food, clothing and culture. The similarities between Pattani and Selangor’s Malay culture is no exception,” he told reporters after the launch of the gala, officiated by Pattani Governor Pateemoh Sadeeyamu, last night.
The cross-cultural programme is an annual event that began last year, involving working visits to selected Asean countries to introduce and promote Selangor’s arts and culture in the region.
This year’s programme focused on Thailand, specifically the provinces of Songkhla, Pattani and Narathiwat.
Borhan said the Selangor government is committed to implementing various initiatives to preserve and promote the state’s culture and heritage, adding the activities are also being used as a promotional tool for Visit Selangor Year 2025.
“The agenda to empower the culture (of the Malay archipelago) by Selangor started in 2023 and will continue in Brunei next year, and then in Singapore and the Philippines,” he said.
Meanwhile, Pateemoh said her office was honoured to welcome the Selangor delegation to southern Thailand.
“I am happy they are willing to visit Pattani province to build and strengthen our friendly relations. I hope to visit Selangor later. May this meeting be the beginning of a friendship that will continue to grow in our hearts forever,” she added.
— Bernama
