On 22 August 2026, H.E. Mrs. Piyapin Niyomrerks, Ambassador of Thailand to Kazakhstan, led Embassy officials, their spouses and staff members of the Royal Thai Embassy in Astana in participating in the ASEAN Summer Festival 2026 at the Indonesian Cultural Center. The Festival was organized by the Astana ASEAN Committee, comprising the Embassies of Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia and Viet Nam in Kazakhstan, together with the Honorary Consulate of Singapore in Kazakhstan. More than 500 guests attended the event, including members of the Kazakh public, foreign residents and the diplomatic corps in Kazakhstan.

                       At the Festival, the Royal Thai Embassy presented Thai cuisine and showcased a selection of Thai food products, seasonings and culinary ingredients. The activities provided the people of Kazakhstan with an opportunity to experience the distinctive flavours of Thai cuisine and become more familiar with Thai products that can be used in everyday cooking. Fresh fruits from Thailand and traditional Thai massage were also promoted, reflecting the diversity of Thai products, services and traditional wisdom. A major highlight of Thailand’s participation this year was the appearance of “Buakaw Banchamek,” the world-renowned Muaythai fighter, who attracted considerable attention from visitors. The programme also featured a Wai Kru Muaythai performance and a demonstration of traditional Muaythai techniques by “Nuenglanlek Jitmuangnon,” one of Thailand’s leading Muaythai fighters. The performances successfully showcased the beauty and distinctive character of Muaythai as a martial art, an important part of Thailand’s cultural heritage and one of the country’s prominent Soft Power assets in Kazakhstan.

                       The Royal Thai Embassy’s participation in the ASEAN Summer Festival 2026 constituted a key activity under the Project to Promote Awareness and Popularity of Thai Cuisine, Thai Food Products and Thai Culinary Ingredients in Kazakhstan. This marked the Embassy’s second consecutive year of participating in the Festival as a member of the Astana ASEAN Committee. The project aims to enhance the popularity of Thai cuisine and Thai food products in Kazakhstan, a market with considerable potential. A significant number of Kazakh travellers visit Thailand and are already familiar with Thai cuisine, particularly popular dishes such as Tom Yum and Pad Thai. At the same time, Thai products, including seasonings, sauces, curry pastes, coconut milk and processed fruit products also attracted strong interest from visitors, demonstrating their potential for expanded distribution in the Kazakh market. The Project represents the Embassy’s proactive effort to advance Thailand’s proactive economic diplomacy in Kazakhstan, support the “Thai Kitchen to the World” initiative, and further strengthen people-to-people relations between Thailand and Kazakhstan.