Phuket roads to close for grand Peranakan Festival parade today

Phuket Town’s arterial ways are set to experience a temporary shutdown late this afternoon into the evening due to a grand carnival parade. The procession forms part of the Phuket Peranakan Festival ceremonies and will cover the historical Phuket Old Town region.

Thalang Road, Soi Rommanee, and parts of Phang Nga Road, Yaowarat Road, and Thepkrasattri Road will remain inaccessible to traffic from 3pm to 9pm, as clarified by Phuket City Municipality yesterday.

The spectacular festival began with an occasion at the Woo Gallery & Boutique Hotel. The event marked the inception of the much-awaited “Phuket Peranakan Festival 2023.” Guests were left mesmerised by an exposition of traditional wedding dresses and costumes featuring the Baba-Nonya style, intrinsic to the Peranakan, ethnic Chinese-Malays residing on the Malay Peninsula.

The proceedings from the event included a ‘Workshop & Showcase’ presented by the expert speaker Cedric Tan, hailing from Malaysia. Tan expounded on the 150-year history of the unique Peranakan style.

The gala was filled with evenings bursting with cultural performances. The Khun Jom Yamaha band from Sounds Gallery performed traditional Malay songs, while dances from Indonesia added another layer of cultural richness to the event. In a show of unity, tourists from many provinces came together to wear the traditional Baba costumes and danced together.

Continuing the opening celebrations, the Thai Women’s Social Creation Association, the Peranakan Association of Phuket, and the Phuket Provincial Administrative Organisation (PPAO) provided a warm welcome to their guests at a reception held at The Carb House.

The heart of the festival, the Phuket Old Town parade, will kick off from the “Ai Leng” dragon statue at Queen Sirikit Park at 4pm today. All spectators are freely invited to make themselves comfortable along the parade route to revel in the grand festival. Participants are kindly requested to don the traditional Peranakan style attire.

Discover the latest news and updates from Thailand’s most famous and beautiful island, Phuket, HERE.