KRABI, Thailand – The government is inviting visitors to experience the cultures and traditional ways of life of the Chao Lay (sea people) and Mani communities at “Charming of the Sea—Let’s See the Mountain 2026.” The event will be held September 25-26 at Phra Ae Beach Public Park in Ko Lanta district, Krabi province.
The event will feature cultural exhibitions, re-creations of community life, workshops, handicraft demonstrations, and community products, along with performances by Asli Mala and Zu Zu. Deputy Government Spokesperson Patdarasm Thongsaluaykorn reported that a special discussion with the Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn Anthropology Center and the Chumchon Thai Foundation will also explore cultural identity, livelihoods, and the future welfare of the two communities.
The Chao Lay are coastal ethnic communities found in Ranong, Phang Nga, Phuket, Krabi, and Satun, while the Mani live across Satun, Songkhla, Phatthalung, Trang, Yala, and Narathiwat and have traditions closely connected to the forests of the Banthat Mountain Range. Visitors will have opportunities to learn about their cultures, traditional knowledge, and relationships with their natural environments.
Organized through the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security and the Department of Social Development and Welfare (DSDW), the event will also support cultural tourism, community livelihoods, and local income. More information is available at https://dsdw.go.th/en/Home and on the DSDW Facebook fan page. (NNT)
