ANDONG, South Korea – Thailand’s Siam Mantra Troupe has won two first runner-up awards at the 2026 Andong International Mask Dance Festival and World Mask Performance Competition in South Korea. The Ministry of Culture-supported troupe placed second in the group category among 28 teams from 24 countries and second in the three-person category among 50 teams from 24 countries.
Culture Minister Sabeeda Thaised congratulated the performers on presenting Thai cultural identity and creativity to an international audience through contemporary mask performance. Permanent Secretary for Culture Prasop Riangngoen reported the results from the festival, held from September 25 to October 4. It was Thailand’s first top-three finish in the competition in more than a decade of participation.
In the group category, Siam Mantra presented its Land of Gold concept, combining contemporary masks, chada-inspired headdresses, and gold-colored costumes with elements of traditional Thai performing arts. The performance portrayed Thailand’s rich cultural heritage through a contemporary interpretation, earning second place behind Russia. For the three-person category, the troupe used the image of the moon gradually being consumed as a metaphor for the deterioration of the human mind and its eventual renewal through goodness. Thailand finished second behind Latvia. (NNT)
