On 15 April 2026, Her Excellency Mrs. Kanokwan Pengsuwan, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Thailand to the Portuguese Republic, attended the opening of the exhibition “The Museum Hosts… Thailand” at the Museu do Oriente (Museum of the Orient). On this occasion, she held discussions with Dr. Carlos Monjardino, President of the Board of Directors of Fundação Oriente (Orient Foundation), and Ms. Graça Mendes Pinto, Director of the Museu do Oriente.

In April 2026, the Museu do Oriente, in collaboration with the Royal Thai Embassy in Lisbon and the National Museum of Ethnology, is organizing an exhibition and a series of activities under the project “The Museum Hosts… Thailand” to celebrate Thailand’s Songkran Festival. (Thai New Year Festival). The programme features a wide range of activities, including an exhibition on Buddhism in Thailand, showcasing Thai artefacts from both museums; an exhibition of Thai silverware from the Ambassador’s private collection presented alongside Indo-Portuguese silverware from the museum’s collection; as well as workshops and guided tours offering insights into Thai culture, such as Sak Yant (traditional Thai tattooing), Thai folklore storytelling, traditional Thai massage, Buddhism in Thailand, and amulets.
At the opening ceremony reception, the Royal Thai Embassy also presented Thai desserts of Portuguese origin, traditionally enjoyed by Thais during auspicious occasions, for participants to taste, including Thong Yip, Thong Yod, and Med Kanoon.

“The Museum Hosts… Thailand” will take place from 15 to 26 April 2026 at the Museu do Oriente. The full programme can be found at:
https://www.foriente.pt/detalhe.php?area=noticias&id=2A2A5DCF-E9B2-400C-AE1D-DFB4CDE8F8F4&utm_source=chatgpt.com&fbclid=IwY2xjawRUZopleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETBNSHJPZ0dJS1hvRHQ0YlJPc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHrN4VgdCv0wv6-Y1_aKtawTXHH3GQCPjk9eJfsN_us1qVXA2n2PgWWrK_SLu_aem_8DaDNPaEmjwunE7vJPu_3w

The Thai silverware exhibition will be on display until 24 May 2026.