Sabida, Minister of Culture, pointed out that the "Thai Songkran tradition" was registered with UNESCO in 2023. Although Cambodia is preparing for its own registration, she affirmed this does not affect Thailand. Meanwhile, the "Thai traditional dress" is scheduled for consideration by the end of 2026.
15 Feb 2026 GMT+7 Ms. Sabida Thaiset, Minister of Culture, clarified regarding reports that Cambodia has submitted the item Mohasangkran chnam thmey, the traditional Khmer New Year in Cambodia, to UNESCO, confirming that this information is accurate as reported by the media.
Ms. Sabida confirmed that this action does not affect the status of "Songkran in Thailand," which was successfully registered as an intangible cultural heritage of humanity in 2023. Therefore, Thailand's registration remains fully valid and is unaffected by other countries' submissions. UNESCO registration does not grant exclusive ownership to one country, as similar traditions can exist in multiple countries.
She added that Thailand is preparing to propose many other items, such as Thai traditional dress, Muay Thai, the pha khao ma cloth, and Loy Krathong, among others. The "Thai traditional dress" is scheduled for UNESCO consideration by the end of 2026. She urged Thai citizens to rest assured that the Ministry of Culture, under the Thai government, is proactively working in all aspects to protect Thai cultural assets and all types of national heritage as firmly belonging to Thailand.
Furthermore, she has assigned the Department of Cultural Promotion, as the responsible agency, to disseminate accurate information to the public and closely monitor Cambodia's progress on this matter.
