PHUKET: Narong Woonciew, the Governor of Phuket province, and Bunwandee Woonciew, the Governor’s wife and President of Phuket Red Cross, were among the honored guests at today’s (May 21) events held as part of the annual Chinese Weddings in Phuket.
Governor Narong and his spouse, Bunwandee, participated in the traditional Peranakan rituals at the Hongyok Family House (also known as Ang Mo Lao Hongyok, Baan Hongyok, or just Hongyok Mansion) on Thepkrasattri Rd in Phuket Town.
Five couples performed their marriage rites at Baan Hongyok today (May 21), contributing to the preservation and promotion of the old traditions of Peranakan, or Straits Chinese.
This term refers to the descendants of the early waves of Southern Chinese immigrants to Southeast Asia, who initially settled in the British Colonial-ruled ports in the Malay Peninsula and later migrated to other destinations, such as Phuket.
The traditional Chinese Wedding events today also featured a street procession along Thepkrasattri Rd. The participants, adorned in vintage attire, walked from the Hongyok Mansion to the Thai Hua Museum, which was Phuket’s first school offering classes in Hokkien Chinese.
“It promotes soft power and local culture as we hope the pictures from the event will become viral social media content worldwide, thereby advancing cultural tourism and supporting our goal of having Peranakan costumes recognized as world heritage,” stated the Phuket Provincial Office of the PR Department of Thailand.
As announced earlier this week, the open for public Phuket Peranakan Festival will be held in Phuket Town from June 23-25 to celebrate the island’s and the city’s unique Chinese heritage. Read more here.
