To showcase Thailand’s incredible cuisine, Chow Luck Club is partnering with about 30 of the best Thai chefs and street food vendors to serve up dishes that represents the country’s rich culinary identity.
From saku sai moo, hoy tod, sai krok isaan sausages and gwaytio nueu nam beef noodle soup, these are beloved Thai dishes that are not often found on the menu of restaurants here.
More than 100 different Thai street food items will be available at the stalls as part of Chow Luck Club’s Songkran (Thai New Year) Market festival this Saturday, 26 April 2025, in St John’s, Auckland.
The event was originally scheduled to take place on 19 April, but the organisers decided to postpone it for a week after Auckland was hit by ex-Cyclone Tam.
Chow Luck Club director Bee Koh said the idea was to offer festival goers a chance to experience the diversity, heritage and scrumptiousness of Thai street food.
“Often when people are asked about Thai food, they’d probably think of pad thai, tom yum and green curry…but it is so much more than that,” Bee said.
“Through our Songkran Festival event, we want to give people a chance to savour these dishes at the market.”
Many of the dishes at the participating stalls are prepared by Thai cooks and chefs who rarely cook outside of private catering or events in the Thai temple.
Besides food, the festival will also feature Thai traditional folk and festive dance performances.
Amy Oswald, who is leading the Thai performers, said the crew had been practicing almost on a daily basis in the lead up to the event.
“We want to showcase different styles of Thai dances for people to enjoy,” she said.
The crew has made colourful costumes and choreographed graceful and elegant dance movements specially for Saturday’s Songkran event.
Also a highlight at the Songkran Festival event will be a shrine housing a sacred statue of Buddha, where people could come, pray, “bathe the Buddha”, and make merit.
Of course no Songkran festival is complete without a water fight, a ritual that symbolises spiritual cleansing.
Water guns will be on sale at the stalls, but festival-goers are also welcome to bring their own.
When one gets splashed with water, it is believed that misfortune, bad luck and negativity from the past are washed away and you get renewed for the new year.
SPLASH! CHOW LUCK CLUB SONGKRAN FESTIVAL. Saturday 26 April 2025. 10am to 3pm. ParkCity, 261 Morrin Road, St John’s, Auckland. Free Entry, Free Parking.
