Loei Province of Thailand is a prominent tourist destination, recognized as one of the “12 Hidden Gems You Should Not Miss”. It is characterized by a distinctive and captivatingly diverse culture.
One notable aspect is the “mask culture”, which embodies local beliefs harmoniously integrated with Buddhist traditions. This is manifested in performances, such as the Phi Ta Khon (Ghost Mask) performance, the Phi Kon Nam (Water Spirit) dance, the Phi Bong Tao (Gourd Spirit) dance, and various masked performances held annually.
Given the province’s remarkable reputation and deep societal connection to mask culture, the Ministry of Culture of the Kingdom of Thailand hosted an event entitled, “Thailand International Mask Carnival”, from Aug. 1-6, 2025 in Loei Province.
The Carnival featured remarkable masks not only from Loei Province but also extraordinary masks from seven other provinces with mask traditions across Thailand and Asian countries, namely China, India, Indonesia, Republic of Korea, Malaysia, Lao PDR, and the Philippines.
Bacolod City’s MassKara Festival was performed by the Kagayon Dance Troupe and Kanlaon Theater Guild of the Colegio San Agustin-Bacolod Kinaadman Center for Culture and the Arts, upon the recommendation of the Cultural Center of the Philippines.
The head of the delegation is Rudy Reveche, who was also the head of the Philippine delegation in the 2017 and 2019 editions of the Carnival.
Barangay Granada MassKara dancers were the performers that include champion choreographers Mark Philip Lamirez and Joedem Casabuena.
This year, Reveche was ably assisted by Ricardo Salanap Jr., who is the current director of the Kinaadman Center.
From Aug. 7 to 9, performers from the participating countries were also brought to Bangkok to perform during the ASEAN Day, and in the 10th anniversary of the establishment of the ASEAN Cultural Center in Bangkok. ||
