Interview by Rui Pastorin
Revellers gathered in Dr. Sun Yat Sen Municipal Park (紀念孫中山市政公園) yesterday for traditional Myanmar food, a lively programme, and the spraying of water for a festive celebration of Thingyan*, aka traditional Myanmar’s New Year festival, also known as the country’s “Water Festival”.
Organised by the Macau Myanmar Friendship Association and venue-sponsored by the Municipal Affairs Bureau (IAM), yesterday’s one-day “2026 Macau Myanmar Thingyan Festival” saw many revellers from the local Myanmar community, alongside locals and members of Macau’s other ethnic communities.
While Macau regularly sees celebrations of Thingyan held at Rotunda de Carlos da Maia, colloquially known as “Three Lamps” (三盞燈), yesterday’s one-day event marked the debut celebration held by the Macau Myanmar Friendship Association, which was founded in 2015 and currently has around 3,000 members, Tim Wong (黃德來), vice president and director of the Macau Myanmar Friendship Association told the Post during an interview yesterday. Wong also serves as president of the Macau Economic, Technological and Livelihood Promotion Association, one of the event’s co-organisers.
“The main target is to promote Macau, Myanmar and the Chinese community, as well as the economy and cultural exchanges between these places”, Wong pointed out. He noted his confidence in the event’s success, estimating that participants already stood at 600 at the time of the interview. “Maybe the maximum will be a thousand participants today [yesterday]”, Wong said, with a statement issued later that day indicating that the final number was close to the intended goal.
Programme highlights included cultural performances, a fashion show spotlighting participants in traditional Myanmar garb representing eight ethnic groups, stalls providing delicacies from Myanmar, and the continuous spraying of water throughout the afternoon. It also invited performances delivered by a Chinese association, as well as those from the local Filipino and Indonesian communities. Guests who officiated at the ceremony yesterday afternoon comprised association representatives alongside those from the local government, associations and consular officials representing Myanmar, Nepal and the Philippines.
Wong said that the organisers hope to continue the momentum of the event’s success, with bigger plans set for next year. Among them, Wong pointed out that they are hoping for a longer run of three to four days and at a larger scale. They also aim to cooperate with associations representing local small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and other communities for next year’s edition, with the aim to contribute to the local economy’s further development. Moreover, he said his group hopes to extend its guest invitations to other consuls-general in Macau, including the Portuguese consul-general.
* Regarded as Myanmar’s most important public holiday, Thingyan, often referred to as the Water Festival, is a time of cleansing, renewal, and celebration. The festival usually takes place in mid-April (traditionally around April 13th to 16th). It lasts for four or five days, culminating on New Year’s Day according to the Burmese [Myanmar] lunar calendar. - Gemini
Revellers take part in the festive atmosphere of yesterday’s “2026 Macau Myanmar Thingyan Festival” was held at Parque Municipal Dr. Sun Yat Sen (紀念孫中山市政公園) – Photos: Rui Pastorin
