Dr. Prayath Nanthasin or Dr. Xiong Yang, the president of Hmong Bangkok Network and Associate said that there are a lot of activities in Hmong Bangkok Festival 2018-2019.
Firstly will be an event to showcase Hmong culture, tradition and celebration during Hmong New Year that Hmong have a history, cultural heritage and a civilization.
Second event is Miss Hmong Thailand 2019 competition. Currently there are over 30 Hmong young women have submitted their interests. Dr. Yang suggested that it could be open to every Hmong communities throughout the world to join if its committee signal a green light.
Many Hmong singers from Thailand and oversea will also do a concert show that will keep this festival entertaining.
But when mentioned about Hmong Study Center in Thailand, Dr. Nanthasin said that it is very important to get it done. It could be a center that study and do a lot of research about Hmong issues namely culture, social economic issue, education, language, tradition, costumes, poems, Hmong spoken words, Hmong traditional wisdom etc.
This center would also requires collaboration from many countries namely China, US and some in Europe especially Germany who have shown early research about Hmong. Dr. Nanthasin said that his organisation would like to use this research paper to influence government lawmakers to enact an appropriate legislation that protect and benefit Hmong communities as part of Thailand. Therefore, we need Hmong politician in Thai parliament to make sure that Hmong voice are heard and served.
Dr. Yang said that it is very alarming that at present Hmong flower cloth (Paj Ntaub) has been patented by Chinese according to Dr. Mai Na Mee Lee, University of Wisconsin. Dr. Yang said that if we do not pay any attention or do research or register and patent all Hmong heritage. One day, we may have to pay a dear price for others to sing our songs or to wear our traditional costumes, at that time we will have to
He said that he wants to see Hmong community having more scholars and he would also love to see more Hmong businesses. These are two more important missions of Hmong Bangkok Network and Associate. In order to accomplish that, collaboration and cooperation and coordination within Hmong different organisations are needed. Until then Hmong communities will be treated equally as other group residing in Thailand.
The most impressive word of wisdom Dr. Prayath Nanthasin said is that:
"I want every Hmong around the world to understand that, wherever you are in the world, whatever you are doing, you are representing Hmong communities as a whole. If you or any of us do a good deed, every Hmong will be praised upon it, but if you or anyone do wrongdoing, Hmong image will be tarnished not just you yourself or only that particular person but the whole Hmong community will be seen as such. Therefore, I want everyone of us to be very mindful of what we are doing and think about the consequences that will have a ripple effect on everyone of us," said Dr. Nanthasin.
