PETALING JAYA– The Student Affairs and Services Department of First City University College and a group of Thai interns from Eastern Asia University Thailand collaborated to organise the Thai Festival event with students and staff alike!

This cultural event was the culmination of a four-month internship programme held at First City UC. A total of 12 interns from Thailand attended the programme which was designed to strengthen their command of the English Language and Business Communication skills.

Throughout the duration of programme, the interns eagerly participated in training modules conducted by both the Centre for Language & Extension Service and Faculty of Business, Hospitality and Communication Studies. The lessons focused on areas such as English speaking skills in business conversations and English reading and writing skills for business.

In exchange, the Thai interns were tasked with a project that would serve to demonstrate their newly acquired skills. To that end, they settled on organising the Thai Festival, an event that would allow them to share their culture with First City UC students and staff.

 “Songkran” was chosen as their theme as the interns wanted to celebrate their native cultural festival which was around the corner. For Thais, Songkran is considered their country’s biggest festival as it marks the beginning of the traditional Thai New Year.

 “Water is an important element of the Songkran Festival. If you visit Thailand during the festival, brace yourselves as you could be splashed by anyone with a bucket or shot with a water pistol!” shared the Thai Festival chairperson Thaweethip Jitherm, who also went by the nickname of Kat during the internship programme.

She also added that another important aspect of the festival involved appreciation of one’s family. Therefore, it was a normal practice for Thais to visit their family members and relatives at their home towns during the Songkran festival.

For the purpose of ensuring that the Thai Festival event would go on smoothly, a joint committee was formed between First City UC and the interns in order to iron out the necessary logistics and resources. Also, a group of Third Year Mass Communications students were assigned to drum up publicity among First City UC students and staff in order to attract a sizeable crowd during the event day.

Among the special guests invited were Vice-Chancellor Prof. Dr. Mak Chai, Chief Operating Officer Ms. Yeong Yin Cheng as well as the deans from the academic faculties.

The high level of excitement at the Thai Festival was maintained all day long as staff and students alike could be seen participating in the water splashing activity, which involved having fun with the water pistols provided.

Meanwhile, visitors were able to capture memorable moments during the event as a photo booth was readily available. Another unforgettable part of the event was the vast selection of Thai food on sale. Staff and students of First City UC did not need to go far just to satisfy their cravings for Thai cuisine.

Overall, the event was a success as everyone was able to experience a taste of Thai culture by participating in the festivities. Meanwhile, the Thai interns were able to confidently demonstrate their English speaking skills not just to the Malaysian students but also among themselves!

Students enrolling at First City UC are encouraged to participate in extracurricular activities by being active members of the various student clubs, which in turn will allow them to develop soft skills such as communication skills, teamwork and time management. Moreover, students may choose to represent First City UC in sports or participate in competitions related to their academic programmes.

Furthermore, First City UC honours student excellence in extracurricular activities by offering financial aid such as the Office Bearer Scholarship and the Sports Scholarship to eligible students.