The United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) today (Wednesday) recognised “Nora”, a traditional folk dance drama from southern Thailand, as an intangible cultural heritage at the 16th session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage, held online from December 13^th to 18^th.

The official registration of “Nora” will be officially announced at a press conference, held by the Cultural Promotion Department tomorrow afternoon.

The announcement means that “Nora” will join the Khon traditional masked dance and Thai massage as part of UNESCO cultural heritages from Thailand.

The “Nora” dance is generally composed of 12 positions and 17 movements, marked by extremely expressive finger movements, emphasised by long artificial nails worn by the performers.

According to the Cultural Promotion Department, it is believed that “Nora”, which has Indian roots, began between 1315 and 1508 AD in the court of Phatthalung. The performance features dancing and singing and, sometimes, a narrative.

Meanwhile, Thailand’s Hom Mali (jasmine) rice has won the World’s Best Rice Award 2021 at the World Rice Conference, held in Dubai between December 7^th and 9^th, for the second consecutive year.

Thai Hom Mali 105 beat other jasmine varieties from the United States, China, India, Vietnam and Myanmar.

Thai government Spokesman Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana said that Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha thanked Thai farmers for bringing fame to the country.

The Hom Mali 105 variety is cultivated in north-eastern Thailand and it was submitted for competition by the Thai Rice Exporters Association.