Ring in Thai New Year with “Thai Restaurant Week”

PR Log (Press Release) – Apr 07, 2009 – Washington, DC – Twenty-six Washington-area restaurants will celebrate Thai New Year, or “Songkran,” during Thai Restaurant Week from Monday, April 13, through Sunday, April 19, with special menus, entertainment, prizes, and a chance to win a trip for two to Thailand.

The participating Thai restaurants in Maryland, Virginia, and the District of Columbia will celebrate Thai New Year by offering patrons unique interpretations of traditional Thai New Year meals.

“The enthusiastic response from diners who appreciate Thai food, as well as those who wanted to try it for the first time, encouraged us to host Thai Restaurant Week during Songkran for a second year, “said Kessiri Siripakorn, Commercial Minister at the Royal Thai Embassy.  “Last year’s celebrations were so successful, that even more restaurants are participating this year, including one each in Richmond and Baltimore,” she added.

“Experiencing the delicious flavors and fragrances of Thai food with family and friends is the perfect way to celebrate Songkran, a time of renewal and refreshment for Thais,” Mrs. Kessiri said.

Along with New Year dishes and special menus, patrons may participate in free drawings for gift certificates sponsored by each restaurant.  This year for the first time, diners also will have a chance to win the grand prize, roundtrip airfare and five nights in Thailand for two.

Each restaurant will celebrate Thai New Year in a different way, so patrons should visit as many as possible.  For additional information, visit http://oca.thaiembdc.org.

In addition to the Washington metro area, Thai restaurants in Boston, Miami, New York, Phoenix, St. Louis, and Scottsdale will celebrate Thai New Year with special promotions.

Area Restaurants Celebrating Songkran during Thai Restaurant Week:

Washington, DC
• Asia Nine (www.asianine.com)
915 E Street, NW, Washington, DC Phone: 202-629-4355
• Bangkok Bistro (www.bangkokbistrodc.com)   
3251 Prospect St., NW, Washington, DC Phone: 202-337-2424
• Bangkok Joes (www.bangkokjoes.com)
3000 K Street, NW, Washington, DC Phone: 202-333-4422
• Mai Thai (www.maithai.us)
1200 19th Street. NW, Washington, DC Phone: 202-452-6870
• Tara Thai (http://www.tarathaiexpress.com/dc.html)
4849 Massachusetts Ave NW, Washington, DC Phone: 202-363-4141
• Thai Phoon (www.thaiphoon.com)
2011 S St., NW, Washington, DC Phone: 202-667-3505
• Thai Tanic (www.thaitanic.us)  
1326-A 14th St., NW, Washington, DC Phone: 202-588-1795

Maryland
• Ban Thai (www.banthai.us)
340 N Charles Street, Baltimore, MD Phone: 410-727-7971
• Bangkok Garden (www.bkkgarden.com)
4906 St. Elmo Ave., Bethesda, MD Phone: 301-951-0670
•  Bangkok Garden (www.bkkgarden.com)
5810 Robert Oliver Pl., Columbia, MD Phone: 410-992-9553
• Pana Thai (www.panathairestaurant.com)
7224 Muncaster Mill Road, Derwood, MD Phone: 301-990-8501
•Tara Asia (http://www.tarathairichmond.com/locations.html)
99-D E. Montgomery Ave., Rockville, MD Phone: 301-315-8005
• Tara Thai    (http://www.tarathairichmond.com/locations.html)
4828 Bethesda Ave., Bethesda, MD Phone: 301-657-0488
• Tara Thai (http://www.tarathairichmond.com/locations.html)
12071 Rockville Pike, Rockville MDPhone: 301-231-9899
• Tara Thai (http://www.tarathairichmond.com/locations.html)
9811 Washingtonian Blvd., Gaithersburg, MD Phone: 301-947-8330
• Thai Pavilion (www.thaipavilionrestaurant.com)
29 Maryland Ave., Unit 308, Rockville, MD Phone: 301-545-0244


Virginia
• Born (www.bornrestaurant.com)
144 Maple Avenue W., Vienna, VA Phone: 703-255-5800
• Chao Phra Ya (http://www.chaophrayathai.com)
2465 J-I Centreville Rd., Herndon, VA Phone: 703-713-0103
• Duangrat’s (www.duangrats.com)
5878 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, VA Phone: 703-820-5775
• Mai Thai (www.maithai.us)
6 King St., Alexandria, VA Phone: 703-548-0600
• Rabieng (www.duangrats.com/rabieng.html)
5892 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, VA Phone: 703-671-4222
• T.H.A.I. in Shirlington (www.thaiinshirlington.com)
4029 Campbell Avenue, Arlington, VA Phone: 703-931-3203
• Tara Thai (http://www.tarathairichmond.com/locations.html)
226 Maple Ave. W., Vienna, VA Phone: 703-255-2467
• Tara Thai (http://www.tarathairichmond.com/locations.html)
4001 N. Fairfax Dr., Arlington, VA Phone: 703-908-4999
• Tara Thai (http://www.tarathairichmond.com/locations.html)
7501-E Leesburg pike, Falls Church, VA Phone: 703-506-9788
• Thai Phoon (www.thaiphoon.com)
1301 S. Joyce St., Arlington, VA Phone: 703-413-8200

About Thai New Year, Songkran
Songkran is Thailand’s sacred and time-honored New Year’s festival, celebrated at the end of the dry season to welcome the coming spring rain and to cleanse both body and spirit.  Songkran also is a time to honor family and friends.  Water, which is integral to the festivities, traditionally is scented with jasmine and other flowers, then splashed, sprinkled, or poured on people and holy objects, even revered statues of Buddha.

About the Office of Commercial Affairs, Royal Thai Embassy
As the overseas representative for the Ministry of Commerce in Thailand, the Office of Commercial Affairs (OCA) also functions as the Ministry’s regional hub for North America. OCA is responsible primarily for trade matters, including policies and promotion at the multilateral and bilateral levels to foster trade between North America and Thailand.  OCA also works closely with its seven other trade promotion offices in the United States, Canada, and Mexico to seek greater market access as a means of increasing business opportunities and trade within the region.

For More Information, contact:
Jennifer Heuer, 202-371-9600
jenniferheuer@globalcommunicators.com