Milli performance pushes mango sticky rice towards Unesco listing
Inspired by Thai rapper Danupha "Milli" Khanatheerakul's mouth-watering performance, the Department of Cultural Promotion says it will push for mango sticky rice to be listed as Unesco intangible cultural heritage.
Mango sticky rice shot to global fame after Milli ended her set at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in California on Sunday by eating the traditional Thai dessert.
Commanding the stage in a skimpy red outfit, Milli took a break from her twerk-heavy dance routine to grab a bowl and take a mouthful.
Department director-general Chai Nakhonchai said Milli's “soft-power” move will spur new interest in Thai culture among her fans worldwide, just as K-pop series had attracted Thais to South Korea.
He added that the same thing had happened previously when Thai K-pop star Lalisa "Lisa" Manoban said she missed the meatballs in Buriram, her hometown.
"The department is collecting information about mango sticky rice in preparation for the Unesco proposal," Chai said.
He added that the dessert is also part of the "Thai Dishcovery: New Thai Dish for New Gen" project in which up-and-coming chefs reinvent classic Thai dishes for the new generation.
Milli, 19, is the first Thai solo artist to perform at Coachella, following in the footsteps of Lisa, who became the first Thai to perform at the festival, with her group Blackpink in 2019.
Milli launched her music career in 2019 at the age of 16, when she joined the second season of Workpoint TV’s "The Rapper".
A talented rapper in both Thai and English, Milli also dances and composes her own songs.
Her performance at Coachella was a big hit with music fans around the world, with the hashtag #MILLILiveatCoachella top-trending on Twitter.
Milli’s performance and the rest of Coachella can be viewed on the festival’s official YouTube site, www.youtube.com/COACHELLA.