On the past 30th of October 2023, the Student Council of Dusit Thani College, Thailand’s leading higher education in hospitality businesses under Dusit International, has gathered all 15 college clubs together to arrange Halloween Night Party 2023 in order to celebrate Halloween festival, which is an annual festival in many countries around the globe on the 31th of October.
Halloween is initially a Western festival being held every year before All Saints’ Day of Catholicism. In the current days, Halloween has become a popular festival being held in several countries in the world. It is believed that the beginning of Halloween activities was the celebration of New Year among the Celtic, native dwellers in Ireland. The celebration was held on the first of November in order to respect the God of the Death (Samhain). The Celtic believed that a day prior to the celebration (the 31st of October) was the day all spirits of the dead returned to the World of the Living and tried to possess people alive. The Celtic, therefore, applied every way in protecting themselves from the evil spirits such as turning off all lights, avoiding bonfires, making their houses dark to cool the air, and so on. The attempt included the idea of wearing ghost costumes and makeup while walking on the street and celebrating loudly to scare and expel the souls. That became a tradition of the Celtic during the 31st of October’s night to wear ghost costumes that protect them from evil spirits. (Source: www.thairath.co.th)
As Halloween is an international festival, the Student Council of Dusit Thani College together with all 15 college clubs collaborated to organize this event to make students learn, understand, and integrate Thainess into international culture. Furthermore, the students were encouraged to express their confidence, learn to adapt into different situations, and develop both skills, abilities, and creativity through activities such as Ghost Costume Contest, Dancing Show, and catering services for participants.
The highlight of this event was Halloween’s Ghost Costume Contest. There were 14 students joining this contest, wearing surprisingly spooky outfits in harmony with the festival. The contestants also showcased their keenness on answering questions until there were top 3 winners including:
- The winning award winner Mr. Anukool Wutthikanjanawong, first year student from Culinary Arts and Kitchen Management Program
- The first runner-up award, Popular vote, and The Best Scary winner Ms. Chalita Kaewthong, third year student from Culinary Arts and Kitchen Management Program
- The second runner-up award winner Mr. Chairat Sillapasuwanchai, first year student from Hotel Management Program
This event is considered a recreational activity which gives happiness to the attendants. It also opens an opportunity for the students to learn international festivals and cultures, which aligns with one of the college’s missions – internationalization.
