The enduring bonds between Australia and Thailand have been celebrated at a very special event in Sydney.
Dignitaries from both countries gathered at Parliament House to commemorate the birthday anniversary of King Bhumibol Adulyadej the Great, National Day and Father’s Day of Thailand.
Traveltalk received an exclusive invite to the event, which also marked 73 years of diplomatic ties between Australia and Thailand.
“Since the beginning of this year, Thailand has welcomed over 600,000 Australian visitors,” said Mrs Hataya Khusakul, Thai Consul-General.
“We are also delighted to see an increasing number of Thai people visiting Australia to explore its diverse attractions, vibrant culture and natural wonders.
“New South Wales is home to nearly 50,000 Thai residents and we are honoured to be a part of Australia’s vibrant and inclusive multicultural society. The Thai community takes great pride in sharing our culture and tradition with the local community.
“As we look to the future, I’m confident that the potential for deeper collaboration between our two nations is immense through cultural exchange, knowledge sharing and economic cooperation.
“We will continue to strengthen the bond that unite us, ensuring a prosperous and shared future for both our peoples.”
Next year will also mark the 20th anniversary of the Free Trade Agreement between Thailand and Australia.
“Over the past two decades, this agreement has significantly boost trade between our two nations, with total trade more than doubling,” added Mrs Khusakul.
Former King Bhumibol is considered to be the father of the Thai nation, a monarch who brought peace, stability and prosperity to the kingdom throughout the 70 years of his reign.
His Majesty initiated thousands of royal development projects, from agriculture, water management, environment, conservation and public health to education.
“His Majesty’s initiatives greatly enhanced the quality of life and wellbeing of millions of people across Thailand,” said Mrs Khusakul.
For his humanitarian and environmental work His Majesty was awarded the first United Nations Human Development Lifetime Achievement Award in 2006.
