Thailand National Day: Celebrating a centuries-old bond

CHENNAI: Vanakkam and Sawasdee Krub,” began HE Nitirooge Phoneprasert, consul-general of the Royal Thai Consulate-General, addressing the audience that had gathered inside the ballroom of the Taj Coromandel on Monday. The event, held on the occasion of Thailand’s National Day Celebrations, focused on Thailand’s bilateral relations with India and the Tamil Nadu Government.

“National days are celebrated the world over, mostly in recognition of the period when the countries gained independence from their colonisers. But as a nation which has never been under an imperial power, Thailand has a different story. Our National Day is celebrated to commemorate the Birth Anniversary of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej the Great, or King Rama IX,” the Consul-General said.

Spearheading into prosperity

Phoneprasert’s speech highlighted how Thailand, under the 70-year reign of King Bhumibol Adulyadej, transformed from being an underdeveloped country to a middle-income nation. More importantly, he laid particular emphasis on the monarch’s Sufficiency Economy Philosophy (SEP), which is focused on moderation, responsible consumption and resistance to external shocks. “Until today, SEP continues to serve as the guiding light of the Thai Government to embrace sustainable development practices against the risks and uncertainties of the global economy and environment,” he said.

Besides being called the Father of the Nation in Thailand, King Bhumibol Adulyadej’s contributions towards soil conservation and management have earned him recognition from the United Nations, which has now named December 5, his birth anniversary, as World Soil Day.

Bilateral ties

With 2022 being the 75th year of bilateral relations between India and Thailand, the Consul-General highlighted the mutual goodwill between the two countries, the various schemes under which they’ve worked together, and the enduring friendly relations the nation has had with the state of Tamil Nadu. Phoneprasert concluded his address by raising a toast to the current reigning monarch of Thailand King Maha Vajiralongkorn Phra Vajiraklaochaoyuhua and the President of India Droupadi Murmu.

Among the many dignitaries representing several countries at the event was TN state Finance Minister Palanivel Thiagarajan, who also addressed the audience. Throwing light on Tamil Nadu’s deeper kinship with the Far East, the Finance Minister remarked, “Our relationship goes back centuries, possibly millennia. Archaeological findings of recent years have shown the extent to which our cultures are related – through art, religion, the temples and architecture, all of it.” He expressed hope that the coming years will see a strengthening of the relationship between Thailand and Tamil Nadu.

The evening was soaked in Thai culture, with a large buffet serving the choicest of cuisine from Thailand, which included items like jasmine-flavoured rice, prawn soup, chicken and lamb roast among several other delicacies. Ensuring a complete immersion in Thai ethos were a number of traditional dances — Rum Saeng Sawang Klang Duang, a number performed in memory of King Bhumibol Adulyadej, followed by Rum Si Phak, a medley of four provincial dances from four different parts of the country. The third dance, Forn Khan Dok, is performed as an ablution to the Triratna or three pillars of Buddhism. Forn Phu Thai, a traditional dance worshipping the Cheung Chum Pagoda, concluded the event.