Promoting Thailand-India cultural exchange

The third edition of Namaste Thailand Festival proved to be a treat for Delhiites in real sense.

Held from March 15-17, 2019, the festival showcased diverse and exquisite culture of Thailand, its mouthwatering food, and many other attractions. Hundreds of local residents who participated in the festival were treated with musical and dance performances by Thai artists.

The event was graced by guests like Ambassadors of Myanmar and Vietnam.

Popular Thai band Asia-7 enthralled the audience with its powerful performance at action packed evening.

There were 28 stores from Thailand at the festival showcasing an array of fun workshops and an exciting shopping experience.

Speaking about the festival, Chutintorn Gongsakdi, Ambassador of Thailand to India, said, "In terms of bilateral relationship, India has had a good, peaceful relationship with Thailand. But we are still in the early stages. Our trade has had an increase of 30% year on year in 2017 and 2018, which is about 12 billion, but we have much more to achieve. What we do have is good people to people cultural relation and we want to build on that foundation and let it deliver political and economic dividends. So that trade and investment is much larger than this. Namaste Thailand Festival is an initiative in that direction."

The Thai cultural festival was first organised in 2017 with an aim to strengthen bilateral ties, and increase cultural exchanges and people to people contacts between the people of two great nations.

The cultural exchange is one of the cornerstones of evolving relationships between any two countries. This especially becomes relevant when India and Thailand have a shared history and cultural heritage.