Now entering into its eighth year, the Royal Thai Embassy, Wellington has once again conducted the Thai – New Zealand Language and Cultural Student Exchange Programme for 2020.

On 7 December 2019, the Embassy organised an orientation session for eight New Zealand students who have been selected to travel to Thailand for a period of a month from 3 January – 5 February 2020.  Also present were family members of the students and two New Zealand students, Ms Hollie Anderson and Mr Luca Morley-Hall, who joined the programme in Thailand earlier this year to share their experiences and give advices while staying in Thailand.

H.E. Danai Menabodhi, Ambassador of Thailand to New Zealand, emphasized that not only does the programme help promote the development of learning of communication in English at Thai schools, but it is expected to foster people-to-people links between Thailand and New Zealand, in particular, among young people.  

The eight New Zealand students comprise (1) Mr. Daniel Smith from Ellesmere College (2) Ms. Emily Chamberlain from St Peter's College (3) Ms. Madeline McHardy from Wellington Girls' College (4) Ms. Manawa Whaanga from Hamilton Girls’ High School (5) Mr. Rex Allen from  Kaikoura High School  (6) Ms. Samantha Flaws from Kapiti College (7) Ms.Virginia Baird From Iona College and (8) Mr. William Morgan from Palmerston North Boys' High School.