During 10 - 14 May 2014, Mr. Don Pramudwinai, Deputy Foreign Minister led Thailand’s friendship delegation, which comprised representatives from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Culture, and a group of entrepreneurs, to the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) at the invitation by the DPRK’s government on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the establishment of the diplomatic relations between Thailand and the DPRK.
         On this occasion, Deputy Foreign Minister and the Thai friendship delegation paid a courtesy call on the Foreign Minister of the DPRK, during which Mr. Pramudwinai presented a gift to Mr. Kim Jong Un, Supreme Commander of the Korean People’s Army, First Secretary of the Workers’ Party of Korea and First Chairman of the National Defense Commission of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. The Deputy Foreign Minister then had bilateral talks with the Deputy Foreign Minister of the DPRK on several issues including situation of the Korean peninsula, development of cooperations between Thailand and the DPRK.
         The delegation also visited the Mansudae Art Studio, where Mr. Pramudwinai laid a flower bouquet to pay tribute to the statues of President Kim Il Sung and leader Kim Jong Il. After that they visited Chongryu Junior Middle School, a so-called Thailand-DPRK’s friendship school. On this occasion, the Deputy Foreign Minister as a representative from the Thai government donated 20 laptops to the school for educational purposes.
         Another important programme during the visit was the Deputy Foreign Minister’s meeting with Mr. Ahmed Zakaria, the Deputy Country Director for the DPRK and executives of the World Food Programme (WFP)’s Office in Pyongyang. A donation with an amount of one million Baht on behalf of the Royal Thai Government was made in order to help supporting the Project on Nutrition Support for Women and Children in the DPRK which was the first humanitarian help of the Royal Thai government in the DPRK.
         During the visit, a cultural performance by the artists group from the Office of Performing Arts of the Fine Arts Department under the Ministry of Culture, which includes   (i) Rabam Ching (ii) Khon: Rama and Thotskan in Combat episode (iii) The Dance of Kinari, Manohra Dance and Sat Chatri Dance, and (v) Dance of the Four Regions - The North: Fon Khan Dok and Fon phang - The South: Tari Kipas and Joget dance - The Central: Martial Art: Short Stick - Long Stick Fight - The Northeast: Serng Gra-po or Coconut shell dance was staged for the high-level delegates of the DPRK’s government as token of goodwill of Thai people to the DPRK’s people on the occasion of the 40 years of diplomatic relations between the two countries.