The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in cooperation with the Ministry of Culture, the Royal Thai Embassies in Kuwait, Abu Dhabi and Manama, organised a Thai Cultural Roadshow consisting of contemporary Thai fashion show, a variety of cultural Thai dances, quartet music performance, lecture and workshop on Thai textiles and a display of ‘Thai Textiles: the Touch of Thai’ exhibition, during 16 – 28 March 2019. The group was led by H.E. Mr. Chaisiri Anamarn, Advisor to the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Thailand, together with Ms. Busadee Santipitaks, Director-General, Department of Information, in Bahrain and by Mrs. Ruyaporn Sukontasap, Deputy Director-General, Department of Information in Kuwait and UAE. A Thai dance troupe and musicians from the Fine Arts Department, a fashion show team from the Office of Contemporary Art and Culture, Ministry of Culture, and a lecturer from the Queen Sirikit Museum of Textiles were invited to participate in the following events:

1. On 18 March 2019, the group participated in ‘Thai Textiles: the Touch of Thai’ reception organised by the Royal Thai Embassy in Kuwait at Sadu House. H.E. Mr. Dusit Manapan, Ambassador of Thailand to Kuwait, presided over the event and delivered opening remarks. The event was attended by Sheikha Altaf Al-Ali Al-Sabah, Patron and Honorary Chairman of Sadu House, Sheikha Bibi Duaij Al-Sabah, President of Sadu House, diplomatic corps, Kuwaiti government officials and private sector.

2. On 19 March 2019, a lecturer from the Queen Sirikit Museum of Textiles gave a presentation on Thai textiles and organised a workshop for executives from Sadu House, diplomatic corps and Kuwaiti ladies society.

3. During 22 – 23 March 2019, the group participated in Thai Festival organised by the Royal Thai Embassy in Abu Dhabi. H.E. Mr. Vira Rojpojchanarat, Minister of Culture, presided over the event and gave opening remarks with the attendance of Sheikha Hend Al Qassemi, Editor in Chief of VELVET magazine and the Patron of International Dubai Fashion Week, diplomatic corps, Thai community in the UAE, and the general public.

4. On 26 March 2019, the group participated in the opening of Thai Festival hosted by the Royal Thai Embassy in Manama and Tourism Authority of Thailand at Gulf Convention Centre. In this regard, H.R.H. Prince Khalifa bin Salmand Al-Khalifa, Prime Minister of Bahrain, graciously attended the event with high ranking Bahraini officials, namely Shaikh Ali bin Khalifa Al-Khalifa, Deputy Prime Minister, Shaikh Salman bin Khalifa Al-Khalifa, Advisor to H.R.H. Prime Minister of Bahrain, Ms. Faeqa bint Saeed Al-Saleh, Minister of Health, and Mr. Sameer Nass, Chairman of Bahrain Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Moreover, on the same day, the delegation from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Culture was granted an audience with H.R.H. Prince Khalifa bin Salmand Al-Khalifa, Prime Minister of Bahrain at the Gudaibiya Palace. Later on, H.E. Mr. Chaisiri Anamarn, Advisor to the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Thailand met with Shaikh Khalid bin Ahmed bin Mohammed Al-Khalifa, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bahrain.

The Roadshow aimed to honour Her Majesty Queen Sirikit’s efforts in preserving Thai textiles as well as promoting Thai culture in the Middle East. The above-mentioned Roadshow was warmly received by the government and business sector, diplomatic corps, and the local community which would help further strengthen relations between Thailand and the Middle East, especially at the people-to-people level.