On 17 September 2021 the Royal Thai Consulate-General, Chennai, organized “Thailand-Karnataka Friendship Awards of Excellence 2021" at ITC Gardenia Hotel, Bengaluru, to celebrate and recognize the long-standing friendship between the peoples of Thailand and Karnataka.

The Friendship Awards of Excellence were given to honour outstanding personalities, institutions and organizations from different spectrum of Karnataka society, particularly those in the trade and investment, tourism, and education sectors that have contributed to the strengthening and advancement of the bilateral relations between Thailand and Karnataka. Selected awardees included Federation of Karnataka Chambers of Commerce & Industry, CPF (India), IndiGo Airline, Go First Airline, Mysore University, Christ University, Reliance Retail Ltd., Bigbasket, Anusaya Fresh (India), and Nefferrtiti-Destination Wedding Specialist, among others.

In his address to all the awardees and participants of the said event, Consul-General Nitirooge Phoneprasert reiterated that "...the entire world has been witnessing one of the greatest challenges of our lifetime that has been threatening the entire human race, the Covid-19 pandemic…While it did shatter the dreams of the majority of the people, it did teach us one of the greatest lessons of our life...the essence of a human touch in whatever we do in our daily life…We would like to recall all the wonderful gestures, proactive measures, voluntary assistances and the much-needed support that have been extended by all of you as our friends of Thailand. We consider each and every one as very precious and that we would treasure all those deeds and good memories forever in our hearts."