Golden Jubilee of Bangladesh-Thailand relations celebrated

As part of the celebration of the golden jubilee of bilateral relations between Bangladesh and Thailand, an academic conference was jointly organised by the Bangladesh embassy in Bangkok and Payap University on January 20.

Professors of universities from Thailand, Bangladesh and other countries, former ambassadors and top officials of various partner departments of the two countries participated in the day-long panel discussion on various important bilateral issues.

The embassy also organised a photo exhibition on the premises of Payap University, according to a press release.

At the start of the day, the opening ceremony began with the screening of a documentary on bilateral relations between Bangladesh and Thailand produced by the Embassy of Bangladesh, Bangkok.

Bangladesh Ambassador to Thailand Mohammed Abdul Hye and Payap University President Apicha Insuwan delivered the introductory speech.

During the day-long panel discussion, bilateral trade, politics, foreign policy, tourism, connectivity, ICT, health as new areas of expansion of connectivity and relations, and the inter-relations of Thai and Bengali languages were discussed.

Prof Tony Waters, Prof Wallapa Songprakun; Dr Kirk Person; Dr Robert Batzinger; Dr Reynaldo R Ty; Dr Pachara Boonteerara; Dr Chiyan Raichagoo, Senior Scholar, School of Political and Social Sciences, Fayao University; Punlop Saejew, President of Chiang Mai Tourism Council; Dr Non Arkaraprasertkul, Senior Expert, Smart City Promotion of Digital Economy Promotion Agency, Thailand participated in the programme.

As experts from Bangladesh, former ambassador Tariq A Karim, Senior Visiting Fellow, National University of Singapore; Dr Imtiaz Ahmed, Professor, Department of International Relations, University of Dhaka; Ambassador Mashfee Binte Shams, Rector of Foreign Service Academy of Bangladesh; Manoj Kumar Roy, retired additional secretary, Ministry of Commerce attended the event.

In the closing ceremony, the President of Payap University Apicha Insuwan and the Ambassador of Bangladesh to Thailand Mohammed Abdul Hye expressed their sincere thanks and gratitude to all concerned for the successful completion of this event.

The day-long academic conference was held both in person and virtually. Representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand, teachers and students of Payap University, teachers of various universities of Chiang Mai and officials of the Bangladesh embassy and other embassies in Thailand were present at the conference.

At the end of the day, Payap University organised a cultural programme.