Message from H.E. Mr. Tomwit Jarnson, Ambassador of Thailand to Pakistan

Sawasdee Krub,

Assalam-o-Alykum.

             The 5^th of December 2014 marks the 87^th Royal Birthday Anniversary of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej and the National Day of Thailand.  I would    like to invite all friends of Thailand in Pakistan to join me in celebrating this auspicious occasion.

             His Majesty acceded to the throne in 1946 and is currently the world’s longest reigning Monarch. He is our development king and our visionary thinker.  His Majesty has dedicated himself to national development and worked tirelessly for the well-beings of all Thais for almost 7 decades.  This is reflected in thousands of His Majesty’s royal initiatives and projects such as rain-making, irrigation, public health, education, environmental conservation, poverty alleviation and human capacity building.  

              His Majesty’s concept of sustainable development, popularly known in Thailand and worldwide as “Sufficiency Economy”, is aimed at promoting living in harmony with nature and has been put into practice first in Thailand and has subsequently become recognized internationally.  In 2007, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) issued its annual Thailand Human Development Report focusing on “Sufficiency Economy and Human Development” noting that the Sufficiency Economy Philosophy is an innovative approach to development designed for practical application over a wide range of problems and situations, and owing to its practical nature, its robust

simplicity, and its special relevance in the era of globalization, the approach deserves to be more widely known.

              Beyond Thailand, His Majesty’s contributions have been recognized in a multitude of honours, including more than 30 international awards and more than 20 honorary degrees. In 2006, the United Nations awarded him the first United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Human Development Lifetime  Achievement Award; in 2009, the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) awarded him the first WIPO Global Leaders Award in recognition of his remarkable contribution to intellectual property both as an inventor and as an active proponent of intellectual property as a tool for development; and in 2013,  the 68th UN General Assembly had declared 5th of December as the World Soil Day and 2015 to be the International Year of Soils in honour of His Majesty the King’s untiring efforts in the promotion of soil science and soil resource conservation and sustainable management .  This highlights his unfaltering devotion to improving the living standard of millions of people.   At home, He is the pillar of national unity and Thai nationhood.   Beyond Thailand, he is a beloved and multi-talented Monarch. 

               On behalf of the Royal Thai Embassy in Islamabad and the Thai community in Pakistan, I wish His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej good health and happiness on this auspicious occasion.

               Thailand and Pakistan have long enjoyed close and cordial ties.  The diplomatic relationship was established in 1951. The first contact actually dates back many centuries ago. Both Pakistan and Thailand have age-old histories of ancient civilization and have been connected by a common cultural linkage through Buddhism and the Gandhara civilization that flourished in the city of Taxila.  Now, Thailand has the “Look West Policy” and Pakistan has the “Vision East Asia Policy” which complement each other and provide

mutually reinforcing framework to advance the shared vision.  Both countries hold similar views on major regional and global issues and cooperate closely at regional and international forums. The ties between Pakistan and Thailand have consistently grown over the years, based on shared principles and mutual interests.  We are enhancing our cooperation in all dimensions, particularly in security, defence, trade, investment, education, culture and tourism. Pakistan and Thailand are both hubs and enjoy strategic location in our respective regions. There have been a number of high-level visits. Last year our two Prime Ministers met twice, in August here in Islamabad and in November in Bangkok.  In May this year, the Commander of the Royal Thai Armed Forces paid an official visit to Pakistan. This has heralded a new era in our dynamic cooperation and elevated our link to a higher level never before achieved.   

                As Ambassador of Thailand to Pakistan, I am delighted to see our bilateral ties growing from strength to strength.   I am also desirous to see more people-to-people interaction and remain committed to promoting and deepening our collaboration in as many dimensions as possible to reflect our long-standing and unique relationship.

                  Thank you. Kobkun Krub, Shukriya.