To celebrate the 65th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Thailand and Cambodia, the respective governments have pledged to work together to support cultural exchanges and promote tourism between the two countries.
The latest event was the inaugural Cambodian-Thai orchestral concert that took place in the last week of February.
“If we work together, both countries can benefit greatly,” said Thailand Deputy Prime Minister Gen Tanasak Patimapragorn.
Cambodia and Thailand have had an on-off relationship for centuries regarding issues of unresolved border claims and conflicts. To strengthen ties, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha led a delegation of ministers to meet Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen in the first Thai-Cambodian Joint Cabinet Retreat in October 2014. They reached an agreement to focus on connectivity, economic co-operation and development of special economic areas along the border.
The Cambodian prime minister visited Bangkok last December. The meeting was the second Thai-Cambodian Joint Cabinet Retreat, which also marked the 65th anniversary of diplomatic relations. Five agreements were signed, including a deal on the employment of labourers from each country; development plans for the Thai-Cambodian business council; and memorandums of understanding on the Ban Nong Ian-Stung Bot border checkpoint and labour co-operation.
On Jan 23, a friendly football match was hosted in Phnom Penh. The Cambodian All Stars team played against Buriram United and the event drew a huge attendance of about 50,000. On Feb 23, a Cambodian-Thai concert was hosted in Phnom Penh to mark the 65th anniversary of diplomatic ties and to celebrate the occasion of the royal visit of Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn to Cambodia between Feb 22-24.
“This is the 14th royal visit to Cambodia by Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn,” said Gen Tanasak.
The Princess attended the inauguration ceremony of the Medical Health Centre in Rattanakiri province and a ground-breaking ceremony on the site of a Kampong Speu Institute of Technology, which was funded by the Princess in order to develop human resources in Cambodia. The Princess also had a courtesy visit with Cambodian King Norodom Sihamoni at the Royal Palace.
Later, the Princess joined a gala dinner to watch an orchestra concert performed by 57 students of the Princess Galyani Vadhana Institute of Music from Thailand and Royal University of Fine Arts of Cambodia and conducted by Komsun Dilokkunanant. Also joining the show were four singers from both countries and the well-known Thai violinist Sittichai Pengcharoen. The concert also featured a multimedia presentation showing old movies and photos of both countries.
A free concert was open to the public on Feb 25 at Chaktomuk Conference Hall in Phnom Penh where about 570 people attended.
The orchestra concerts were co-organised by Thailand’s Ministry of Culture, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Cambodia’s Culture and Fine Arts Ministry, Princess Galyani Vadhana Institute of Music and Thai-Cambodian Friendship Association.
Tiengmom Sotheavy, 25, who is a popular Khmer singer and a fourth year student of the Royal University of Fine Arts of Cambodia, said she was glad to be chosen as one of the singers in the concert.
The orchestral concert was free to the public at Chaktomuk Conference Hall in Phnom Penh.
“I am honoured and very excited to sing for the Princess,” she noted.
The concert featured 17 songs including Love composed by His Majesty the King and the lyric written by the Princess, Le Soir Où Je T’ai Rencontrée (The Night I Met You) composed by HM King Norodom Sihanouk; Neighbours, a new song composed for the event by Jakkrit Srivali, the director-general of Asean Affairs Department of the Thailand’s Foreign Ministry; and Sound Of Siam a compilation of Thai traditional songs from the North, South, Central and Northeast. The song was arranged by Pongtorn Techaboonakho, the first year student of Princess Galyani Vadhana Institute of Music.
To emphasise the 65 years of diplomatic ties, Princess Galyani Vadhana Institute of Music will offer two scholarships to Cambodian students to study a bachelor’s degree at the institute, according to Assoc Prof Khunying Wongchan Phinainitisatra, the institute’s president.
The Tourism and Sports Ministry of Thailand has plans to host another friendly football rematch between Cambodian All Stars and Buriram United after the success of the first friendly match in January.
In addition, Thailand will join hands with Cambodia to host an international boxing event, where four Thai boxers will team with four other Cambodian boxers to compete against an international group comprising boxers from Korea, China, Japan and Russia. The event is scheduled to be hosted within the next three to four months.
Furthermore, the two countries will launch a “One Destination Two Kingdoms” campaign to promote travel routes between the two countries. The Culture Minister of Thailand will work with the Cambodia Culture and Fine Arts Minister to exchange cultural knowledge, especially for the management of historical sites.
The Thai government wants to learn from the Cambodian government on how it allocates budget and manages the Angkor Archaeological Park in order to apply the same techniques or knowledge to historic towns such as Sukhothai, which also includes Si Satchanalai and Kamphaeng Phet historical sites, the Unesco world heritage site in Thailand.
“We would like to invite Cambodia Culture and Fine Arts Minister Phoeurng Sackona to lead the Cambodian team to Thailand,” said Culture Minister Vira Rojpojchanarat during a meeting between the two ministers and their teams in the office of Cambodia Culture and Fine Arts in Phnom Penh on Feb 24.
In addition, the Thai minister will also invite Dy Saveth, the best-known Cambodian actress in 1960s-70s, to join the Asean Classic Movies event. The event will be organised in Bangkok as part of the first Asean Cultural Expo to be held from April 20-24 at Sanam Luang and nearby locations.
“I am thrilled to know that Dy Saveth has accepted our invitation. She will represent her movie Ngu Keng Kong (1973) which will be screened for her Thai fans as she is very well known among the Asean audience for her outstanding role of the ‘snake hair girl’ in the film,” said the minister.
Cambodia Culture and Fine Arts Minister Phoeurng Sackona accepted the invitation and also showed her interest in visiting Phimai Historical Park and Sukhothai Historical Sites. She also said that the cultural exchange and meeting between the governments of the two countries should be organised every year.
“We are glad that the Thai government has chosen Cambodia as the first country for the cultural exchange in Asean,” she said.
After the orchestra concerts were successfully held in Phnom Penh, it is possible that the youth orchestra of both countries could perform in Thailand, said Thai Ambassador to Cambodia Nattavudh Photisaro, who has been assigned to Phnom Penh three times.
It is because music and sports are the easiest means to tighten the relations between the two countries, he said.
“I believe we have overcome the conflicts between the two countries we have ever had. During the 65 years of diplomatic relations, it can be said that this time is the best relations between the two countries. We hope things will get better and better,” he added.
