Thailand’s National Day
Green partnership will play role to foster balanced and sustainable growth: Envoy
Thailand and Bangladesh will celebrate the golden jubilee of their bilateral diplomatic relations in 2022. Both nations have been continuously extending mutual friendship and cooperation to each other for the welfare of their peoples over the past five decades
Thailand celebrates its National Day on 5 December to mark the birth anniversary of King Bhumibol Adulyadej the Great.
Though this highly revered king died in 2016, the Thai people have been commemorating the day as the National Day and Father’s Day in remembrance of His Majesty's benevolence.
In a message, Makawadee Sumitmor, ambassador of Thailand to Bangladesh, said, “For almost two years, we have refrained ourselves from enjoying time with friends and families because of the coronavirus pandemic, let alone to hold any gathering. It has been proven that that this global crisis has affected all of us equally and international coloration is very crucial to overcome it.
"As the critical and difficult time is improving, it is necessary to take preparation to revive our growth. Likewise, we have to strengthen our resilience to face other possible challenges that could emerge in various forms such as climate change, scarcity of resource and natural disaster. This means we should be more oriented towards sustainability in every aspect of our increased future activities,” she added.
To this end, Thailand and Bangladesh can share experiences. Thailand is focusing on bio-circular-green (BCG) economy in order to use its existing resources more effectively and preserve adequate resources for the next generations. At the same time, Bangladesh also has adopted a clear roadmap titled Mujib Climate Prosperity Plan and its main goal is to ensure sustainable development by reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Moreover, Bangladesh has wonderfully represented the Climate Vulnerable Forum and become vocal in the V20 to express its concerns and expectations related to climate change and development. “Therefore, both countries can forge a 'green partnership' and play an important role to boost a balanced and sustainable growth for the people and the planet," Makawadee Sumitmor said.
Since trade and commerce has started reviving, Thailand eagerly looks forward to 2022 when numerous bilateral meetings and visits can be held. Thailand has been gradually opening the country to foreigners since July this year. For visitors from Bangladesh, travel restrictions have been eased for all types of visas since 1 November so that harmony between the people of both countries is re-established during this normal time, she added.
Prior to global economic stalemate caused by Covid-19, Thailand and Bangladesh had set their target to increase their bilateral trade volume to $2 billion. Both countries are now working closely and actively to achieve the target. With a bilateral free trade agreement is under consideration, efforts are on to launch a more cost-effective sea transport routes between the Andaman coast of Thailand and the Bay of Bengal. The Port Authority of Thailand and the Chittagong Port Authority are working to strengthen their cooperation to establish this new connectivity, the envoy said.
Makawadee Sumitmor said, "Thailand and Bangladesh will celebrate the golden jubilee of their bilateral diplomatic relations in 2022. Both nations have been continuously extending mutual friendship and cooperation to each other for the welfare of their peoples over the past five decades. A closed friendly state, Thailand recognised Bangladesh in February 1972 and established diplomatic relations on 5 October 1972. Since then, cooperation has increased extensively between both countries in various sectors, especially, with the start of technological cooperation in 2013."
"Though humankind has been deprived of many possibility and opportunity during the pandemic, we must not lose hope and we have to find way out to survive. It is certainly very hard and time-consuming to find out a permanent way out from this difficult situation. Yet, we can overcome this situation if we reprocess our knowledge and capacity resolutely on the basis of mutual consensus. So, main motto of the golden jubilee of the diplomatic relations between Thailand and Bangladesh could be the ‘green partnership among all,” she added