Edited by Anna Popper
To commemorate the National Day of the Kingdom of Thailand, the Birth anniversary of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej the Great, and Thai Father’s Day, the Royal Thai Embassy in Budapest organised a diplomatic reception on 3 December 2024 at the magnificent Anantara New York Palace Hotel in Budapest, a landmark of the city with a unique architecture from 1894, reflecting the grandeur of European history and arts. The event was hosted by H.E. Phrommes Bhaholpolbhayuhasena, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Thailand to Hungary, and Mrs. Vanida Bhaholpolbhayuhasena, and graced by H.E. Mr. László Kövér, Speaker of the Hungarian National Assembly, as the Guest of Honour.
The approximately 250 invited guests included members of the diplomatic corps, leaders and executives from Hungary’s public and private sectors, friends of Thailand, representatives from cultural and academic circles, Thai private sector representatives, and members of the Thai community in Hungary.
The ceremony commenced with the national anthems of the Kingdom of Thailand and Hungary, beautifully performed by a female string quartet.
This was followed by the address of Ambassador Phrommes Bhaholpolbhayuhasena, highlighting the significance of 5 December for Thailand, the strong ties between Thailand and Hungary, and projects and collaborations between the two countries:
“H.E. Mr. László Kövér, Speaker of the Hungarian National Assembly, Excellencies, Distinguished guests, Ladies and Gentlemen,
I have the great honour to welcome you all to the reception on the occasion of the Birthday Anniversary of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej the Great, the National Day of the Kingdom of Thailand, and Thai Father’s Day at Anantara New York Palace Hotel.
Please accept my utmost appreciation for coming this evening to celebrate the occasion with us in person. Allow me also to express my gratitude to our partners in today’s event, namely the Anantara New York Palace Hotel and Thai President Foods or ‘Mama’.
As the title of the reception indicates, we are celebrating three different occasions on the same day, 5 December. I would like to briefly inform you how the three occasions are connected.
5th December is the birthday of His Majesty the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej the Great, or King Rama IX of Thailand. His Majesty worked tirelessly for the benefit of the nation and people, following his pledge at the beginning of his reign in 1946 to rule with righteousness for the welfare and happiness of the Siamese people. For this, the Thai people revered His Majesty as the Father of the Nation. In recognition of his role as the Father of the Nation, His Majesty’s birthday on 5 December was designated as the National Day and the Father’s Day of Thailand in 1960.
One of the legacies of His Majesty the late King Rama IX of Thailand is his contribution to the preservation of soil and sustainable development, 5 December has been designated by the United Nations as World Soil Day since 2014.
As His Majesty King Maha Vajiralongkorn Phra Vajiraklaochaoyuhua, or King Rama X, has pledged to continue, preserve and build upon the royal legacy and shall reign with righteousness for the benefit and happiness of the people forever, 5 December has retained its importance among all Thais.
Mr. Speaker, Excellencies, Distinguished guests, Ladies and Gentlemen,
such an important occasion should never be celebrated without those we consider friends of Thailand. For this reason, we organise the reception and invite all of you who are friends of Thailand to celebrate this evening.
Since we are among friends, I would like to say a few words about Thai-Hungarian friendship. Shared values and mutual respect. Yes, just a few words. These words can capture the essence of Thai- Hungarian friendship.
From the voyage of Hungarian explorer János Xántus to Siam in 1869 and the visit of King Chulalongkorn or King Rama the V to Hungary in 1897, to the modern-era meetings between the Foreign Ministers of Thailand and Hungary and the increasing dynamism in our economic relations at present; our friendship has always been firm, built on our shared values and mutual respect, as it should be for any friendship.
As friends, we are steadily progressing in mutually beneficial cooperation. We are now working together in the areas of trade, investment agriculture, water resource management, science and innovation, renewable energy, sustainable development, higher education, and faith-based cooperation. The list goes on. You are welcome to ask me and my embassy team on the details of the cooperation.
Mr. Speaker, Excellencies, Distinguished guests, Ladies and Gentlemen,
The celebration of this most important occasion is also an opportunity for you to experience Thai hospitality first-hand. Indeed, we are now in Anantara New York Palace Hotel, a Thai hotel chain. We have Thai cuisine to accompany you through the celebration, prepared by the Thai chef of my Residence and the Hungarian chef of this hotel. All this is complimented by Thai traditional dance and live music performances.
I would like to thank you once again for coming to celebrate with us this evening the Birthday Anniversary of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej the Great, the National Day of the Kingdom of Thailand, and Thailand’s Father’s Day.”
“Let me take this opportunity to propose a toast for the good health and well-being of His Excellency President Tamás Sulyok of Hungary and His Majesty King Maha Vajiralongkorn Phra Vajiraklaochaoyuhua of Thailand, as well as for the firm and lasting friendship between Thailand and Hungary. Chai-Yo! Chai-Yo! Chai-Yo!”
The celebration continued with the remarks of H.E. Mr. László Kövér, emphasizing the close relationship between Thailand and Hungary and the prospects for future cooperation:
“Honourable Ambassador, Your Excellencies, Dear Guests,
I am honoured to welcome you to today’s ceremonial reception to commemorate the National Day of the Kingdom of Thailand, the birthday of the late His Majesty Bhumibol Adulyadej the Great, as well as the National Father’s Day.
Let me also mention that in December 2013 the UN General Assembly decided to designate 5 December 2014 as the first official World Soil Day, paying tribute to King Bhumibol’s decades of work for sustainable development.
Hungarian-Thai relations have a long history. In 2023, we celebrated the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between our countries, and in 2024, the 155th anniversary of the establishment of relations between the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy and the Kingdom of Siam.
The diverse cultural events organised on the occasion of the anniversaries have greatly contributed to further deepening our bilateral and people-to-people relations, as well as to the mutual promotion of our cultures.
In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Siam maintained lively diplomatic and trade relations with Europe, including the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy. During this period, scientists, engineers, artists and specialists came to Siam to help modernise the country.
The friendly and respectful relationship between Hungarian and Thai people has already resulted in many successful initiatives and cooperation. The work of some of our compatriots has contributed to the development of the Kingdom of Thailand and the strengthening of relations between the two countries. Allow me to mention a few of these Hungarians:
János Xántus (1825-1894), who joined the Austro-Hungarian East Asia Expedition in 1868 and was the first Hungarian naturalist and explorer to reach Thailand, and the first Hungarian scientist to pay a courtesy visit to the Thai Royal Family in 1869.
He was also the first individual to write a scientific paper on Thailand, entitled ‘Travel Notes from Siam’, which was published in 1887 in the Geographical Bulletin of Hungary. His collection of botanical and zoological specimens greatly enriched the collection of the Ethnographic Museum.
János Xántus became the first director of the Budapest Zoo and Botanical Garden (1866).
Oszkár Vojnich (1864-1914) was another Hungarian traveller and geographer who visited Thailand in 1912 and published a detailed description of the country he admired, its landscapes, culture and art.
We could also mention Imre Csávás, the Hungarian agricultural engineer, fisheries expert and university lecturer, who worked as the regional director of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations in Bangkok between 1983 and 1995, and who, through his work done later in Hungary, also contributed to strengthening and expanding the Hungarian Fisheries Research Institute’s relations with Asia.
In the framework of its foreign policy strategy introduced after 2010, entitled ‘Opening to the East’, Hungary continues to pay great attention to the Southeast Asian region, especially Thailand. Our country is committed to further developing both bilateral political, economic, educational and cultural relations, as well as our cooperation on multilateral forums.
The National Assembly maintains a lively relationship with the Thai Parliament and I am pleased that, thanks to the cooperation agreement signed last year, exchanges of experience between the Offices of our Parliaments have become a regular feature.
I am pleased to note that bilateral trade flows between Hungary and Thailand are steadily increasing and our economic relations span a multitude of sectors. Water management, agriculture and health are priority areas of cooperation that we hope to give new impetus to through the upcoming meeting of the Hungarian-Thai Joint Economic Committee on 9-10 December in Budapest, as well as through the establishment of the Hungarian-Thai Chamber of Commerce in November 2022.
The depth of our friendship is reflected not only in the ever-growing and strengthening extent of our economic and political ties, but also in our educational cooperation and people-to-people contacts. An excellent example of this is the Stipendium Hungaricum scholarship program, under which we offer 40 scholarships to students from Thailand every year. I am pleased to announce that a record number of 161 applications have been received for the 2024/25 academic year. We are confident that these young people, returning to Thailand enriched with the knowledge they have acquired in Hungary, will strengthen the ties between the two countries and the two peoples. The Hungarian-Thai Joint Committee on Science and Technology, which held its 4th meeting in Budapest in September this year, helps to deepen our scientific cooperation.
Getting to know each other’s cultural values serves to bring peoples and people closer together, and it is therefore a pleasure to see that the Hungarian classical music programmes organised by our Embassy in Bangkok are also very popular among the Thai audience. I hope that more and more tourists will visit each other’s countries, and that this will soon be facilitated by a direct air link between Budapest and Bangkok.
I also speak for the Hungarian Government when I reassure you that we, like our Thai colleagues, are committed to further deepen the relations between the Hungarian and Thai peoples, built on mutual respect and a shared interest in each other.”
“Let me propose a toast to the prosperity and peaceful development of the Thai people and the enduring friendship between our two nations.”
After the official part of the evening, the event immersed participants even deeper into Thai culture, offering a captivating array of activities. These included a performance of royal compositions and video presentations that highlighted the uniqueness of the country, showcasing its natural beauty, diversity of its folklore, traditions and extraordinary attractions – elements that all contribute to its distinctive tourism offer.
Traditional Thai dance performances delighted the audience, enriching the cultural experience of the evening.
During the lavish reception, guests savoured authentic Thai cuisine with dishes such as Tom Yum Kung, Pad Thai, and Taro and Corn Pudding with Coconut Cream, meticulously prepared by the Thai Residence, the Hotel, and Thai President Foods (Hungary) Kft.
Symbolizing the warmth and generosity of Thai hospitality, Thai souvenirs were thoughtfully distributed to participants, offering a tangible connection to the country’s vibrant traditions and rich culture.
Budapest Promenade and the Statue of Hungarian Scientist János Xántus Unveiled in Bangkok
In March 2024, a significant cultural event marked the strengthening of relations between Hungary and Thailand with the unveiling of “Budapest Lane” and the bust of János Xántus in the three-hectare 80th Anniversary Park of His Majesty the King in Bangkok’s Sathorn district. The ceremony was presided over by Mr. Chadchart Sittipunt, Governor of Bangkok, and Mr. Péter Szijjártó, Hungary’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade. The installation of the János Xántus statue honours the legacy of the renowned Hungarian naturalist, who played a significant role in fostering cultural and scientific ties between Hungary and Southeast Asia, including the Kingdom of Siam. During the ceremony, the Hungarian delegation thanked the local authorities for their support in making this cultural and diplomatic milestone possible.
The event was dedicated to the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the Kingdom of Thailand and Hungary, which were established in 1973, as well as the 25th anniversary of the sister city relationship between Bangkok and Budapest, celebrated in 2023. While these official bonds date back five decades, the historical connection between the two nations stretches further, as diplomatic ties were first established 155 years ago between the Austro-Hungarian Empire and the Kingdom of Siam. This commemorative occasion stands as a testament to the enduring friendship and cooperation between Hungary and Thailand.
Sources: The Royal Thai Embassy in Budapest, pr-bangkok.com
Photos by The Royal Thai Embassy in Budapest, DPA and pr-bangkok.com
