The Royal Thai Embassy in cooperation with the Swissotel Grand Efes held the Thai Food and Culture Festival at the Swissotel Grand Efest, Izmir, on 6-10 May 2014. The Event received overwhelming attention with full reservation throughout the period. Around 800 guests and 28 media representatives from 12 television channels, print and Internet media participated in this event.

On 6 May 2014, H.E. Mr. Tharit Charungvat, Ambassador of Thailand, gave interviews to television channels, namely Ege TV and Canal 35, and the Divas Magazine, a widely-known business magazine in Turkey. “At present, around 60,000 Turkish tourists visit Thailand each year. Apart from Thailand’s beautiful nature and Thai arts and culture, the attraction of Thailand that strikes the Turkish most is the nature of the Thai people who always welcome foreign friends with respect, warm heart and joyful manner,” said H.E. the Ambassador.

On the same day, H.E. Mr. Tharit gave an opening remark at the launching reception of the Festival together with Mr. Rıza Elibol, General Manager of the Swissotel Grand Efes, Secret Garden, in which around 200 guests attended. The Embassy was also honoured to receive Mr. Ibrahim Ballı, Deputy Governor of Izmir, at the reception.

The Thai Trade Office in Istanbul also contributed Thai fruits for participating guests at the event.

During the event, apart from experiencing the uniquely Thai taste specially cooked by Thai chefs from H.E. the Ambassador’s Residence and Thai fruits, the guests also enjoyed themselves with the Thai cultural performances from the Bandit Pattana Silp Institute, umbrella painting demonstration, and playing games to win souvenirs from Thailand. The event has once again helped make Thailand widely known among the Turkish, corresponding with the Embassy’s policy to continuously bring Thailand to the eyes and the ears of the Turkish. The Swissotel Grand Efes and the participating guests have shown their enthusiasm to have this kind of activity of Thailand in Izmir again soon.

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Royal Thai Embassy, Ankara

13 May 2014