PM Modi in Thailand: The Indian community in Bangkok welcomed Prime Minister Narendra Modi with chanting of prayers, showing deep-rooted cultural bond that continues to flourish.
PM Modi in Thailand: Prime Minister Narendra Modi was received by Thailand’s PM Paetongtarn Shinawatra at the Government House in Bangkok on Thursday (April 3). India and Thailand also exchanged MoUs in the presence of PM Modi and Thailand’s PM Shinawatra. PM Narendra Modi arrived in Thailand today for a two-day visit to attend the sixth BIMSTEC summit. Upon his arrival, Modi was received by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport Suriya Jungrungreangkit.
Thailand PM presents PM Modi with ‘The World Tipitaka: Sajjhaya Phonetic Edition’
In a significant moment of cultural and spiritual diplomacy, Prime Minister Narendra Modi was presented with “The World Tipitaka: Sajjhaya Phonetic Edition” by Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra. The Tipitaka (in Pali) or Tripitaka (in Sanskrit) is a revered compilation of Lord Buddha’s teachings, consisting of 108 volumes and regarded as the principal Buddhist scripture.
The edition presented to PM Modi is a meticulously crafted version written in Pali and Thai scripts, ensuring the accurate pronunciation of over nine million syllables. This special edition was published in 2016 as part of the World Tipitaka Project by the Thai government to commemorate the 70-year reign of King Bhumibol Adulyadej (Rama IX) and Queen Sirikit.
The presentation of the Tipitaka to PM Modi is a testament to India’s spiritual leadership and its enduring bond with Buddhist nations.
I accept ‘Tipitaka’ with folded hands: PM Modi
PM Modi said, “PM Shinawatra gifted me Tipitaka just now. On behalf of ‘Buddha Bhoomi’ India, I accepted it with folded hands. Last year, holy relics of Lord Buddha were sent from India to Thailand, this is a matter of great joy that over 4 million devotees received the opportunity to have a darshan. I am happy to announce that the holy relics of Lord Buddha that were found in Gujarat’s Aravalli in 1960 will also be sent to Thailand, for darshan. This year, our old ties were seen in Mahakumbh too. More than 600 Buddhist devotees from Thailand and other nations were a part of this event…”.
Narendra Modi said, “Thailand has a special place in India’s Act East Policy and Indo-Pacific vision. Today, we decided to transform our relations into a strategic partnership. We also held discussions about establishing strategic dialogues between security agencies. For Thailand government’s cooperation in sending back Indians who fell victim to cybercrime, we expressed our gratitude to them. We agree that our agencies will work together against human trafficking and illegal migration. We laid emphasis on cooperation in sectors like tourism, culture and education between Northeastern states of India and Thailand. We spoke on the increase in trade, investment and exchanges in businesses.”
PM Modi receives warm welcome at airport
The members of the Sikh community performed Bhangra at the Don Mueang airport in the Thai capital. PM Modi witnessed a captivating performance of the Thai Ramayana, Ramakien, which beautifully showcased the shared cultural and civilisational ties between India and Thailand. Members of the Indian diaspora in Thailand chanted ‘Vande Mataram’ and ‘Jai Hind’ as they awaited PM Modi’s arrival at a hotel in Bangkok.
The Thai community chanted mantras as they welcomed PM Modi, while the Sikh community gifted him a memento of the Golden Temple. Members of the Indian diaspora in Thailand chanted ‘Vande Mataram’ and ‘Jai Hind’ as they awaited PM Modi’s arrival at a hotel in Bangkok. The prime minister was also given the Gita by the ISKCON community. After concluding Thailand visit, PM Modi will embark on his first visit to Sri Lanka since the election of its new president.
