India-Thai:Minds meet in Rama Rajya

[Guest guest]

Minds meet in Rama Rajya

 

Shobori Ganguli/ Bangkok

 

Back home the term forever sits on the edge of controversy. But "Rama

Rajya" in the Thai context assumes a different meaning and Prime

Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee acknowledged as much in his address to

the joint special session of the Thai National Assembly on

Thursday.

Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee shakes hands with his Thai

counterpart Thaksin Shinawatra during their meeting at the Government

House in Bangkok, Thailand, on Thursday - AP

 

 

“Relations between India and Thailand go back into antiquity. They are both

based on the firm foundations of a shared heritage,” the Prime Minister said.

 

 

Speaking of relations that go back into antiquity, Mr Vajpayee dwelt

on the unique characteristics of the two democracies.

 

 

 

"While we are both democracies, the structures of governance in our

countries are based on our unique national characteristics. Our

country is a Republic; yours is a Constitutional Monarchy guided by

His Majesty the King. For you, this is 'Rama Rajya,' an expression

that has profound meaning for all Indians." In Thailand, the King is

Rama, its current monarch being Rama IX and its ancient Capital

Ajutthaya (Ayodhya).

 

 

 

Mr Vajpayee also shared with his audience his long years of

experience in Parliament. "For me, Parliament has been a second home

for 46 years. Of course, I spent 40 of those years on the Opposition

benches, so I can speak with knowledge of both sides!" he said. The

Prime Minister then went on to speak about India and Thailand's

shared heritage and similar cultural traditions, including festivals.

 

 

 

"In some weeks we in India will celebrate the festival of lights,

which we call Deepawali. Two weeks after that, the rivers of Thailand

will be alight with lanterns for Loy Krathong, which we observe as

Kartik Purnima," he said.

 

 

 

On the political, economic and diplomatic front, the Prime Minister

talked about India's rejuvenated Look-East policy. "Thailand is an

important link in India's increasing engagement with its extended

neighbourhood in East and South-East Asia. We are determined to

increase our mutually beneficial partnership both bilaterally and

multilaterally. It is in our common interest to promote regional

cooperation through the Asian Cooperation Dialogue, in BIMST-EC and

the Mekong-Ganga Cooperation Initiative."

 

 

 

Mr Vajpayee also reminded Thai parliamentarians of the contemporary

threats working against free societies: "The scourge of terror is not

limited to a few regions of the world; it is a global problem. The

ugly face of terrorism is now seen increasingly even in South-East

Asia. It has been with us in India for over two decades."

 

 

 

The economic imperatives of the day, the Prime Minister said, are

urging India and Thailand to come closer: "The expansion of our

bilateral relationship has a self-evident logic. Our population of

one billion makes for a large and diversified market for Thai firms.

Our economic reforms programme is transforming India in significant,

and even dramatic, ways, creating new openings for Indian and foreign

players." Later, speaking at the banquet hosted in his honour by Thai

Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, Mr Vajpayee said: "The visit has

afforded me the opportunity to convey India's perceptions,

experiences and policies. I am gratified by the positive response

from Thailand. We have embarked on the major endeavour of bringing

our countries closer together, drawing sustenance from the past as we

craft a contemporary relationship for the present and the future."

 

http://www.dailypioneer.com/indexn12.asp?main_variable=front%

5Fpage&file_name=story1%2Etxt&counter_img=1

 

Atal draws Thai culture parallel

PRANAY SHARMA

Bangkok, Oct. 9: No solution may yet be in sight for the Ayodhya tangle at home

but Atal Bihari Vajpayee has found a “Ram Rajya” — in neighbouring Thailand.

 

“While we are both democracies, the structure of governance in our countries is

based on our unique national characteristics,” the Prime Minister told the Thai

National Assembly this afternoon.

 

“Our country is a republic, yours is a constitutional monarchy, guided by His

Majesty, the King. For you, this is Ram Rajya, an expression that has profound

meaning for all Indians,” he said.

 

Vajpayee’s exposition on the cultural affinity between the two countries was

also heard by foreign minister Yashwant Sinha, commerce minister Arun Jaitley,

national security adviser Brajesh Mishra and secretary for the region in the

foreign ministry R.M. Abhayankar.

 

“Relations between India and Thailand go back into antiquity. They are both

based on the firm foundations of a shared heritage,” the Prime Minister said.

 

He pointed out that “in some weeks, we in India will celebrate the festival of

lights, which we call Deepavali. Two weeks after that, the rivers of Thailand

will be alight with lanterns for Loy Krathong, which we observe as Kartik

Purnima”.

 

Later, at a banquet hosted in his honour by Thai Prime Minister Thaksin

Shinawatra, Vajpayee suggested the shared cultural links be extended to other

areas of cooperation such as education, science and technology and defence and

tourism.

 

The two sides agreed to go for joint tourist projects, under which the 11

million tourists who visit Thailand and the 3 million that India gets annually

can be offered packages to visit both countries at attractive rates.

 

Sport initiative

 

Thailand has offered to organise a football tournament for some of the countries

in South and Southeast Asia, apparently inspired by a proposal Vajpayee made

yesterday.

 

“India can learn from your remarkable success in developing tourism. We would

like to work with Thailand in the development of tourist infrastructure,”

Vajpayee said.

 

He emphasised that education and cultural interaction between the people of both

countries could be intensified as many university students of Thailand travel to

India and its schools in Darjeeling, Shillong and Mussoorie were familiar places

for many Thai students.

 

Sport initiative

 

Thailand has offered to organise a football tournament for some of the countries

in South and Southeast Asia, apparently inspired by a proposal Vajpayee made

yesterday.

 

Thaksin Sinhawatra said today the five member countries of Bimstec --

Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Sri Lanka and Thailand –- could participate in an

annual football tournament to help strengthen their ties.

 

At the Asean-India Summit in Bali yesterday, Vajpayee had suggested organising a

motorcar rally between the two sides that could start in Guwahati and end in

Vietnam, via Myanmar and Thailand. The proposal was aimed at bringing people of

the region closer and to interest potential investors.

 

http://www.telegraphindia.com/1031010/asp/nation/story_2446547.asp