Thailand celebrated its National Day and the birthday of King Rama IX with a distinguished reception hosted last night by the Thai Embassy in Tel Aviv. The ceremony was led by Imri Kalmann of TeraNova, the Israeli representative of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT).

Ambassador Boonyarit Vichienpuntu opened the evening with heartfelt tributes to King Bhumibol Adulyadej, highlighting several of the thousands of development initiatives across Thailand inspired by the late monarch’s vision. He noted that part of the King’s legacy was the agricultural partnership forged between Thailand and Israel in 1955.

“The moshav model was the first official and practical cooperation between our two nations,” the ambassador said. “Thousands of young Thais have taken part in MASHAV internship programs in Israel. Today, 60,000 Thai nationals work in Israel, including 45,000 in agriculture.” He added that the number has nearly doubled since the events of October 7.

Diplomatic relations between Thailand and Israel were established 72 years ago, and the ambassador described the partnership as one that continues to flourish with “tremendous potential.” The embassy, he said, remains committed to strengthening cultural and humanitarian ties. Recent efforts include donating works by King Rama to the National Library of Israel and supplying specialized equipment for blind children at Jerusalem’s Keren Or center.

Ambassador Vichienpuntu spoke with deep sorrow about the 46 Thai workers murdered here by Muslim terrorists on October 7 and the 31 nationals taken hostage to Gaza. He noted that just yesterday, the remains of the last victim, Suttisak Rintalak, were returned to Thailand. Extending condolences to the family, he expressed hope that “the return of the last Thai hostage will mark a turning point that allows Thailand and Israel to move forward together beyond the tragedy of October 7 and refocus on cooperation in science and innovation.”

He also revealed a lesser known historical connection between the Thai and Jewish peoples even before the state of Israel was born: during the Holocaust, the Siamese consul in Marseille issued hundreds of visas to Jews fleeing persecution.

Tourism remains a central pillar of bilateral relations. “This year we expect 400,000 visitors from Israel. An increase of more than 40% compared to last year,” he said. Industry insiders note that much of this success is due to the work of Mr. Dov Kalman and TeraNova, whose influence on Israeli outbound tourism to Thailand is widely recognized.

The ambassador concluded his remarks with a festive toast in Hebrew: “Toda raba! Le’chaim! Ein kmo Thailand!” (There’s nothing like Thailand).

During his economic overview, the ambassador noted that bilateral trade exceeded $1.33 billion last year. He reaffirmed Thailand’s commitment to helping Thai food producers enter the Israeli kosher market. An intention warmly received.
Still, one detail cast a slight shadow over an otherwise elegant and well-organized event: the food served at the reception was not kosher. This oversight was perceived by some Jewish guests as an unfortunate lapse in sensitivity, albeit likely unintentional. Previous Thai ambassadors, like many diplomats in Israel, have traditionally ensured the serving of kosher refreshments to accommodate all attendees.