The Museum Siam in Bangkok is holding the “Ola Siao Five Centuries of Thai-Portuguese Relationships” exhibition under the theme ‘God, greed, and gold: the ultimate quest’. This event can be considered to be the first live exhibition as there are ten actors taking part. It presents a new style of learning, where visitors can listen, chat, smell, look, and taste at the exhibition. The organizers hope the participants will come to better understand the history and background of the Thai-Portuguese relationships, which have been developed over the past 500 years.
Mr. Rames Promyen, Director of National Discovery Museum Institute, revealed that Portuguese was the first nation who sent an ambassador to develop a friendly relationship with the Ayutthaya Kingdom during the reign of King Ramathibodi II in 1511. Portugal and Thailand (Siam) have been in good relationship for 500 years, the longest relations Thailand has enjoyed with a Western nation. The relationship reflects Thailand’s open diplomacy from the past to present. The Kingdom has been welcoming international trades and foreigners. Having many great and farsighted kings, Thailand has developed many diplomatic relations with several Western powers as equal partners.
Interested people are welcomed to enjoy the exhibition from February 16th-April 29th, 2012 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Museum Siam, Bangkok. Admission is free. For more information, please contact 02-225-2777 ext. 407 or www.facebook.com/museumsiamfan and www.museumsiam.com.
Source: Press Release
God,greed,&gold..how fitting for popular thai culture.only not neccesarily in that order.
One possibility of the “Ambassador” to Ayutthaya was to prevent the Thai’s from attacking Malacca (again). It used to belong to Ayutthaya, and Portugal had just conquered it, so, it was best to keep all the “neighbours” happy….