PM Modi meets Thai royalty, exchanges views on shared cultural heritage

IANS April 4, 2025 362 views

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's state visit to Thailand highlighted the profound cultural and religious connections between the two nations. His royal audience with King Maha Vajiralongkorn and visit to Wat Pho temple underscored the deep civilizational ties rooted in Buddhism. The exchange of symbolic gifts like Buddha's relics and a special postage stamp demonstrated the ongoing people-to-people connections. Modi's diplomatic engagement emphasized the historical and spiritual bonds that unite India and Thailand beyond mere geopolitical interests.

"World over, people derive strength from Lord Buddha's teachings" - PM Narendra Modi
PM Modi meets Thai royalty, exchanges views on shared cultural heritage
Bangkok, April 4: Prime Minister Narendra Modi had a royal audience on Friday with King Maha Vajiralongkorn Phra Vajiraklaochaoyuhua and Queen Suthida Bajrasudhabimalalakshana of Thailand at the Dusit Palace in Bangkok.

Key Points

1

Modi meets King Maha Vajiralongkorn to discuss shared cultural heritage

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Visited historic Wat Pho Buddhist temple with Thai PM

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Offered to send Buddha's relics from Gujarat to Thailand

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Special postage stamp released commemorating visit

"They exchanged views on shared cultural heritage between India and Thailand. In this context, they spoke about the relics of Lord Buddha which travelled from India to Thailand last year and the positive impact the initiative has had in further strengthening people-to-people ties between the two countries. They also discussed ways to further strengthen the multifaceted ties between the two countries," read a statement issued by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) after the meeting.

The bilateral relations between India and Thailand are rooted in history, age-old social and cultural interactions, and extensive people-to-people contacts. The shared link of Buddhism is reflected in regular pilgrimages to places of Buddhist interest in India by many in Thailand.

Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Modi, accompanied by his counterpart from Thailand, Paetongtarn Shinawatra, visited Wat Phra Chetuphon Wimon Mangkhalaram Rajwaramahawihan, popularly known as Wat Pho.

The PM paid homage to the Reclining Buddha and offered 'Sanghadana' to senior Buddhists monks. He also presented a replica of Ashokan Lion Capital to the shrine of Reclining Buddha. On the occasion, he recalled the strong and vibrant civilizational ties that exist between the two countries.

"Today, I had the honour of visiting the historic Wat Phra Chetuphon Wimonmangkalaram Ratchaworamahawihan Or Wat Pho in Bangkok. I thank Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra for the special gesture of coming to the Temple with me. One of Thailand’s most revered spiritual landmarks, Wat Pho also symbolises Thailand's rich cultural and artistic heritage. World over, people derive strength from Lord Buddha's teachings. These teachings also form the basis of an age-old civilisational bond between India and Thailand. Also got the opportunity to interact with several monks," PM Modi posted on X after his visit to the historic site.

As a gesture of goodwill, the Thai government also released a special postage stamp depicting 18th century Ramayana mural paintings to mark Prime Minister Modi's visit.

Underlining the close cultural and religious connections between the two countries, the Prime Minister was presented a special edition of Buddhist holy scriptures Ti-Pitaka in Pali by Prime Minister Shinawatra. As a gesture to further deepen the close civilizational ties between India and Thailand, Prime Minister Modi offered to send Lord Buddha's Relics excavated from Gujarat to Thailand, for people to pay their respect.

Last year, the Holy Relics of Lord Buddha and two of his disciples had travelled from India to Thailand, and over four million people had paid their respects.

Reader Comments

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Priya K.
Such a beautiful display of cultural diplomacy! The shared Buddhist heritage between India and Thailand is truly special. That stamp with Ramayana paintings sounds like a wonderful gesture 👏
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Rahul S.
While I appreciate the cultural exchange, I wish there was more focus on current economic cooperation too. These visits should translate to tangible benefits for both nations' citizens.
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Ananya P.
Wat Pho is absolutely breathtaking! I visited last year and seeing our PM there makes me so emotional. The reclining Buddha statue is massive - photos don't do it justice. More Indians should visit Thailand to experience this shared heritage firsthand!
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Vikram J.
4 million people paying respects to the Buddha relics! That's incredible. Shows how much spiritual connection matters in international relations. Hope this leads to easier visa policies between our countries 🤞
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Meera L.
The Ti-Pitaka scriptures in Pali must be such a treasure. I love how both countries are preserving ancient wisdom while building modern ties. More cultural exchanges like this please!
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Sanjay T.
Interesting to see how Buddhism connects our nations despite geographical distance. The Ashokan Lion Capital replica was a thoughtful gift - symbol of both our ancient and modern democratic values.

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

Tags:
Modi Thailand Visit Buddhist Diplomacy India-Thailand Relations Cultural Heritage King Maha Vajiralongkorn Buddhism
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