Speech of H.E. Mr. Joompol Manaschuang in “Thai Food, Food of Paradise” event at Lefkada (20 December 2014)

Mr. Mayor of Lefkada,

The Director of the Cultural Center of the Municipality of Lefkada,

Distinguished Guests,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Tonight, it is my great pleasure and honour to present Thailand and bring authentic Thai cuisine to the citizens of this beautiful city of Lefkada in this special event, beautifully named “Thai Food, Food of Paradise”. During my first visit to Lekfkada last September I had a very constructive discussion with Mayor of Lefkada and Director of Lefkas Cultural Center who invited me to return to Lefkada again to present Thai’s culture and tourism to the people of Lefkada during this winter 2014. We mutually agreed that holding such activity would offer the chance for prospective and interested guests to know more about Thailand in various aspects which I am confident will lead to more people-to-people interaction between our two countries in the years ahead.

                    In fact you need to know that our mutual written history started long time almost 330 years ago when Mr. Constance Phaulkon or Konstantinos Gerakis, a Greek adventurer from Kefalonia set sail to seek fortune in Siam which was Thailand’s name at that time and finally he became a prime counsellor of King Narai of Ayutthaya. Thai peoples nowadays still remember him as Chao Phraya Wichayen, a high ranking official in the history of Thailand and in remembrance of the relationship happily existing between Greece and Thailand.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

This event might not be a big function but a crucial one whereby we can initiate the learning of each other and bring our two countries with different cultures closer like through the similarity of spice and herb eating culture. I therefore have the pleasure to bring Thai chef from my residence to cook Thai dishes for you. Tonight the Royal Thai Embassy proudly presents Pad Thai Kai (Thai Fried Noodles with Chicken),  Gaeng  Massaman  Nua  (Massaman  Beef  Curry),  Nua   Pad  Prikthaidam

(Fried Beef with Black Pepper), Kai Pad Med Mamuang Himaphan (Fried Chicken with Cashew Nuts), Kratong Tong (Golden Thai Pastry Cups) and Khao Suay (Steamed Thai Jasmine Rice). Thai beverages from Thailand including mango, coconut and pomegranate juice will also be served in this Thai food event.

Actually these Thai dishes are not difficult to cook. Most of the ingredients for Thai dishes are available in local market and Asian grocery shop. I insist that without having to travel to Thailand, everybody can easily cook Thai food by themselves and enjoy Thai dishes at home. Also we have beautiful leaflets about tourism in Thailand, tourist map and colorful documents on amazing taste of Thailand and fruits from Thailand available for all of you to take home.     

                    And without much ado, I would like to thanks Mayor of Lefkada, all staffs of Municipality of Lefkada and Lefkas Cultural Center for such a wonderful arrangement of this event for the presentation of Thailand, Thai Food and Tourism in the city of Lefkada.                 

                    Thank you very much for your kind attention.