VISITING THE AMBASSADOR OF MONGOLIA TO THAILAND—H.E.MR.TUGSBILGUUN TUMURKHULEG

PART 1: ON DIPLOMATIC TIES AND VISITS

Mongolia and the Kingdom of Thailand have been enjoying friendly relations since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1974. Next year, the celebration of 45^th anniversary will be made on establishment of the diplomatic relations between them ,the bilateral relations have been markedly reinvigorated since the early 1990s, when Mongolia started its transition from one-party socialist state and centrally-planned economy to multi-party democracy and free market economy. Thailand was one of the first countries in Southeast Asia to support the democratic reforms by providing technical assistance in human resources development of Mongolia.

There had been so many high-level official visits,with specifically highlighted on importance of the official visits ,which were made by Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn to Mongolia in 1992 and 2009 separately, and the President and Prime Minister of Mongolia to Thailand paid respectively in 1994 and 2005. Thanks to the visits by HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn, Thailand has become very well known to Mongolians.Based on Bilateral agreement signed on the counterparts,business areas and private sectors.

In July 2016, H.E. General Prayut Chan-o-cha, Prime Minister of Thailand attended the 11^th ASEM Summit in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. During his stay in Mongolia, he met with Mongolian President Elbegdorj,the official visits had greatly been contributing to further development of the bilateral ties and deepened the mutual understanding between two sides.

PART 2: ON BILATERIAL TRADINGS

The annual trading volumes between Mongolia and Thailand go around 35 million USD and as of 2017, around 1 billion USD of investments made in Mongolia from Thailand.the items on investment: Mining and Health，Mongolian imports from Thailand include sugar, paper, electronics, heavy machinery equipment, while Mongolian exporting commodities to Thailand mainly consist of raw materials such as molybdenum ore, scarp aluminum and tanned equine and bovine hides. In 2017, Thailand’s export to Mongolia was 33.8 million USD and it represented more than 95 percent of total trade volume between two countries.

PART 3: ON TOURISM

There have been no requiremnet for visa within one month,Thais and Mongolians can stay at length of 30 days in both nations.Recently,Thailand is one of the attractive destination for Mongolian who wish to make leisure and seek for medical cares,Mongolian National Flag carrier MIAT-Mongolian Airlines operated direct flights between Ulaanbaatar and Bangkok from November 2017 to March 2018. It prove that the test flight trip made a successful operation,there have been in need of great demands from passengers between two countries.

In 2016,there were around 9,000 Mongolians visiting to Thailand and only 500 Thais going to see Mongolia. However, with start of the direct flight operation, the increaing numbers of Mongolians visiting to Thailand go up to 20,000. In addition, the winter in Mongolia is very cold and it is not a tourist season, but there were around 5,400 Thais who had visited Mongolia from November to March,further,MIAT Mongolian Airlines will be launching up a direct flight throughout the year from October 2018.

Although there have been so far away betwen Mongolia and Thailand so geographically,but with some of similarities like religion. The both are Buddhist ones in aspects of tradition and culture.Thais would creat feeling of love to visit Mongolia and experience the hospitality, nomadic lifestyle and pristine natural beauty.

As the birthplace of Chinggis Khaan, Mongolia offers the unique natural landscapes, many historical and cultural relics with mystery. Mongolian,still remains its natural tresures and viewed as one of the last nations as destination filled with great adventures in Asia.

Nowsaday,Mongolian Government introduced a series of inspiring measures to improve infrastructure by promoting tourism and has set up the short and medium-term objectives, which will be boosting international arrivals to 2 million by 2020,with high growth potential trends of tourism,which is boosting investments in hotels, tour camps, eco-tourism and foreign tour operators in high demand,over past decade, Mongolia has earned a reputation as a key destination for outdoor and adventure sports related items and other activities, alike trekking, climbing, fishing, hunting, and bird-watching,mainly based on exotic, untouched, wonderful nature and traditional nomadic customs.

PART 4:ON CULTURAL EVENTS

Particularly, the events made by promoting Morin Khuur–the Mongolian traditional musical instrument, registered by UNESCO as one of Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity,In 2016, the initiation of “The project on introduction of Morin Khuur” to Thais in public”, with performances on Khaan Khuur quartet and Naiman Sharga Morin Khuur Orchestra concerts at Bangkok Arts and Culture Centre and Rangsit University.in 2017.

Last year, the Governor of Ulaanbaatar paid an official visit to Bangkok,with both Agreement signed on Establishment of Sister City Relationship between Ulaanbaatar and Bangkok,the Governors on both sides had pledged to make further development and  cooperation in areas of tourism, healthcare, education,sports and others,This year,based on the Agreement, the two cities will be organizing the cultural exchanges on Mongolian Events in Bangkok and Thai Ones in Ulaanbaatar.

[WITH SPECIAL THANKS TO THE EMBASSY AND THE AMBASSADOR OF MONGOLIA TO THAILAND]

REPORTED BY DARWIN