| Thai Food News |
2008-07-06 |
Thai PM Shows Celebrity Skills To Cheering Crowds
Bandar Seri Begawan - The Prime Minister of Thailand, Mr Samak Sundaravej, yesterday cooked a few dishes as he decided to show his culinary skills to a cheering Thai community.
Being a celebrity chef before becoming Thailand's Prime Minister, Mr Sundravej cooked three dishes to the delight of his countrymen.
Earlier he launched the Thai Fair 2008 at the Royal Thai Embassy at Bunut.
During the launch Mr Sundaravej proceeded to deliver his speech where he urged traders and entrepreneurs from Thailand to bring in only the best quality fruits and food products for sale in Brunei.
He also showed a special interest in the luscious durian fruits displayed at the fair and explained how to choose the best fruit.
Urging Thai vendors to uphold the image of Thailand while claiming Thailand only exports the highest quality food items particularly in terms of delicacies such as durians and mangoes, he proceeded to explain the goodness of the fruits.
The Prime Minister also said that his visit to Brunei was part of a traditional custom as the new Prime Minister of Thailand.
Mr Samak Sundaravej was elected as Thailand's 25th Prime Minister on January 28, 2008.
His visit to Brunei Darussalam is also a commemoration of the 25th Anniversary of the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations between Brunei Darussalam and Thailand.
After delivering his speech, the Prime Minister then proceeded to the ribbon cutting ceremony before touring and mingling with participants at the fair.
The fair displayed a variety of Thai products, particularly those from the OTOP scheme (One Tambon, One Product), a project of the Thai Government to support the local communities in the rural areas.
Authentic Thai food and Thai fruits, which are very popular among Bruneians were also available at the fair.
Meanwhile, the Ambassador of Thailand to Brunei, Mr Phithak Phrombubpha, in his welcoming address, spoke of the close relations between Thailand and Brunei for the past 25 years.
"Brunei's link with Thailand are broad-based and long standing," said the Ambassador adding that a large number of Bruneians visited Thailand, 'The Land of Smiles', every single year and vice-versa," he said
Plans for next year's fair will be expanded to cover other areas such as tourism, cultural performance and martial arts or Thai boxing.
Also present during yesterday's event was the Minister of Communications Pehin Orang Kaya Seri
Kerna Dato Seri Setia Haji Abu Bakar bin Haji Apong and his Deputy, Dato Paduka Dr Haji Mohd Yusof bin Haji Abd Hamid, representatives from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and trade, High Commissioners and Ambassadors in Brunei Darussalam as well as other distinguished guests.
The Thai fair is open to the public until July 18, 2008 from 10am to 9pm at the Royal Thai Embassy in Kg Bunut. -- Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin
http://www.brudirect.com/DailyInfo/News/Archive/July08/050708/nite02.htm
Borneo Bulletin
