Bangkok: Paethongtarn Shinawatra, Prime Minister and Minister of Culture, convened a meeting to strategize the acceleration of Thai cultural missions, aiming to expedite the nomination of key Thai cultural elements to preliminary lists and organize international cultural activities by the year’s end.
According to Thai News Agency, Ms. Shinawatra shared on social media that the Ministry of Culture’s meeting aims to clarify and enhance Thai cultural missions, fostering public awareness and achieving substantial outcomes by the end of the year. The meeting’s agenda focuses on setting directions for the latter half of the year and expediting crucial agendas related to Thai culture across various dimensions, from policy work to international events.
The primary objective is to elevate Thai culture’s prominence and instill pride both within Thailand and globally. The Ministry is advancing four main approaches, including driving the process of registering World Heritage Sites. This involves hastening the preparation of documents to nominate vital Thai cultures to the Tentative List and establishing guidelines for area management that promote conservation, education, economic value creation, and sustainable cultural tourism.
Another approach is supporting the Thai creative industry by accelerating tax incentives for films and cultural industries. This aims to foster new driving forces for Thai soft power to flourish internationally, with plans to propel Thai creative media as a channel for systematic public relations of Thai products and culture, aligning with the country’s economic strategy for the coming year.
Furthermore, the Ministry plans to organize international cultural events, notably the Thailand Biennale, Phuket 2025. This event will be a significant platform to highlight Thai artists’ talents and promote awareness of Thai culture in a modern context, aiming to reach a broader audience.
Additionally, the Ministry is committed to promoting awareness of Thai culture, unique traditions, and national treasures. This includes urging relevant agencies to produce accessible knowledge media to prevent misunderstandings in society regarding ancient sites, antiques, Thai consonants, and literature. Activities will be organized to foster societal participation and appreciation of Thailand’s cultural heritage, both domestically and internationally.
Ms. Shinawatra expressed her team’s dedication to making Thai culture promotion more aligned with modernity, systematic, and continuous, emphasizing Thai identity that reflects the value of Thai people and garners appreciation from foreigners. She anticipates that many projects will soon show tangible progress, becoming a vital source of encouragement for Thai people to take pride in their heritage.