VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

The Indonesian Embassy in Bangkok in collaboration with Walailak University in Thailand held an Indonesian Festival on July 17-18. This activity consisted of an introduction to Indonesian arts and culture, Indonesian dance workshops, Indonesian language workshops, Indonesian song workshops, and workshops on Indonesian musical instruments, namely the Angklung. In an official statement from the Indonesian Embassy in Bangkok received in Jakarta on Wednesday (19/7), it stated that the event was officially opened by the Education and Culture Attaché of the Indonesian Embassy in Bangkok, Achmad Wicaksono. He also said Indonesia and Thailand had good relations that existed long before Indonesia's independence.

Besides, Ahmad Wicaksono has  also pointed out that the good relations between the two countries have continued to develop to date in various fields of cooperation thanks to the active role of various stakeholders in both countries, including Walailak University which has had several Memorandum of Understandings on educational cooperation with several universities in Indonesia. The Indonesian Festival is a promotional effort in Indonesia on an ongoing basis to the people of Thailand. According to Wicaksono, this activity is a forum for the younger generation of Thailand to get to know Indonesia closer and better so that people-to-people contact is expected to be established between the people of Indonesia and Thailand.

Meanwhile the President of Walailak University, Prof. Dr. Sombat Thamrongthanyawong expressed his appreciation for organizing this activity. He further said with the many artistic and cultural similarities between Indonesia and Thailand, the two countries had various opportunities for cooperation to continue to develop. The first day of holding the Indonesian Festival began with an introduction to the richness of Indonesian art and culture by the Education and Culture Attache. Then, this activity was  followed by an Indonesian language workshop, a traditional Indonesian dance workshop, namely Beksan Smarasanta, an Angklung workshop, and a workshop on traditional Indonesian songs, namely "Rasa Sayange." The workshop activities were attended by students from various majors. For a full day they studied Indonesian art and culture carefully. Furthermore, everything learned on the first day was displayed on July 18, 2023 at the Si Thammarat Auditorium which was attended by students, lecturers, including the Indonesian Ambassador in Bangkok.

Moreover, on the second day of the Indonesian Festival,there was also  a public lecture with the theme "Indonesian Foreign Politics and Bilateral Cooperation between Indonesia and Thailand" delivered by the Indonesian Ambassador to the Kingdom of Thailand and UN ESCAP, Rachmat Budiman. To increase students' knowledge at Walailak University regarding Indonesia, for two days, an Indonesian booth was also exhibited which promoted Indonesia's wealth from tourism to handicraft products. This Indonesian Festival activity is the first activity carried out by the Indonesian Embassy in Bangkok with Walailak University and will be a good starting point for carrying out other activities to promote Indonesian arts and culture in the future