Thailand, Sri Lanka deepen ties at 70 years

Shared faith and friendship define the milestone, writes Chairith Yonpiam

- BY CHAIRITH YONPIAM

A ceremonial elephant leads the royal 'kathin' procession to Malwathu Maha Viharaya in honour of the offering in Kandy.

(PHOTOS BY CHAIRITH YONPIAM)

As Thailand and Sri Lanka mark 70 years of formal diplomatic relations next Thursday, both nations celebrate not only modern cooperation but a spiritual and cultural bond that has endured for more than seven centuries.

The friendship, rooted deeply in shared Theravāda Buddhist traditions, has long transcended political and economic realms.

Yet, amid this goodwill, a delicate diplomatic issue has emerged. The Thai government has announced its intention to repatriate two elephants it gifted to Sri Lanka nearly four decades ago as “ambassadors of goodwill”.

The decision, coinciding with the anniversary year, follows concerns over the animals' deteriorating health after years of participation in religious processions, sparking sensitive negotiations between Bangkok and Colombo.

The spiritual ties between Thailand and Sri Lanka form the bedrock of their enduring friendship. Both nations, among the world's leading Buddhist countries, have long supported each other in preserving and propagating the faith.

In the mid-18th century, when Buddhism in Sri Lanka faced near extinction under European colonial rule, King Borommakot (1733-1758) of Ayutthaya sent a delegation of Thai monks led by Phra Upali to revive the Buddhist order. The mission established the Siam Nikaya, a major monastic lineage that remains central to Sri Lankan Buddhism today.

The sacred bond continued through royal visits. King Chulalongkorn (Rama V) made a pilgrimage to the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic, or Sri Dalada Maligawa, in Kandy in 1897, while His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej (Rama IX), Her Majesty Queen Sirikit and members of the royal family later strengthened the relationship through cultural and religious exchanges.