Minister and Deputy Chief of Mission visits Sendai City

06/06/2025

Mrs. Vipavee Rangsimaporn, Minister and Deputy Chief of Mission, visited Sendai City, Miyagi Prefecture on 6-7 June 2025 to attend the annual meeting of the Sendai-Thai Economic Friendship Association and the opening ceremony of the 13th Thai Festival in Sendai.

On 6 June 2025, the Minister delivered the opening remarks at the annual meeting of the Sendai-Thai Economic Friendship Association at Palace Heian, which was attended by Mr. KOBAYASHI Norimitsu, Deputy Governor of Miyagi Prefecture, and Mr. FUJIMOTO Akira, Vice Mayor of Sendai City. On this occasion, the Minister commended the Association for its proactive role in bridging Thailand and Japan closer, especially at the people-to-people level. She also emphasized that Thailand and Sendai City could intensify cooperation in the areas of trade and investment and tourism, as well as expand cooperation to areas in which both sides have mutual potential and shared interests such as advanced electronics, automobile and food industries. At the same time, the Japanese side expressed their enthusiasm for Thailand to re-open direct flights from Thailand to Sendai.

The Minister also co-presided over the opening ceremony of the 13th Thai Festival in Sendai on 7 June 2025, with Mr. IWAKI Toshihiro, Director of Sendai Culture and Tourism Bureau, and Mr. NISHIMAKI Jun, Chair of the Organizing Committee of the Thai Festival in Sendai. In her remarks, the Minister expressed her appreciation to the Organizing Committee for their hard work in organizing the festival, which helps encourage the people of Sendai city and Miyagi Prefecture to gain a deeper understanding and knowledge about Thailand.

The 13th Thai Festival in Sendai was held on 7-8 June 2025 at Kotodai Park. The Festival attracted around 54,000 visitors and hosted 32 booths offering Thai cuisine and products. The Festival also featured Thai cultural performances and Muay Thai demonstrations. Moreover, the Royal Thai Embassy also organized the “Creative Thailand” exhibition with an aim to showcase Thailand’s success in combining Thailand’s rich cultural traditions and local wisdom with modern innovation and transforming them into value-added products in five key sectors, namely entertainment and gaming, fashion and design, as well as Muay Thai.