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9 Feb, 2025

The Siam Society boosts culture, heritage links with Saudi Research and Archives Foundation

Bangkok – Relations between Thailand and Saudi Arabia took another small but significant step forward with the signing of a Memorandum of Cooperation between two of the countries’ leading institutions of culture, history and heritage. The agreement will further cement a rapidly expanding multi-sectoral Alliance of Civilisations between the world’s two major Buddhist and Islamic kingdoms since their peace-making diplomatic patch-up in January 2022.

Designed to advance an exchange of knowledge and research in the fields of history, heritage conservation and art, the Memorandum of Cooperation was signed on 03 February 2025 between Thailand’s preeminent cultural institution, The Siam Society, and Saudi Arabia’s King Abdulaziz Foundation for Research and Archives (DARAH), represented respectively by Mrs Bilaibhan Sampatisiri, President, and Mr Turki bin Mohammed Alshuwaier, Chief Executive Officer.

After the signing, Mr Turki had an opportunity to visit The Siam Society’s Library and Rare Book Collection to see resources and rare documents on the art and history of the Arabian Peninsula and Siam that have been preserved in the library.

He was accompanied during his visit by Mr Abdulrahman Abdulaziz Alsuhaibani, the Saudi Ambassador to Thailand, Mr Humid Abdulrahman H. Al Humid, Director of Public Diplomacy of the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mrs Somlak Charoenpot, The Siam Society’s Vice President, The Siam Society’s Executive Director Khun Kanitha Kasina-Ubol, Council Members, and officials from DARAH.

Mr Turki’s visit comes exactly one year after members of the Siam Society visited Saudi Arabia for the first study tour in February 2024. During that visit, they visited DARAH premises in Riyadh.

In a statement posted on its Facebook page, the Siam Society expressed the hope that these meetings would “give rise to a better use of our scholarly resources and information, with great potential to yield valuable understanding and insight for the mutual benefit of both organisations.”

Mr Turki and his delegation were also hosted to a dinner by Mrs Bilaibhan at the Nai Lert Park Heritage Home. They also visited the UNESCO Heritage Site of Ayutthaya and the Central Storage of National Museums, Fine Arts Department.

Since the two kingdoms put a 32-year diplomatic dispute behind them in January 2022, trade, tourism and commercial contacts have flourished. Saudi visitor arrivals to Thailand have soared. Emerging groups of young Thai entrepreneurs under the banner of the Thai-Muslim Trade Association have participated in numerous Saudi trade shows and undertaken multiple fam trips to Saudi tourism spots.

Cultural contacts have been a weak point, so far. The links between the Siam Society and DARAH should go a long way towards rectifying that and boosting vitally needed people-to-people contacts amongst the academic and research communities.