Cultural Exchange
‘JJ’ Jeremy Johanson
‘La Fete’ premiered with the contemporary French ballet Rave, an outstanding performance that was attended by Her Majesty Queen Sirikit.
Thailand and France have enjoyed a long relationship for over a hundred years, since the Ayuthaya Period, and there have been continuous cultural exchanges between them. But since 2002, these exchanges are growing. This is exemplified by the French Cultural Festival ‘La Fete’.
‘La Fete’, or festival in French, encompasses a wide variety of artistic and cultural expressions, from visual arts to music, from classical to contemporary, from cinema to gastronomy, with lots of dance and even circus, over a period of 40 days, ending with French Independence Day ‘Bastille Day’, on the 14th of July. But this festival is actually only the first half of this cultural exchange, as the Thai Cultural Festival is currently in its planning stages and will take place in France in 2005. These two festivals are under the responsibilities of the Thai Ministry of Culture and the French Ministry of Culture and Communication, as well as other Thai and French private and government agencies.
To complement this festival, the city of Bangkok was featured in an exceptional week-end edition of the international French television channel TV5. For 24 hours, documentaries, films and live interviews with many special guests honoured our City of Angels. But this cultural happening is not lost. You can still experience it through a French cyber-postcard at www.tv5.org/TV5Bangkok.
***
|
|
MR Chakrarot ChitrabongsPermanent Secretary – Ministry of Culture“This festival is held in order to strengthen the relationship between Thailand and France and is the result of the official visit to France by Dr. Thaksin Shinawatra, Prime Minister of Thailand, by the invitation of Mr. Jean-Pierre Raffarin, Prime Minister of France, from May 12–13 2003. This was the first Prime Ministerial visit since the last official visit of the late Prime Minister Chatchai Chunhawan in 1989. The official visit of the Thai Prime Minister in 2003 has not only confirmed the close relationship between the two countries but has also raised awareness in France of the significance of Thailand in the Southeast Asian region. Thailand and France are ready to cooperate with each other on the basis of mutual benefit. This was an outstanding opportunity to open a new era of partnership and cooperation between the two countries. As part of a joint statement, both countries agreed on cultural cooperation for the organisation of a French Cultural Festival in Thailand in 2004 and a Thai Cultural Festival in France in 2005.” |
 |
Laurent AublinFrench Ambassador to Thailand“We are proud to dedicate this first “La Fête” to Her Majesty Queen Sirikit for her sixth cycle birthday, as it celebrates the deep roots and the richness of the historic and ever actual interactions between the French and Thai cultures. This is the first time that the French Embassy, together with the Thai Ministry of Culture, is undertaking an initiative of this magnitude. “La Fête” is a common undertaking between the two governments, but also between the states and the civil society of both countries, as it involves a series of French and Thai cultural institutions and corporations. Our main goal is to please the public by bringing to it something unusual, fresh and diversified, giving an idea of the present currents of creativity that exist in a country like France. But “La Fête” is also an opening to the Thai culture, especially Thai contemporary culture and artistic creation, and it will act as a springboard for the Thai cultural festival that will take place in France next year.” |
 |
Khunying Genevieve DamonBallet Teacher“I came to Thailand 50 years ago and the first ballet I did here had its music composed by his Majesty King Bhumibol and some of the costumes were made by Pierre Balmain, who also dressed Her Majesty Queen Sirikit. This was already the start of good cultural relations, Thai music coupled with French costumes. It was the Thai story of Manurat, and we preformed it in Classical Ballet, on ‘toes’, while keeping the beautiful Thai hand movements. Now, it is going further. There are many things from France that Thais can enjoy. But, the French also have many things to enjoy from Thailand and will be able to come into contact with Thai culture. But most importantly, we have to understand that you can always learn from others. I personally learned a lot when I came to Thailand. Thais are very tolerant people. A few hundred years ago, when religious clerics came to try and convert King Narai to another religion, he said; ‘We are all children under the same God.” You can learn a lot from Thais. They have a philosophy and wisdom. And, when things get bad, just smile. It’s the best solution. This is what we need in today’s troubled world, wisdom capable of stopping all the global violence and killing. Why are people getting killed when discussion is a possibility? This is very important. Cultural interaction can always plant the roots for dialogue.” |
 |
Chansuda RukspollmuangDirector – Eternal Relations Division, Office of the Permanent Secretary for Culture“At the Thai Festival in France, we would like to showcase several aspects of Thai culture and art. We will certainly feature traditional Thai performing arts such as Khon performances. We will also have a Thai exhibition with the cooperation of contemporary Thai artists here in Bangkok, including paintings and photos, as well as a Thai Film Festival. This kind of media will help to show the Thai way of life. We might also hold seminars and workshops in cooperation with other agencies in the field of culture. These reciprocal cultural festivals in each country serve to promote our respective arts and culture to the people. We are trying to reach the general public as much as possible. Cultural activities are a means to bring people together, enjoying themselves with the values that these arts communicate. It is also the opportunity to exchange and learn from each other, since we are quite different.” |
 |
Beatrice MassinChoreographer – Cie des Fêtes Galantes
“French people are very interested in Asian traditions and culture. The sharing of our cultures can only lead to mutual enrichment and serve as an important new discovery for the French. We have shown a lot of interest in Indian Dance and Balinese Dance and it’s time for Thai Culture to take its place in the panorama of Asian culture in France. Exchange between cultures and countries is always essential. It can deeply transform people’s way of thinking. French Baroque Dance has an important role to play in this exchange, because Baroque Dance is extremely codified. It was famous in the 17th century but French people completely forgot it for over 2 centuries. This dance was originally performed for King Louis XIV, and is as important and precise as Thai Dance. So we have given re-birth to this traditional form of dance which was lost. The rituals of Thai Dance, with its codification, are not very different from Baroque Dance. The precision of the hand gestures, rhythms and the contact with the floor are very similar. All of these features where noted and became rules of the art, an obligation to do things a certain way, and not another way. So today, we can use this code in a more innovative way. We are free to use it to create a new language and invent new creations.” |
|
|
.
• Home • 89+ Columns • ‘What Is?’ •
• ThaiWais TV • Why? ThaiWais • About ThaiWais • ’JJ’ •
.
.
ThaiWais 
Leave a comment