Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn of Thailand visited Laos on 12 January in her first trip to Laos after six years. The visit came as a response to an invitation from Lao Vice President Pany Yathotou, emphasizing the ongoing commitment to strengthening the relationship between Laos and Thailand.
The highlight of Princess Sirindhorn’s agenda was the joint commemoration of the 30th anniversary of the establishment of the Houayson-Houaysua Agriculture Service and Development Center.
The Thai royal and the Lao vice president ceremoniously cut a ribbon, symbolizing three decades of the center’s pivotal role in agricultural education and technical cooperation under the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry.
Under the ministry’s purview, the center plays a crucial role in agricultural cooperation, providing education on crop and animal cultivation to farmers, business operators, and students. The aim is to encourage diversification in the species farmed.
During her visit, Princess Sirindhorn also planted a tree in a crop-growing area in Naxaythong district, further commemorating the occasion.
Later that day, Princess Sirindhorn visited an ethnic and cultural school at km 67, a project she has supported since 1992. Her financial backing included the construction of a teachers’ office and a women’s dormitory, along with providing teaching equipment valued at over THB 2.7 million (approximately USD 77,253.24).
To conclude her visit, the princess met with Lao President Thongloun Sisoulith, discussing the positive relations between Laos and Thailand. Thongloun commended the Princess’s visit for strengthening cooperative ties and expressed gratitude on behalf of the Lao government and people for the continuous support of various projects by Princess Sirindhorn and the Thai royal family.
Impressed by the country’s development, Princess Sirindhorn expressed optimism for the future and her belief in the ongoing strengthening of bilateral ties. The Princess departed Laos in the evening, returning to Thailand at 9:45 pm with an aircraft provided by the Thai Air Force Army.
