On 19 September 2022, Miss Acharapan Yavaprapas, Consul-General of Thailand in Kolkata participated in the handover ceremony of medical equipment contribution to the Community Healthcare Centre, Bodhgaya, State of Bihar. Shri Dr. Ranjan Kumar Singh, Gaya Civil Surgeon, Shri Nilesh Kumar, District Project Manager, Gaya District Health Society, Shri Dr. Manoj Kumar, Medical Officer-in-Charge, and other esteemed members of Community Healthcare Centre, Bodhgaya, including Thai monks in Bodhgaya were present at the ceremony. The contribution was done under the project entitled ‘The Royal Thai Government’s Initiative to Promote Public Health Capacities in Eastern India’.

In her remarks, Consul-General highlighted close religious, spiritual and people-to-people ties between Thailand and Bodhgaya which is deeply revered by Thai people as the Land of Lord Buddha’s Enlightenment. She also underscored Thailand’s belief that healthcare is a basic human right and should be accessible by all peoples as well as the international recognition for Thailand’s high-quality healthcare service and medical tourism destination, which Thailand is ready to share its experience to other countries.

Moreover, she summarised extensive mutual assistance between Thailand and India to address the challenges of COVID-19 Pandemic, in which both countries have been providing one another with oxygen concentrators and vaccines in time of great need. At the end of ceremony, she handed-over to the Community Healthcare Centre, Bodhgaya 2 sets of patient vital sign monitors, 1 set of electrocardiograph and 13 sets of wireless hearing aids.

This project is carried out on the auspicious occasion of the 75th Anniversary of the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations between Thailand and India in 2022. The project aims to benefit both local community and Thai Buddhist monks and laypersons in Bodhgaya as well as to promote goodwill and friendship between peoples of both countries.