On 3 December 2020, Ms. Pattarat Hongtong, Director-General of the Thailand International Cooperation Agency (TICA) delivered her opening remarks for the Online Training Programme on Exchange of Experiences and Good Practices in Wellness and Spa & Community-Based Tourism (CBT)  (via pre-recoded video), held between 3-17 December 2020.

The Programme is an encouraging start of the active partnership between Thailand and Colombia in the area of sustainable tourism, especially wellness and spa & Community-Based Tourism (CBT). The cooperation comes under the umbrella of the 3-year Development Cooperation Programme between the two countries during the years of 2019 and 2021.

It has taken root from the tourism attributes that Thailand and Colombia are endowed with, and the mutual interests in developing them into a sector that would help expand the scope of cooperation between the two countries.

The Director-General expressed appreciation to the Colombian counterpart agencies, namely,
The Colombian Presidential Agency of International Cooperation (APC), Colombia Productiva and the Embassy of the Republic of Colombia to Thailand and other relevant Colombian institutions for their active engagement and partnerships. The Director-General also thanked Burapha University, Thailand for organising this online training programme.

In this regard, Mrs. Ana Maria Prieto Aba, Ambassador of the Republic of Colombia to Thailand jointly delivered her opening remarks via pre-recorded video, expressing appreciation to the Thailand International Cooperation Agency (TICA), Burapha University, Thailand for working actively along with the Colombian counterpart agencies in organising the programme.
Additionally, Her Excellency the Ambassador addressed the Colombian participants that the programme is a ‘unique opportinity’ to learn from Thailand’s wide ranging experience and expertise in the tourism industries.

The Online Training is attended by 26 participants from the Colombian public and private sector including entrepreneurs from the tourism industry. The participants have shown their enthusiasm and active participation in learning from Thailand in the areas of wellness, spa & Community-Based Tourism (CBT).