Thai embassy donates books to QU Library

The Thai embassy in Doha donated a collection of 80 books to Qatar University (QU) Library as part of the activities to commemorate the 41st anniversary of diplomatic relations between Thailand and Qatar.

Nathapol Khantahiran, ambassador of Thailand to Qatar, was welcomed by Dr Hassan al-Derham, president of QU; Dr Omar al-Ansari, vice-president for Academic Affairs; Cesar Wazen, director of the International Affairs Office; and Asma al-Buainain, acting director of QU Library.During the donation ceremony held at QU Library, the ambassador said: “Thailand has had close ties with Qatar in several aspects ranging from political, economic, trade and investment, socio-cultural and educational relations. In terms of education, Qatar University is indeed the oldest and most prestigious academic institution in Qatar and has long been offering academic excellence and massive learning resources for students and scholars across Qatar. We are also very thankful that Qatar University has provided scholarships for Thai students to study Arabic language and undergraduate degrees at Qatar University."Khantahiran said it is a great honour for him to present to Qatar University, on behalf of the Thai government and people, the donation of 80 books about Thailand to commemorate the 41st anniversary of diplomatic relations between Thailand and Qatar. The books cover a variety of topics, ranging from Thai history, the sufficiency economy philosophy of King Bhumibol Adulyadej, Thai arts and culture, architecture, tourism, Thai culinary traditions and Muay Thai to Thai language studies, contemporary Thai culture and the lives of the Muslim-Thai population. "We hope the contributions will promote better understanding about Thailand among students, faculty members and scholars interested in the topic. We wish these books will inspire them to learn more about the rich culture and heritage of Thailand and bring the peoples of the two countries closer together. I would like to thank Qatar University for this fruitful partnership and kind collaboration in this project," he added.Dr al-Derham spoke at the event, saying: “At Qatar University, we pride ourselves on being an internationalised institution with a diverse community. This donation represents a very important addition to our library and we are grateful for the generosity by the embassy of Thailand for their contribution, which will enrich our collections.”Al-Buainain added, “We are pleased with the Thai embassy’s book donation that will not only enrich the library’s collections but also deepen the knowledge and understanding of the rich Thai culture, traditions, language and various aspects.”