Bangkok in Shantou: Celebrating 50 Years of Thai-Chinese Relations

Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt, accompanied by his executive team, visited Shantou—a dynamic city in Guangdong Province, China—from February 20 to 23, 2025. During the trip, the delegation met with Mr. Huen Chanpin, the Secretary-General of the Communist Party for Shantou Municipality. This encounter was arranged to deepen longstanding ties and explore practical opportunities for collaboration, as it marked both the 25th  anniversary of the sister-city relationship between Bangkok and Shantou and the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties between Thailand and China. The meeting was held at the Shantou Municipal Party Office.

Governor Chadchart expressed his warm welcome and highlighted the close, almost familial bond linking Bangkok and Shantou—especially significant as many overseas Chinese in Thailand trace their roots to this vibrant city. He outlined four key areas for future cooperation:

• Establishing a special economic zone to attract investors;
• Partnering on clean energy projects with a focus on wind power—a field where Shantou has proven expertise;
• Sharing knowledge in traditional Chinese medicine to enhance healthcare services across Bangkok’s hospitals;
• Boosting industrial collaboration to further develop Bangkok’s urban economy, including sectors such as textiles and toy manufacturing.

In a symbolic gesture of unity, Governor Chadchart and Shantou Mayor Chen Tao, along with other city officials, participated in a tree-planting ceremony. They planted a banyan tree to represent growth, prosperity, and enduring friendship. Later, the Bangkok delegation visited the renowned Shantou Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital, a national leader known for blending traditional practices with modern treatments. Here, the governor proposed a partnership with Bangkok’s hospitals to establish a center for traditional Chinese medicine, foster knowledge exchange, and even introduce an Eastern Medicine course at Nawaminthrachinuthit University.

The visit also took the delegation to the southern coast of Shantou, where they examined the “Huaneng Shantou Lemen (II)” wind power project. This initiative, featuring 54 offshore wind turbines, generates 2,000 million kilowatt-hours of clean energy annually and offers valuable lessons that could be applied to similar projects in Bangkok’s Bang Khun Thian district, which shares a comparable coastal landscape.

The tour concluded with a visit to Shantou’s Digital City Management Command Center, where officials explored how modern technology and integrated legal frameworks are used to manage urban services such as bike-sharing, parking, and emergency alerts. The journey ended in the historic Chinghai district region from which over 100,000 residents have migrated to Siam over the years. The district also features a monument to King Taksin, built in 2327 BE by local relatives and served as the setting for discussions on boosting cultural tourism and historical exchange.

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