Taiwan Today

Vice President and Prime Minister C. K. Yen made an official visit to Thailand January 4-10 at the invitation of Prime Minister Thanom Kittikachorn. Accom­panying him were Mrs. Yen, Economic Minister K. T. Li, Vice Foreign Minister Sampson Shen and Mrs. Shen, Vice De­fense Minister Ma Chi-chuang, Govern­ment Information Office Director James Wei, Foreign Ministry East Asia and Pacific Affairs Department Director Tien Pao-tai. Foreign Ministry Protocol Director Konsin C. Shah, Executive Yuan Second Department Director Paul T. M. King, Executive Yuan Counselor Chen Chung-chang, Foreign Ministry Secretary Chang Teh-hui and Taiwan Power Company Hospital Superintendent Liu Hao-chuan. This was the scene as the party waved farewell and prepared to board their special aircraft for the flight from Taipei to Bangkok.

Arriving at the Chiengmai airport, Vice President C. K. Yen and his host Prime Minister Thanom Kittikachorn hold palms together in the graceful, prayerlike Thai gesture of greeting that symbolizes hope for peace (top). Chiengmai is famous for its beautiful girls, and dressed in colorful Thai silks, they were on hand to greet the Vice President. A parasol factory near the northern metropolis drew the attention of C. K. Yen, who has been one of the prime movers in Taiwan industrialization (bottom, left). At right the Vice President and his party are shown at Bhumibol Dam, Thailand's largest, in Tak province.

Rice is Thailand's principal crop and an important export. The rice is packaged in gunny bags and the Vice President saw a modern plant making the materials for these sacks (left). Everywhere he went the Thais wanted him to take home examples of their handicrafts. Those of northern Thailand are especially attractive. At Chiengmai he received a wooden elephant and other souvenirs from a local leader (right). The Vice President had many reciprocal gifts for his Thai hosts. At a reception given by Ambassador to Thailand Peng Meng-chi, Vice Presi­dent Yen decorated 24 ranking officials of Thailand.

Thailand and China have a centuries-long history of peaceful and friendly relations. This was reflected in the red carpet welcome that Vice President Yen received everywhere he went in the Kingdom. At the Bangkok airport to give the Vice President an embrace of welcome (top left) was an old friend, Prime Minister Thanom Killikachorn, who visited Tai­wan in 1967. The social highlight of the trip was the dinner King Bhumibol Adulyadej and Queen Sirikit gave in honor of the Yens the even­ing of January 7 (top right). Vice President Yen delivered to His Maj­esty a personal letter from President Chiang Kai-shek (bottom left). Queen Sirikit had a gift for Mrs. Yen (bottom right). The meeting between Vice President Yen and Their Majesties took place in the lovely northern city of Chiengmai. The Chinese statesman and his party saw something of the countryside and the development of industry in the northern provinces.

Thailand is a land of temples. The Vice Presi­dent and his group visited many of them and paid their respects to the Kingdom's Buddhist leaders and priests. From left, top: Court­yard of the Chedia Luang Temple in Chiengmai; ancient structure of the Phra Singh Temple in Chiengmai; and the Temple of Emerald Buddha in Bangkok (the visitors are Mrs. Yen, right, and Mrs. Sampson Shen). From left, bottom: the Vice President inside the Phra Singh Temple; lighting a joss stick as an offering at the same place of worship; and Mrs. Yen kneeling before altar at the Monkonmopi Temple at Ayud­hya, the ancient capital of Thailand's Kings. Vice President Yen made a contribution to the cause of Thai Buddhism, which is a powerful force in the life of the Kingdom. All Thai men serve in the priesthood, including the King. At the old capital, Vice President Yen visited one temple that is said to honor Cheng Ho, who made many trips to Southeast Asia in Ming times.

Clad in Thai doctoral gown, Vice Pres­ident Yen received a PhD in political science from famed Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok (top). The large overseas Chinese population of Thailand extended a warm welcome. At center, representatives of all overseas communities in the Kingdom presented their banners to the Vice President, while the picture at the bottom shows Chinese lined up to greet C. K. Yen and his party in Chiengmai. More than 1,200 Chinese turned out for one reception in Bang­kok. The visitor repeatedly expressed hope that Chinese will make increasing contributions to the prosperity and pro­gress of Thailand. In a joint commu­nique issued at the end of the Vice Pres­ident's visit, Thailand and China agreed that in the face of Communist aggression, "the free nations should height­en their vigilance and seek effective means to safeguard their security". They will seek unity for regional defense.