On Saturday, 1 June 2024, at 09.30 -11.30 hrs., the Royal Thai Embassy in Canberra organized a Special Guided Walking Tour at the Royal Military College, Duntroon to celebrate the auspicious occasion of His Majesty the King of Thailand’s 6th Cycle Birthday Anniversary on 28 July 2024.

Approximately 100 participants joined this special event, including officials from the Royal Thai Embassy and Team Thailand agencies in Australia, along with their spouses and family members, and members of the Thai Community in Canberra. Also attending were foreign dignitaries and Friends of Thailand, including Lieutenant General Simon Stuart, AO, DSC, Chief of the Australian Army, Brigadier Jason Groat, CSC, DSM, Commandant Land Combat College, The Honourable David Smith, MP for Bean, Mr. Brendan Smyth, ACT’s Commissioner for International Engagement, and representatives from ASEAN diplomatic missions in Canberra and Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

At around 9:30 hrs., H.E. Ms. Arjaree Sriratanaban, Ambassador of Thailand to Australia, presided over a ceremony to pay homage to His Majesty King Maha Vajiralongkorn Phra Vajiraklaochaoyuhua, held on the front lawn of Patterson Hall. In her opening remarks, the Ambassador emphasized the significance of this event, which would provide a unique opportunity for participants to come together to honour His Majesty the King and learn about His Majesty’s experiences during His time studying at the Royal Military College Duntroon. This chapter in history is an important part of the Thai-Australian diplomatic relations, which turn 72 this year, also marking the 6th cycle. The Ambassador expressed her gratitude to the Royal Military College Duntroon for their hospitality and for providing officers to facilitate the event, and to the Duntroon Society for kindly providing honorary guides to lead the participants through the institution’s important locations and share stories that hold fond memories for His Majesty the King.

Afterward, four honorary volunteer tour guides from the Duntroon Society, some of whom had studied at Duntroon during the same period as His Majesty the King, led the participants on a walking tour of various locations within the college. These included Duntroon House, the tree planted by His Majesty, General Bridges’ Grave, the Obstacle Course, the Parade Ground, the student accommodation where His Majesty once lived, and the RMC-D Headquarters. The honorary tour guides shared stories and notable events about His Majesty’s time. Following the tour, the participants watched a documentary about His Majesty the King’s time in Australia in the auditorium of the Military Instruction (MI) Block. The documentary, completed in 2020 by the Australian Embassy in Bangkok, honours His Majesty’s time spent in Australia from 1970 to 1976.

The special guided walking tour event is one of the activities that the Royal Thai Embassy in Canberra, together with the Royal Thai Consulate-General in Sydney and Team Thailand agencies in Australia, will be holding to mark the auspicious occasion of His Majesty the King of Thailand’s 6th Cycle Birthday Anniversary.