People encouraged to wear Thai clothes in honour of HM Queen

BANGKOK, August 4 (TNA) - Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-ocha has invited Thai people to wear Thai costumes throuhout this month, August, to honour Her Majesty Queen Sirikit in the auspicious occasion of Her Majesty's 83rd birthday anniversary on August 12, which is also the National Mother's Day, and to show love to their mothers. While meeting a group of mulberry growers for Thai silk production from the northeastern Maha Sarakham Province at Bangkok's Government House on Tuesday morning, before the Cabinet's weekly meeting, Prime Minister General Prayut said his invitation for Thais to wear Thai clothes, especially Thai silk clothes, this month is to also show public gratitude to Her Majesty the Queen for her contribution to the development of Thai silk clothes in order to improve the quality of life of local silk farmers. On the occasion, the prime minister was presented Thai silk fabrics by the farmers, led to meet him by the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, to thank him for his promotion and support of Thai silk and to campaign on "buying Thai silk for mothers”, marking the National Mother’s Day on August 12. The prime minister suggested that more different types and prices of Thai silk products be introduced for market sales in accordance with their quality, and that local farmers follow His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej's advice on earning their living based on the Sufficiency Economy Principle. The Ministry of Culture also led a group of students to meet the prime minister to promote a Thai silk fair, aimed to campaign and encourage people, both Thais and foreigners, to wear Thai textiles in honour of Her Majesty the Queen on the auspicious occasion of Her Majesty's 83rd birthday on August 12. In another activity marking the National Mother's Day on August 12, the Ministry of Labour has sent a Likay troupe, a traditional Thai musical folk performance, to Israel to boost morale of Thai workers and to publicise Thai arts and culture there, as part of Thailand's grand celebrations of Her Majesty the Queen's 83rd birthday and National Mother's Day. Permanent Secretary for Labour Nakhon Silpa-archa told reporters that his ministry has cooperated with the Thai Embassy to Israel to send the Likay troupe from the Christian Communications Institute (CCI) of Payap University in the Thai North to the Middle East nation. The over 20 Thai Likay performers departed for Israel on Monday night to first participate in the Bethlehem Festival on August 7 and to then travel to the First Station in Jerusalem on August 10 to perform the traditional Thai musical folk. According to the senior official, the Thai Likay troupe will also perform at the Thai Embassy to Israel on August 12, before returning to Thailand. (TNA)