In an effort to mesh the cultures of Cambodia and Thailand through art, Bangkok Airways has launched a program called Cambodian-Thai Art and Culture for Peace 2000.
The program brings together 20 Cambodian and 20 Thai artists to collaborate on an exhibit of more than 100 paintings, with proceeds of the exhibit used to improve Cambodian schools.
The Thai artists are currently in Siem Reap, part of a cultural and historic tour of Cambodia, from which they are to draw inspiration for the paintings.
Afterwards, they will collaborate with the Cambodian artists to produce more than 100 paintings for two exhibits.
“Thailand and Cambodia have common cultural origins. We must together make use of the similarities we share,” Thai Ambassador Asiphol Chabchigrchaidol said at a press conference on Tuesday.
The exhibit will run twice in Bangkok—in July at Silpakorn University, and in August at the Samui and Sukhothai airports.
The program calls for the artists to collaborate again in December, for an exhibit to be displayed in Phnom Penh.
But Phnom Penh Governor Chea Sophara said he hopes the program will last longer. “This event is not just for this year, but we hope we can continue it the next year and the next year.”
