Portugal and Thailand Diplomatic Relations - 500th Anniv

Date of Issue: July 20, 2011

Portugal and Thailand Jointly Issued set of four stamps to commemorate 500 years of friendship between the two countries.

In the reign of King Ramathibodi II of the Ayutthaya Period, Portugal was the first Western nation to come into contact with Thailand. There were trade transactions and co-orpration in many areas.

 So, the relationships between Thailand and Portugal dates back almost five centuries when the two countries established diplomatic ties on February 10th, 1859 by the signing of a trade and navigation agreement. In 1981, Thailand opened its first embassy in Lisbon whereas Portugal established its consular office in Bangkok in 1818.

The design in first pair of stamps shows Portuguese trading ships and small house boats of Thailand along the coast of Thailand. The second pair of stamps shows busy harbor life in Thailand in olden days.