Consulate General of Thailand, Chennai

Royal Thai Consulate-General, Chennai
สถานกงสุลใหญ่ไทย ณ เมืองเจนไน
தாய்லாந்துத் துணைதூதரகம், சென்னை
Thai Garuda emblem
Incumbent
Racha Aribarg
since 2024
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
StyleConsul-General
Inaugural holderSuphot Yanthukij
Formation2005
WebsiteOfficial website

The Consulate General of Thailand in Chennai is the mission of Thailand in South India representing the interests of the Thai government in the region. The other missions in the country are the Royal Thai Embassy in New Delhi and the Royal Thai Consulates General in Kolkata and Mumbai. The Chennai Consulate covers the southern states of Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka and Kerala. The current Consul General is Racha Aribarg. He succeeds Nitirooge Phoneprasert.

Location

The chancery premises of the Royal Thai Consulate-General in Chennai is located at No.116, Chamiers Road, Nandanam, Chennai. with effect from 1 November 2018. Earlier, the chancery, along with the Thai Trade Office, was located at No.116, Chamiers Road, Nandanam, Chennai.[1]

History

Plans to establish a Royal Thai Consulate General in Chennai were implemented in 2003.[2] The consulate was completed in late 2005.[3]

In November 2005, the Consulate General in Chennai opened the first Thailand Visa Application Centre in the city located at Mount Road, Teynampet.[4][5] A new visa application center was inaugurated by Consul-General Krongkanit Rakcharoen at Egmore in 2018.[6]

On 8 October 2006, the Consulate General founded the Thai Student Associations Bangalore (ThaiSAB), a non-profit voluntary union of Thai students pursuing academic and research disciplines around Bangalore.[7]

List of consuls general

  • Mr. Suphot Yanthukij
  • Mr. Chanchai Charanvatnakit
  • Mr. Somsak Triamjangarun
  • Mrs. Krongkanit Rakcharoen (–2019) (First female consul general)
  • Mr. Nitirooge Phoneprasert (2019–2024)[8]
  • Mr. Racha Aribarg (2024–Present)

Functions

In 2009, the Chennai Consulate General issued nearly 300 visas a day, while the Embassy at New Delhi ranked top by processing 600 visas per day. The Chennai Consulate General contributed nearly 20 percent of the annual flow to Thailand.[9]

The Consulate General has under its control the visa application centres located at Chennai, Hyderabad,[10] Bangalore,[11] and Kochi,[12] with the Chennai Consulate assessing all applications.[12] As of 2011, the Chennai centre was receiving 400 to 600 visa applications per day.[13] In October 2022, the Consulate renewed pan-India visa application processing mandate with VFS Global.[14]

Social activities

On 11 October 2010, the Consulate General donated a set of books on cultural history, people, political hierarchy, places and economic significance of Thailand to the Anna Centenary Library at Kotturpuram.[15]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Thai agencies in India". Thai-India Business Information Center. Archived from the original on 29 January 2012. Retrieved 16 February 2012.
  2. ^ "Thailand plans consulate in Chennai". The Hindu. Chennai. 18 May 2003. Archived from the original on 3 September 2003. Retrieved 16 February 2012.
  3. ^ "60 Years of Friendship, Thailand–India" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 16 February 2010. Retrieved 14 February 2012.
  4. ^ "Thailand Visa Application Centre At Chennai". Business Traveller. December 2005. Retrieved 14 February 2012.
  5. ^ "Thailand visa application centre opened in Chennai". The Hindu. Chennai. 10 November 2005. Archived from the original on 26 May 2006. Retrieved 14 February 2012.
  6. ^ BW Online Bureau (17 May 2018). "CKGS Opens Thai Visa Application Centre in Chennai". BWHotelier. Chennai. Retrieved 21 November 2020.
  7. ^ "About Us". ThaiSAB. Archived from the original on 15 February 2012. Retrieved 14 February 2012.
  8. ^ "Consul General calls for stronger ties between industries in Coimbatore and Thailand". The Hindu. Chennai. 31 January 2020. Retrieved 21 November 2020.
  9. ^ "Thai Tourism woos India". News Today. 8 July 2009. Retrieved 29 February 2012.[permanent dead link‍]
  10. ^ "Visa centre for Thailand opens in Hyderabad". The Hindu. Hyderabad. 3 June 2011. Retrieved 14 February 2012.
  11. ^ "Getting Thai Visa in India becomes more convenient". Thaindian. 19 November 2007. Archived from the original on 1 May 2008. Retrieved 16 February 2012.
  12. ^ a b Sengar, Resham (25 November 2017). "Thai visa application centres in India are now 13 in number!". Times Travel. Retrieved 22 October 2021.
  13. ^ "Thailand outsources visa applications to VFS Global in Hyderabad". DNA India. Hyderabad: DNA India.com. 2 June 2011. Retrieved 14 February 2012.
  14. ^ "The Royal Thai Embassy and Consulates renew pan-India visa application processing mandate with VFS Global". Travel Trade Journal. 4 October 2022. Retrieved 21 February 2023.
  15. ^ "Thai consulate donates books to Anna Centenary Library". The Hindu. Chennai. 12 October 2010. Retrieved 14 February 2012.