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Thailand Pavilion

From pre-design research, key finding suggested that fine arts and literature are among main things that capture the attention of Korean audiences. Therefore, organizers of the Korea Pavilion chose the charming main characters from Thailand’s folk epic “Phra Aphai Mani” to serve as the hosts who would accompany audiences through presentations in the three main halls of the Thailand Pavilion.

With his name meaning “the ultimate ocean,” Sutsakon is a child born to Phra Aphai Mani and a Mermaid. He is intelligent and kind-spirited, naturally friendly, and always sporting a genial smile, epitomizing the Thai virtues of kindness and sincerity.

His best friend and helper, Ma Nin Mangkon is a mythical beast with features of a horse and a dragon. He has a cheerful and friendly nature, a generous heart, and an eagerness to help people in need.

Designed around the theme “Colors of Diversity: Capacity of Thailand,” the pavilion showcases Thailand’s ongoing efforts to conserve the country’s marine and coastal resources. Many of such fruitful undertakings have been initiated by the vision of Their Majesties the King and Queen of Thailand.

Inspiration for the pavilion’s exterior was derived from the roofs of raft-shaped Thai floating houses with their linear lines joined together to form triangular shapes. That pattern became the main pattern for the upper façade of the pavilion. The lower façade presents images from a famous Thai mural painting on temple walls in Bangkok. The façade was then highlighted in gold to make the pavilion stand out.

All of the exhibits in the pavilion feature the graceful form of the ocean surf against a backdrop of Thai cultural characteristics. Adorned with arrays of gold leaves, each in the shape of Thai traditional leaf-bud patterns, the pavilion’s glittering shapes not only attract visitors, but also create a magnificent piece of architecture. The interior features reproductions of the finest wall frescos from Wat Amphawan Chetiyaram in Samut Sakhon province, which depict the life and times of King Rama II of the early Bangkok period. The original frescos, commissioned by HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn in 1995, are scenes showing how Thai people of yesteryear lived and worked in harmony with the ocean and the coast.

Inside the pavilion, visitors meet three charming characters — Sutsakon, Ma Nin Mangkon, and the Mermaid — from Thailand’s folk epic “Phra Aphai Mani.”

In the reception section, guests enjoy a first glimpse of the scenic beauty of Thailand, and are introduced to Thai cultural practices, inspired by the sea and handed down through the ages, that have become a part of present-day Thai art and literature.

Next, in Exhibition Hall One, visitors learn the secrets of Nak-Varin Sin-Samuth during an underwater adventure in a mysterious cavern in the deep. They are greeted by the beautiful Mermaid who will relate the stories of the good relations between Thailand and the Republic of Korea, and of sustaining the rich biodiversity on Thai seas and coasts. The theater includes a boat-shaped screen and the latest in multimedia gadgetry, including a full-size humanoid Mermaid with life-like movements.

Next in Exhibition Hall Two, guests take a “Deep Journey to Diversity of the Sea,” during which they can see all of the wondrous sights in an exhilarating virtual dive into the waters of the Andaman Sea and the Gulf of Thailand – marine tourist destinations recognized internationally for their dazzling beauty. A world of fascinating sea creatures in their natural habitat swim so close to viewers that they can almost reach out and touch them. The super-realism of the show is achieved through the use of special “Senses Machines” and a 360-degree surround screen.