MYC's 30th anniversary celebration was successfully

By Suthorn, IMNA

June 22 2005

The event of MYC's 30th anniversary celebration was successfully held with presentation and entertainment completed at 8.30 pm last night. It was held at the National Theatre Hall, Bangkok Thailand and attended about 1500 people.

Nai Anand Panyarachun made 30 minute speech on the topic "sin phaen din te mai sin chard mon" (lost the country but didn't lose the Mon nationality). Followed by Professor Snan Meekhanmark from Srinakharin Viroj Univernsity on the same topic and Professor Kochaporn as narrator on the drama of King Rajadhiraj drama performance.

Anand Panyarachun basically emphasized a lot on the problem of 3 southern province of Thailand in which he is serving as chairman of reconciliation committee.

The famous Mon King Rajadhiraj and his Army cheif Lagon Ein dance.

He said it is an ethnic recognition problem that accumulated since 50 years ago. It needs to reconsider the policy of governments in the past. Thailand is the country where many ethnic nationalities are living in. In northeast people speak Lao, in Surin Buriram people speak Khmer, in the north people speak Kham Nue and Thai Yai, in the south people their local language and Mon speak Mon.

They are proud of their own language and ethnicity. The difference of language didn't make Thailand weaker. In regard to the Mon he said "I am happy to be born in Thailand", and narrated about his family linage that his great grand mother came from China and his great grand father came from Monland.

His grand father built a Mon monastery in Ratchburi called Wat Khao Chon Phran and his ancestor's ashes was kept in that monastery. He used to visit Sangklaburi village in Kanchanaburi and many Mon people there warmly welcome him for they knew he is Mon.

He visited Kokret and saw Mon people and they are proud to be Mon and be Thai citizen. He is also proud to have Chinese and Mon ancestry and most important thing is he loves Thailand.

MYC was founded on 18 June 1975 in Bangkok by a group of young Thai Mon people. Its first president Nai Sathit Ngonhorm was passed away on 09 June 2005 together with Nai Panthar the founder of Mon armed group in Burma. It holds for CE election every two years. Now Nai Ong Banjoon is the 10th president of MYC. The site where the Thammasart University, The National Musiem and The National Theatre Hall situate today is formerly called Wang-na (front palace) and the division of Mon troops of Royal Thai army in those days.