Thailand’s ambassador to Myanmar, Mr Bansarn Bunnag (C), and officials from the Ministry of Education pose for a group photo at a ceremony to hand over vegetable seeds in Yangon on September 11. Pic: Royal Thai Embassy in Yangon

THAI Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn last week donated vegetable seeds to 46 schools in Myanmar as part of a child development project between the two neighbouring countries.

On behalf of the princess, Thailand’s ambassador to Myanmar, Mr Bansarn Bunnag, handed over the seeds in Yangon on September 11 to U Myo Myint, the deputy director general of the Basic Education Department under the Ministry of Education.

The vegetable seeds will be distributed to 46 schools throughout the country but mostly in Ayeyarwady and Bago divisions and Rakhine State, where they will be used to plant gardens in which the vegetables will be grown by students.

The produce will be used to supplement the students’ diets and to raise money for the schools.

In a statement sent to The Myanmar Times, the Thai embassy said the project would contribute to efforts by Myanmar to promote the welfare and development of its children.

The seed donation is part of the Thai-Myanmar Cooperation in Children Development Project, initiated in 2002 by Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn to enhance the quality of life for schoolchildren in Myanmar and strengthen relations between the two countries, the embassy statement said.

Since it started, the project has included the organisation of workshops, seminars, training courses and exchange visits, as well as contributions of agricultural tools, food containers and sports equipment to participating schools, it added.