500 Anos

Abaixo um pequeno excerto do artigo hoje publicado no The Nation ácerca de mais um acontecimento comemorativo dos 500 Anos da chegada dos Portugueses ao reino do Sião, actual Tailândia.

"The Portuguese were the first Europeans to enter Ayutthaya in 1511. Today, five centuries on, Thailand and Portugal are the closest of friends, so much so that a Thai pavilion is about to be constructed in the heart of Lisbon to celebrate the five centuries of diplomatic ties.

Yet many Portuguese today are decidedly ignorant about Thailand. Generalities abound, with many believing that Bangkok is in Indochina, bamboo is everywhere, the city is criss-crossed with rivers and canals, and the movie "Tears of the Black Tiger" is great".