Mothers at Buddharangsee Thai Community Language School, photograph Ed Giles.
Community
The Thai royal family also inspired Australian interest in Thailand and its culture in the 1960s. Following the visit of King Bhumibol and Queen Sirikit to Australia in 1962, a group of Sydney academics formed the first Thai community organisation, the Thai-Australian Association of New South Wales. The objective of the association remains "to maintain (a) good relationship between the Australians and the Thai people". The focus has been on cultural, social and educational activities.
The Thai-Australian Association of NSW (TAA) had a fluctuating existence through its early years. Its focus was social and it was dominated by Australian-born members at first. By the 1980s TAA was struggling to stay afloat. When more Thai migrants became involved, the TAA became very active and central to the growing Thai community. It took part in national cultural events such as the National Folkloric Festival in Sydney so Australians could learn about Thai culture and the Thai community in Australia.
Thai-Australian children
receive a Thai dancing lesson
at Buddharangsee Thai Community Language School while some mothers watch, photograph Ed Giles.
The first Loy Krathong festival was held in 1983 at Sydney's Taronga Zoo. The festival is held in November each year to pay respect to the Water Goddess. After two years the festival moved to Auburn. There were food stalls, music, traditional Thai dancing, a beauty contest and entertainment.
In 1990 the festival moved again to Parramatta Park. This reflected the sister-city relationship between Parramatta and Petchaburi province in Thailand, set up by the Tourism Authority of Thailand. In 2002 Parramatta Council offered to link the Loy Krathong festival with the daytime Spring Festival. The switch was highly successful.
Thai festivals in Sydney have been highly visible since the 1980s and involve a strong level of Australian participation. They are held in open public spaces, for example, the Songkran (Thai New Year) festival held each year at Tumbalong Park, Darling Harbour.
The Thai Welfare Association (TWA) was the second Thai community organisation to be formed, but with a completely different emphasis. Thai migrants required culturally specific welfare resources but none were available. TWA was established in August 1990 by a group of Thai migrants and had a welfare focus aimed at assisting Thai people with their settlement issues, particularly women. The founding members were motivated by the isolation of many women in the community, married to Australian-born men and facing problems ranging from cross-cultural communication to domestic violence.
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Women cooking Thai snacks at Wat Buddharangsee, Annandale.
Initially the TWA was run by volunteers out of a cardboard box at the Thai Consulate General in Sydney. Eventually they were given a small space at the Consulate and now have their own office in the city. TWA provides low-cost translation services, English language classes, immigration advice and welfare assistance.
Another important organisation that has a focus on Thai women is the Sydney Sexual Health Centre. Opened in 1991, the Centre runs a Thai clinic twice a week with a Thai nurse and interpreter services. The health professionals educate Thai sex workers on health issues such as HIV/AIDS and sexually transmitted diseases. Thai sex workers often feel ostracised by the mainstream Thai migrant community. The Thai sex worker population has decreased in recent years, an effect of immigration policy.