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you can find products from anywhere in the world including from Thailand. We have lots of five-star hotels for visitors who prefer luxury. For a taste of nature and landscape, you can camp in deserts and ride camels. Camping in the desert is free. People just go to a tent market, buy a tent and go camping in the desert in winter and spring.As modern as Kuwait is, can visitors still find traditional culture?Before we discovered oil and gas, our kingdom’s major income was from sea trading. Our forefathers were great sailors. They built wooden boats without any machinery called dhow and lived on the waters of the Indian Ocean and Africa for at least six months. Dhows were also used for fishing and pearl diving. You can see samples of them at the Dhow Harbour at the waterfront of Kuwait City. In traditional souk, or markets, you can see simple ways of life. We have traditional Kuwaiti music which derives from the ancient maritime tradition.Then we have intangible heritage – the old values and attributes passed down from our ancestors and which we take pride in. They lived in harsh places, in the deserts where winters were short but severe and summers were unbearable and long. While tolerant, they were ethical, hard-working and did their best to secure the kingdom that we, their children, are living in today. We do not live in the conditions they lived in but their values and attributes are true to any era.What have you accomplished during your post in Thailand? Any projects you need to finish before leaving?Kuwait and Thailand have been trade partners for a long time, ever since our first diplomatic contact in 1663. Thailand exports car parts, machinery, air conditioners, halal food, plastic products and handicrafts like ceramics to Kuwait while importing oil and petrochemicals. Still, the range of products traded needs to be broadened and I am working on that.One of our key missions is to contribute to enhancing education here. I and some Kuwaiti authorities have visited the three southern provinces of Thailand a few times. We built a mosque. We built a library, a seven-story building for the students of Prince of Songkla University Pattani Campus and donated 400 computers. Charity groups from Kuwait have also visited to help the needy in the area. I would like to increase our exchange of educational personnel, academics and experts.I also want to bring more Kuwaiti authorities and entrepreneurs to Thailand and vice versa. We need to openmore doors and windows. Thailand is already a top choice for Kuwaiti tourists. Apart from your beautiful culture and nature, we come here for medical treatment and health care. Your service mind is reputable among us. Thai people are friendly, polite, patient and smiling. We feel the warmth and welcome. That is a very refreshing feeling.Is that your message to the Thai people?Yes. That Thailand has lots of visitors for business, leisure or any purpose is not a coincidence. You are on the right track, so keep doing what you have been doing.Read more interviews from diplomatic representatives via this linkElite+ 11