Dharamsala, March 3 – Thailand has prevented the sister of the Dalai Lama and her husband, a cabinet minister in the exile Tibetan government, from attending a three-day cultural event in Bangkok beginning Friday due to fear of angering China, according to reports.
The Thai Embassy in the Indian Capital has refused to grant visa to Jetsun Pema who was to take part in a Tibetan spirituality, art and culture event, entitled “From the Himalayas to the Chao Phya River” hosted at Bangkok Art and Culture Center from March 5 to 7, according to a report by the AFP.
“We support the cultural show but in the case of the Dalai Lama’s sister we have reserved our right to reject her visa application along with her husband’s because we don’t want to get involved in international politics,” Chavanond Intarakomalyasut, secretary to Thailand’s foreign minister, was quoted as saying by the AFP.
Jetsun Pema, the first Tibetan woman to have held a cabinet berth in the Tibetan exile government, was scheduled to deliver speech on “Buddhist Education for Tibetan school in exile and Tibet: My story,” on March 6.
