Think of Thailand and the first things that come to your mind are pristine beaches, invigorating foot massages, spicy food and exquisite handicrafts. Barring the beaches, The Bombay Store in association with the Department of Export Promotion (DEP), Thailand, is replicating all that Thailand has to offer within the confines of its store. From Thai cuisine, foot massages to handmade products made from water hyacinth, rattan, cane and mango wood, you can enjoy the best of Thailand during an ongoing week-long festival.

“While we already offer the best of Indian products, we felt it was a great idea to have a festival to promote Thailand in a typical Thai setting,” says Asim Dalal, MD, The Bombay Store. The fest, which started yesterday, will go on till February 15. It will have artisans flown in from Chiang Mai in Thailand to demonstrate their art and sell their wares. “Chiang Mai is a remote place in Thailand which specialises in making wares,” says Jiraporn Tulyanond, consul general, DEP, who also feels there is an uncanny similarity between handmade products of Thailand and India. “Both the countries have a similar thought process and craftsmen in both places pay a lot of attention to intricate details.” With its stock of wood carvings, candles, incense sticks, wooden trays, tissue holders, coasters, electric ceramic aroma diffusers, dried flowers, aroma and massage oils as well as personal care items like soaps and bath salts, The Bombay Store is going to be last stop to shop for Thai products, at least for a while.

The ties between Thailand and India go a long way and so do the similarities. While the Land of the White Elephants has been a favourite haunt of tourists, the spicy nature of the cuisines of both countries is a well-known fact.Renowned Thai Chef Khun Kanchit, who is demonstrating Thai cuisine for the customers between 2 pm to 6 pm everyday, is rustling up just a vegetarian fare. “It is to suit the Indian palate,” says Tulyanond, who believes that most Indians enjoy vegetarian fare.