A HIGH-POWERED delegation from Thailand was treated to a celebration banquet in the North-East last night.

Durham City Council hosted the event in the city for a party of Thai officials visiting the region to promote their country's culture.

The group, including Thai Minister of Culture Uraiwan Thienthong and other senior officials, were welcomed to the region yesterday afternoon by Mayor Ray Gibbon, at Durham Town Hall.

The visit was organised by Pradit Manakit, president of the Thai Art and Culture Forum North-East, who hopes to build a cultural and business relationship between the region and Thailand.

The banquet was held at the Numjai Thai Restaurant in the Millburngate Centre, Durham, which Mr Manakit owns.

Local figures invited to the dinner included the MP for Durham City, Gerry Steinberg, the chairman of Durham City Council, Sue Pitts, and former government health advisor Sir Kenneth Calman, vice-chancellor of Durham University.

The visit comes ahead of the Thai Culture Festival, to be shared between Durham, Newcastle and Gateshead and due to take place in July next year.

The festival will combine a celebration of Thai and North-East traditions, and will include Thai cuisine, dancing, and Thai boxing.

Sean Dooney, advisor to the Thai Art and Culture Forum, said there were plans for a possible Thai Culture College, to be based in Durham.

"It is certainly on the agenda, and we will have completed our plans by September this year," he said.

The college would increase the number of Thai students visiting the region and encourage links between the countries.