The Yellow Rose of Texas and Thailand’s Rose of the North are now a beautiful bouquet as Austin and Chiang Mai signed an MOU on sister cities initiative last week. Mayor of Austin said the agreement would improve cultural and economic ties between the two vibrant metropolises.

The agreement was inked by Austin Mayor Kirk Watson and Chiang Mai Governor Nirat Phongsittithaworn during a ceremony on November 12 at the Austin City Hall. U.S. Consul General in Chiang Mai Lisa Buzenas was also in attendance.

“Austin and Chiang Mai share many similarities. Both cities stand as global hubs for art, culture, music, food, and film,” Mayor Watson said in a statement to the press. “We share a commitment to cutting-edge technology, creative industries, and a strong entrepreneurial spirit. We envision significant potential for both cities as we collaborate on shared goals.”

Governor Nirat led a delegation to Austin that included government officials, business leaders, innovators and Royal Thai Police officials.

“I am honored to support the launch of this new Austin-Chiang Mai Sister Cities initiative,” Nirat said.  “We hope to meet new partners and friends, participate in an exchange of ideas and expertise, generate important new economic ties between our cities, and of course share the beauty of Thai culture and incredible Thai food with communities in Austin.”

The Thai delegation is set to meet with counterparts from the Austin City Council, public safety officials, University of Texas Austin representatives, the Texas Department of Agriculture, venture capitalists from IC2 and Capital Factory, IBM’s X-Force Red team, Austin Region Intelligence Center, the Greater Austin Asian Chamber of Commerce and prominent U.S. businesses, plus South by Southwest organizers.

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Photo courtesy of https://www.facebook.com/chiangmai.usconsulate/