Batik, Bali, and Burobuddho are among the first things conjured up in many Thai minds when it comes to Indonesia.
Over the six decades, cooperation has been conducted in all areas, including politics and security, economics, trade and education. Prof Dr Ir. H. Didik Sulistyanto, Education Attache of the Embassy of Indonesia in Thailand says "various educational projects and activities are ongoing to promote good relationships between the two nations."
At the primary school level, an MOU has been in place since 2008 for the School-Partnership Programme, involving 75 schools from the southern provinces of Thailand and 75 schools in Indonesia, to exchange curricula, students and lecturers.
At the university level, a recent forum - attended by 150 presidents of Indonesian universities and 100 presidents of Thai universities- discussed 2015 Asian Community Cooperation.
In addition, three countries within the SEAMEO Regional Centre for Higher Education and development (SEAMEO RIHED)- Malaysia, Indonesia, and Thailand - launched the M-I-T Pilot Project on Promoting Student Mobility in Southeast Asia.
SEAMEO RIHED in Thailand has a role in building networking among universities in Asean. The programme started this year to conduct student exchange among the three countries in agriculture, tourism, language and culture, food technology, and international business. At present, Indonesia is preparing to involve both private and state universities in Thailand.
"I believe students are an agent for change," says Dr. Sulistyanto, at his office in Petchburi Road, Bangkok, adding that Indonesia has more than 2,400 islands and over 3,000 universities.
Being a university lecturer in Jember, East Java, prior to serving as Education Attache in Thailand for the last two years, he observes that compared to Thais, Indonesian students have more freedom to talk and discuss political issues like corruption. "However, there are always positive and negative sides to everything."
Currently, 187 scholarships funded by the Muhammadiyah Foundation are granted annually to Thai university students, mostly from southern parts of Thailand to study in Indonesia. He wishes to see the exchanged students come back as eventual leaders in their communities.
He does not believe some research on the insurgency in southern Thailand which said Thai people are sent to study in Muslim countries and come back to serve as leaders in insurgency organisations. According to Dr Sulistyanto, 90 per cent of Indonesians are Muslims and most of them Islam moderate.
"Education, not politics, is the way out of conflict," he says, "because education builds up connections and opens people up to one another's cultures, ideas and understandings."
In commemoration of the sixth decade anniversary, the Indonesian Embassy in Bangkok- in cooperation with Chula Global Network, Chulalongkorn University - conducted a one-day international seminar last month, reviewing past and current relationships between Indonesia and Thailand and exploring possibilities amid changing world situations to enhance stronger collaborations. The celebration reception will be held some time this month.