By Heidi M. Pascual
The elegant Thai Pavilion at Olbrich Botanical Gardens on Atwood Avenue in Madison, Wis., has
a wonderful story to tell. It was a gift to the University of Wisconsin-Madison by the Thai Chapter of the
Wisconsin Alumni Association and the Thai government to express gratitude to Thai students who
went through and passed UW’s portals and used their academic training in the service of their country
and people. The pavilion, called sala in Thai, was constructed in Thailand, disassembled and
shipped to the U.S. in 2001. Thai artisans and UW- Thai students worked to reassemble it, and put
finishing touches to it, as soon as it found its home at Olbrich Gardens.
Almost seven years after the raising of its first pillar in a traditional Thai ceremony that sought to
connect the sala’s spirit to its surroundings, Olbrich Botanical Gardens celebrated Madison’s special
connection to Thailand by highlighting the Thai Pavilion at the recent Rhapsody in Bloom Benefit
Gala on June 21. Olbrich Gardens Director Roberta Sladky and UW Chancellor John Wiley and wife
Georgia, the event’s honorary co-chairs, were elated at the big turnout that night, especially the
presence of Thai Consul General Narong Sasitorn and wife Chantana; Wisconsin Alumni Association
(WAA) President and CEO Paula Bonner; WAA-Thailand Chapter Vice President Dr. Pornchai
Matangkosombut, and members of the Thai community. The Thai-American Association of
Milwaukee performed various traditional dances, while UW Thai student Warin Sootkaneung played
the ranad-ek, a traditional Thai musical instrument that resembles a xylophone.
In his brief remarks during the program, Dr. Pornchai Matangkosombut recalled WAA-Thailand
Chapter’s reason for offering a Thai Sala as a gift to UW-Madison and the city. “We were trying to find
a simple way of saying ‘Thank you’ to the University of Wisconsin, to Madisonians, and to
Wisconsinites,” Matangkosombut said. “And finally we decided that a pavilion will be an enduring
symbol of our friendship and our loyalty, and it will be something that will link us together … forever.”
UW Chancellor John Wiley talked about the Thai Sala as “literally one of the very first issues” that he
had to deal with when he first became chancellor in 2001. “The notification and negotiations from
the Thai Alumni Association that they were arranging for us to receive the Thai Pavilion came in
1999,” Wiley said. “But it took a while to build it and for us to site it appropriately… because if you
think about it for a few minutes, you realize putting it on the campus would probably not have been a
good idea, especially during Friday and Saturday nights.” The last statement drew laughter from the
huge audience.
After discussions with Olbrich Botanical Gardens, Wiley said the most appropriate site for the
elegant sala was found at last. The chancellor added a historical footnote, “The Thai craftsmen who
assembled the Thai Pavilion in Thailand, disassembled it, shipped it, and came to re-assemble it
here, were on the last plane that was allowed to land at O’Hare Airport on September 11, 2001.”
Thailand Consul General Narong Sasitorn, with wife Chantana, came from Chicago for the event.
“This is a wonderful event; it’s always a pleasure to be here in the City of Madison, especially here at
Olbrich Gardens,” Sasitorn said in a brief interview with Asian Wisconzine. “The City of Madison and
Olbrich Botanical Gardens have a special place in Thailand. This is the only Thai Pavilion in the U.
S. mainland; the only other pavilion is in Honolulu. This reflects long years of friendship and
relationships between our two peoples. The King turned 81 years old this year. He was born in
Massachusetts while his father was studying at Harvard Medical School, and during his 62-year reign,
we have witnessed a good and expanding relationship between the two countries.”
Sasitorn added that this year is the 125th year anniversary of Thai-US relations. “The Thai population
in the U.S. is about 350,000, but in the Midwest, I think we have 15 to 18,000 Thai Americans, and
Chicago is the major destination.”
While Thai-Americans in Wisconsin may be relatively smaller in number, as compared to other
Asian groups, its members are actively involved in various professions, businesses and community
services. In Milwaukee, for instance, the Thai-American Association has been around for 30 years. “We’
re probably around 25 to 30 families,” said Peter Jordan, an architect married to a Thai woman who is
currently the president of the Thai-American Association. The couple led the Milwaukee Thai-
American performers who provided entertainment at the gathering. “We have an adult dance group
and now a children’s dance group, many of whom are non-Thai, but are ‘connected’ (to the culture) in
many ways.”
The association tries to do three or four events every year, Jordan said; notably, a Thai night in
Spring; an annual picnic in the Summer; and participation in the International Institute and the
Holiday Folk Fair in the Fall. Their website is www.thaiam.com.
The Rhapsody in Bloom Benefit Gala also featured several popular Thai foods, including a
fragrant lemongrass soup with lots of seafood. It was truly a night to remember, and WAA-Thailand
Chapter was right in offering a symbol of friendship between Madison and Thailand that will last more
than a lifetime.
The elegant Thai Pavilion at Olbrich Botanical Gardens on Atwood Avenue in Madison, Wis., has
a wonderful story to tell. It was a gift to the University of Wisconsin-Madison by the Thai Chapter of the
Wisconsin Alumni Association and the Thai government to express gratitude to Thai students who
went through and passed UW’s portals and used their academic training in the service of their country
and people. The pavilion, called sala in Thai, was constructed in Thailand, disassembled and
shipped to the U.S. in 2001. Thai artisans and UW- Thai students worked to reassemble it, and put
finishing touches to it, as soon as it found its home at Olbrich Gardens.
Almost seven years after the raising of its first pillar in a traditional Thai ceremony that sought to
connect the sala’s spirit to its surroundings, Olbrich Botanical Gardens celebrated Madison’s special
connection to Thailand by highlighting the Thai Pavilion at the recent Rhapsody in Bloom Benefit
Gala on June 21. Olbrich Gardens Director Roberta Sladky and UW Chancellor John Wiley and wife
Georgia, the event’s honorary co-chairs, were elated at the big turnout that night, especially the
presence of Thai Consul General Narong Sasitorn and wife Chantana; Wisconsin Alumni Association
(WAA) President and CEO Paula Bonner; WAA-Thailand Chapter Vice President Dr. Pornchai
Matangkosombut, and members of the Thai community. The Thai-American Association of
Milwaukee performed various traditional dances, while UW Thai student Warin Sootkaneung played
the ranad-ek, a traditional Thai musical instrument that resembles a xylophone.
In his brief remarks during the program, Dr. Pornchai Matangkosombut recalled WAA-Thailand
Chapter’s reason for offering a Thai Sala as a gift to UW-Madison and the city. “We were trying to find
a simple way of saying ‘Thank you’ to the University of Wisconsin, to Madisonians, and to
Wisconsinites,” Matangkosombut said. “And finally we decided that a pavilion will be an enduring
symbol of our friendship and our loyalty, and it will be something that will link us together … forever.”
UW Chancellor John Wiley talked about the Thai Sala as “literally one of the very first issues” that he
had to deal with when he first became chancellor in 2001. “The notification and negotiations from
the Thai Alumni Association that they were arranging for us to receive the Thai Pavilion came in
1999,” Wiley said. “But it took a while to build it and for us to site it appropriately… because if you
think about it for a few minutes, you realize putting it on the campus would probably not have been a
good idea, especially during Friday and Saturday nights.” The last statement drew laughter from the
huge audience.
After discussions with Olbrich Botanical Gardens, Wiley said the most appropriate site for the
elegant sala was found at last. The chancellor added a historical footnote, “The Thai craftsmen who
assembled the Thai Pavilion in Thailand, disassembled it, shipped it, and came to re-assemble it
here, were on the last plane that was allowed to land at O’Hare Airport on September 11, 2001.”
Thailand Consul General Narong Sasitorn, with wife Chantana, came from Chicago for the event.
“This is a wonderful event; it’s always a pleasure to be here in the City of Madison, especially here at
Olbrich Gardens,” Sasitorn said in a brief interview with Asian Wisconzine. “The City of Madison and
Olbrich Botanical Gardens have a special place in Thailand. This is the only Thai Pavilion in the U.
S. mainland; the only other pavilion is in Honolulu. This reflects long years of friendship and
relationships between our two peoples. The King turned 81 years old this year. He was born in
Massachusetts while his father was studying at Harvard Medical School, and during his 62-year reign,
we have witnessed a good and expanding relationship between the two countries.”
Sasitorn added that this year is the 125th year anniversary of Thai-US relations. “The Thai population
in the U.S. is about 350,000, but in the Midwest, I think we have 15 to 18,000 Thai Americans, and
Chicago is the major destination.”
While Thai-Americans in Wisconsin may be relatively smaller in number, as compared to other
Asian groups, its members are actively involved in various professions, businesses and community
services. In Milwaukee, for instance, the Thai-American Association has been around for 30 years. “We’
re probably around 25 to 30 families,” said Peter Jordan, an architect married to a Thai woman who is
currently the president of the Thai-American Association. The couple led the Milwaukee Thai-
American performers who provided entertainment at the gathering. “We have an adult dance group
and now a children’s dance group, many of whom are non-Thai, but are ‘connected’ (to the culture) in
many ways.”
The association tries to do three or four events every year, Jordan said; notably, a Thai night in
Spring; an annual picnic in the Summer; and participation in the International Institute and the
Holiday Folk Fair in the Fall. Their website is www.thaiam.com.
The Rhapsody in Bloom Benefit Gala also featured several popular Thai foods, including a
fragrant lemongrass soup with lots of seafood. It was truly a night to remember, and WAA-Thailand
Chapter was right in offering a symbol of friendship between Madison and Thailand that will last more
than a lifetime.
Olbrich Botanical Gardens celebrates Thai Connection Rhapsody in Bloom Benefit Gala |
(Other photos on this page)
Thai-American Association of
Milwaukee performers
Thai-American Association of
Milwaukee performers
| UW student Warin Sootkaneung plays the ranad-ek. |
(From top left) Dr. Pornchai
Matangkosombut-WAA
Thailand Chapter Vice
President; UW Chancellor
John Wiley; Thai consul
General Narong Sasitorn
and wife Chantana; Olbrich
Botanical Gardens Director
Roberta Sladky
Matangkosombut-WAA
Thailand Chapter Vice
President; UW Chancellor
John Wiley; Thai consul
General Narong Sasitorn
and wife Chantana; Olbrich
Botanical Gardens Director
Roberta Sladky
| Peter Jordan of the Thai-American Association of Milwaukee introduces his group |