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The Thai Community in the GTA

The Thai Society of Ontario 

www.thaiontario.com  

contact: info@thaiontario.com

 

Thailand, a constitutional monarchy in Southeast Asia, was formerly the Kingdom of Siam and is often associated with the romance of exotic lands depicted in fairy tales. Today, Thailand has become an important trading partner with Canada. Shelves in Toronto’s supermarkets and Chinatown’s shops carry canned tuna, shrimp, pineapple, rice, noodles, peppers, vegetables, and spices imported from Thailand. Thai silk, considered the best in the world, along with silk flowers and jewelry, can be found in boutiques throughout the city.

The first Thai people in Toronto were a handful of students who came to study in the early 1950s and returned home after their education was completed. Few others came to settle here until the mid-1960s when the Canadian Embassy was established in Bangkok. Many of these early immigrants were former students who were sponsored by their Canadian spouses, while others arrived to work as domestics. Today the city’s Thai are employed as professionals, technicians, and tradespeople. Chefs have brought exotic Thai cuisine and the famed satay peanut sauce—the heart of Thai cooking—to Toronto.

In 1982, Raphi Kanchanaraphi and a group of friends formed Toronto’s Thai Association. The association organized two events for the community: an annual New Year’s Eve dance with traditional music, dance, and food; and an annual barbecue. Several less formal gatherings throughout the year were held at the homes of members.

    By 1989 the name of the organization had changed to The Thai Society of Ontario (The TSO) registered as a not-for-profit organization, with committee members elected by the membership every two years. The main objective of the Thai Society of Ontario is to strengthen the bond of Thai community in throughout Ontario by pooling Thai people of many talents, skill sets and many successful professionals. The organization has hosted several events to create network building for Thai newcomers and long-term residents, arranged seminars, Thai picnics, posting job opportunities for Thai and Canadian businesses. The TSO also worked with several cultural organizations and various Thai government agencies in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) and The Royal Thai Embassy in Ottawa to promote Thai Culture over the past 35 years. 

 

Thai Agencies in the GTA

 

contact@thaiembassy.ca (613) 722–4444

 toronto@thaitrade.ca (416) 921-5400

kayla@tatcan.com (437) 239-4959

  • University of Toronto Thai Student Association (UTTSA)

Thaisa.uoft@gmail.com

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Thai Buddhist Temples

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Most members of the Thai community are Theravata Buddhists who worship at GTA temples.

  •      YANVIRIYA TEMPLE II, (Tel. 905-884-8786, 166 Cedar Ave., Richmond Hill), since1993.

  •     RATCHADHAM VIRIYARAM BUDDHIST TEMPLE II, (Tel. 905-374-8849, 4694 Morrison St., Niagara Falls), displays the world’s largest Jade stone, weighing 16 tonnes. The temple is a popular attraction.

  •    WAT BHAVANA TORONTO (Tel. 365-822-3094) 477 Valleyview Crescent, Milton

Many temples often hold practices, with morning and evening chanting followed by 30 minutes of meditation. Members of the Thai community often bring their friends and families to group meditation retreats at the temples. The congregation includes Laotians, Cambodians, Vietnamese, Chinese and Canadians.

 

Places to Go for an Authentic Thai Culture Experience

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Thai Restaurants:

GTA is home to many Thai restaurants, with increasing demand on authentic Thai food now that we have hundreds of Thai restaurants.  To name a few of the authentic Thai restaurants that have made Thai food well known in this area since 1980s, would be:

Bangkok Garden bangkokgarden.ca, Young Thailand youngthailand.com. 

The new era of authenticity has brought Northern Thai restaurant Pai paitoronto.com , 

Thai street food chain Eat BKK eatbkk.ca , Sala Modern Thai salakitchen.com,

Isaan Der isaander.com, Lamoon Thai Café lamooncafeto.com and many restaurants have been added to the list of “must go” places to eat.

The Thai Trade Center had set up the Thai Select Brand to be awarded once they meet the criteria of a truly Authentic Thai restaurant in Canada. 

To find the list of authentic Thai restaurants that have been awarded Thai Select, check out www.thaiselect.ca to guide you there. 

 

Muay Thai Schools and Gyms:

-Siam No.1 (416) 781-3775 at 2100 Bloor St. West, Toronto siamno1.com

The first Muay Thai (kick boxing) school in Toronto founded by Ajahn Suchart Yodkiriprowpai in Toronto has produced many instructors and World champion boxers and has opened many more locations all across Canada.

-Chanachon Muay Thai Gym (437) 880-8536   2210 Queen St. West, Toronto chanachonmuaythai.co

-Naka Muay Thai (416) 672-0204   575 Yonge Street, Toronto nakamuaythai.ca

 

Traditional Thai Massage (The Ancient Art of Healing)

  • Crystal Clear Ancient Thai Massage crystalclearancientthaimassage.com/

  • Shivaga Thai Massage shivaga.com

  • Ummi Acupuncture (647)289-9123

  • Thana Therapeutic Thai RMT thanathairmt.wixsite.com/thairmtmassage

  • Fifth Thai Spa the-fifth-thai-spa.square.site

  • Orachon Thai Massage orachonthaimassage.com

  • Healing Thai Massage (437) 254-4458

  • Suk Jai Thai Massage sukjaithaimassage.ca

  • Real Thai Healing realthaihealing.com

  • Sabaidee Thai Massage sabaideethaimassage.ca

  • We’re One Thai Massage wereonethaimassage.com

 

Holidays and Celebrations

  

SONGKRAN (THAI NEW YEAR) is held on April 13 according to the Lunar calendar. It is also called the water festival, featuring the blessing of waters and all ages splashing each other. The day is celebrated in temples and restaurants with religious and family celebrations.

TSO THAI ANNUAL SUMMER PICNIC is held in July in a Toronto Park to get together, enjoy a pot luck lunch and games.  

MAKHA PUJHA DAY celebrations at the temples to remember the First Council of Buddhist Monks, led by the Buddha in India in 659 B.C. 

VESAKA DAY celebrations at the temples of the Buddha’s birthday in 624 B.C.

KHAOPUNSA DAY is a day when monks enter confinement within the temple.

LOY KRATONG is on the last full moon of the lunar calendar.  In Thailand, celebrations focussed around rivers and water bodies where people float a Kratong in the shape of a flower with an offering to the water goddess, thanking her for a good harvest.  In Canada, it is a fun festival in many restaurants.

 

Media

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  FAIRCHILD RADIO, AM 1430, www.thairadiocanada.ca, founded by: the late Mr. Prasert Budsinghkhon; Broadcasts are every Saturday night 10:00 p.m. to 12:00 a.m. www.am1430.com

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Thai Language Classes (For children and adults)

 Every Saturday or Sunday Morning at 12 noon. Contact: info@thaiontario.com

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