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Butra Mahintra was commanded by Rama VI to go to Australia as his envoy to buy horses for him. Thus, Butra, acting as the King's envoy, started what became a steady flow of Thais to Australia for a variety of reasons. The horse-buying mission was a successful one and the King rewarded Butra Mahintra with the title of Phra Naivai. The second Thai to travel to Australia was Mr Pleng Traipin, who had been sent by Rama VI to the Royal Legation in London. Apparently Mr Pleng had dreamed for a long time of going to Australia. Instead of finding it a new world he found it a very old land indeed, and with a change of heart travelled on to New Zealand. He later returned to Thailand to become a famous cartoonist using the skills he learned while in New Zealand. The King later gave him the title of Khun Patiphark Phimlikit. Requiring more horses, King Rama VI sent H.E. Phya Khatathorn Bhodi to Australia with a pocketful of money to buy them. His Excellency stayed in Australia until he had emptied his pockets of money acquiring horses for His Majesty. News of the Australian reputation of saving money spread to Bangkok when it was known as the Venice of the East. King Rama VI called his brother, H.R.H. Prince Purachatra of Kambaengbejra, and requested him to go to Australia to study the Australian banking system. The Prince was not only interested in the banking system, but also took time out to make a close study of the Australian railways and postal systems. The Prince and his family returned to Bangkok and made much use of the knowledge gained from what they had seen in Australia. By 1928 only eight Thais had made visits to Australia. H.E. Phya Chaovananusathiti led a mission to Australia to study banking procedures and when the party returned to Thailand each was given a responsible position according to his knowledge gained from the Australians. One member of the mission, Khun Chakshuraksha, focused his attention on banking procedures while living in Sydney, but on his return to Thailand became famous in the field of wrestling. As horses were the first reason for a link between Thailand and Australia, it seems appropriate that one of the most famous and best-known racehorses in Australia should get its name because of an Australian's happy Thai associations. A retired Australian tin miner named his horse "Lightning" using the Thai form "Phar Lap". Phar Lap, stuffed and preserved, now stands proudly inside the entrance to the Melbourne Museum. Few more Thais arrived until the implementation of the Colombo Plan in the early 1950s, under which Thai and other students from the Asia and Pacific regions were able to study in Australia. They were only allowed temporary residence - with some exceptions, such as those who married Australians - and by 1966 the population of Thai-born in Victoria was still just 240. Over the next decades the majority of new arrivals from Thailand continued to be students, as well as spouses of Australians and those sponsored under military traineeships. During the 1980s the number of Thai students in Australia increased significantly, as a result of increasing wealth in Thailand and the growing prestige of international tertiary study. Between 1981 and 1991 the Thailand-born community in Victoria increased four-fold from 718 to 3,038 people. The majority of new arrivals from Thailand between 1996 and 1997 immigrated under the Preferential Family category and therefore included both spouses and children of those living in Australia. In 2001 the Thailand-born community in Victoria reached 5,473 people, the majority living in the Dandenong area. Today a high proportion of the Thailand-born are employed in clerical, sales and service roles, predominantly within the hospitality industry. Thai is the most common language spoken at home (58%), and Buddhism the most common religion (76%). Wats (temples) play a significant role within the Thai community, providing both a spiritual and cultural centre for members.
The new arrangement means that 18 to 30 year-old Thai and Australian nationals who have already completed their university education will be eligible to apply for W&H visas for stays of up to 12 months in Australia or Thailand. The W&H program allows young overseas professionals to get to know Australia and its people while affording Australians the opportunity to improve their understanding of other cultures through undertaking working holidays overseas. Any work undertaken must be incidental to the main purpose of holidaying in Australia or Thailand and W&H visa holders are only permitted to work with the one employer for a maximum of three months.
The Work and Holiday visa is different to a 'Working Holiday' visa arrangement, in that it requires an applicant to have the support of their government, hold tertiary qualifications and speak functional English.
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