An estimated 800 people — many from Hawai'i's small Thai population — attended the dedication of the Royal Sala Thai, an open-air teak pavilion, at the East-West Center yesterday.

The ornate, golden sala stood serene in the shade of nine banyan trees on a rise next to the spot where the dedication ceremonies took place.

The focus of attention was Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn of Thailand, who formally dedicated the new pavilion and spoke of it to the crowd as a place of shelter and relaxation, were people can contemplate, study and share ideas.

The new pavilion — one of four traditional salas outside of Thailand bearing the royal seal — is a reconstructed version of a pavilion given to the East-West Center in 1967 by the princess' father, King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand.

"It was his majesty the king's wish to build the sala here at the East-West Center as a symbol of universal hospitality and brotherhood of mankind," said the princess, who wore black because of the recent death of her aunt, the sister of the king.

"The original sala, since 1967, has been worn out with time."

So the deteriorated original pavilion was dismantled, and in 2006 the building of a new one was overseen by Thai national artist and architect Pinyo Suwankiri, who also attended yesterday's festivities.

Suwankiri said the pavilion was constructed in Thailand under the auspices of the king, and the components were shipped to Hawai'i and assembled by a team of traditional craftsmen.

"We put it together right here," said Suwankiri. "It took about three weeks. It's designed to be comfortable for the people inside, and to protect them from the sunshine and rain."

The princess was welcomed by Charles Morrison, the East-West Center president, and Roland Lagareta, who chairs the center's board of governors. The event also included Hawaiian chants, dancing by Halau i ka Wekiu, and a performance by the Royal Thai Dancers and Musicians.

"To me, art is the very hope that brings people together," said the princess, one of Thailand's most popular national figures. "I hope that sharing art with you today will bring us closer to one another."

Following her remarks and the presentation of a $185,000 check to the East-West Center by the Royal Sala Thai Scholarship Fund, the princess strolled to the pavilion with a small entourage and East-West Center officials, where the royal dedication took place.

That was supposed to end the event. But before the princess could be escorted to her waiting Lincoln Continental limo and taken to a private luncheon with the governor, she made an unscheduled return to the Royal Sala Thai — this time with about two dozen representatives of the scholarship fund committee and fund donors.

Nopamat Veohong of Bangkok, co-chair of the committee, was among those in the second wave to visit the pavilion with the princess. She said the princess spoke of the importance of the scholarship fund, and how it will enable more Thai students to study in Hawai'i.

As for the Royal Sala Thai, Veohong, who earned her master's degree at the University of Hawai'i in the mid-1970s, was delighted.

"I love it," she said. For her, finding a restored sala was like bumping into an old acquaintance. She recalled that years ago she and her friends often relaxed together at the pavilion.

"It was a place where we used to come and sit quite often," she said as she admired the striking new pavilion. "Marvelous. Lovely. It's just wonderful."

Reach Will Hoover at whoover@honoluluadvertiser.com.