The Swedish priest Ulf Claesson visited Vientiane for the last time on 23 May before leaving for Sweden this July. In Vientiane, a farewell get-together was held in the Swedish School in which some 40 resident Swedes and Norwegians participated. The Scandinavian community of predominantly Swedes and Norwegians in Laos is quite large and the school has 14 students.
On the way, Ulf Claesson – who was accompanied on the trip by Sune Larsson, the treasurer of the Scandinavian Church in Bangkok – stopped in Loei to pay a surprise visit to Esther, a Thai girl whom the Church supports financially. The 12-year-old Esther is an orphan under the care of a private institution in Loei and the Church has signed a long term support contract of 1000 Bath per month which covers her school expenses till she hopefully graduates from 12th grade.
Ulf Claesson will leave Bangkok on 13 July and will in August be replaced by his successor Lennart and Lis Hamark.
