The annual garden party organized by Scandinavian Society Siam was held at the Danish Embassy this Saturday. Meet some of the people who joined the event and hear what they think is the best about living in Bangkok.
While caviar crème, piano music and champagne set the scene Saturday night in the garden of the Recidence of the Danish Ambassador. Rock ’n’ roll, sweaty dance moves and free flow of beer quickly took over. The garden party was organized by Scandinavian Society Siam.
An easy life
Berit and her husband are from Sweden. They have lived in Bangkok for 15 years.
“There are so much I love about Bangkok. I love the easy life down here, and I feel I can be a real lady,” Berit explains.
Ginny agrees. If there is something she is sad about, it is the internationalization of the city.
“I used to love to go shopping in all the local stores, but now everything has become so international. I miss the local stores,” she says.
From Vietnam to Bangkok
Helena Ahola and her husband were the only people representing Finland at the garden party this Saturday. They have been living in Bangkok for eight years now.
“The event is a good way to meet people and communicate. We have been to many events like this and other kind of events with Scandinavian Society Siam as well,” the Finnish couple tell.
Helena is head of development in the ministry. Her and her husband used to live in Vietnam, but eight years ago they moved to Bangkok.
“Bangkok feels very safe. And compared with Vietnam, people do not come up to you all the time to sell you things,” Helena explains.
What Helena loves most about Bangkok, is the food and the concerts, and she also has a passion for the theatre. Her husband agrees with her but adds to the list:
“I am a golfer,” he laughs.
Exercising every day
Nils Wickberg and Kirsten Kjelsås are from Sweden and Norway. Compared with many of the other guests, the couple only lived in Bangkok for one and a half year.
“I am the one who is working, my husband exercises,” Kirsten and her husband laughs.
“We like the restaurants and that everything is so cheap and people are so nice,” Kirsten says.
Kirsten works at the Norwegian Embassy while her husband is retired.
“I go to the fitness centre everyday and after a little exercise, I jump into the pool,” Nils laughs.
Setting boundaries
Jakob Korslund used to work at the Danish Embassy. Now he started his own company with a friend. His wife Savija Pannark Korslund is one of the organizers of the garden party. While Jakob is from Denmark, Savija has roots from both Thailand and Denmark.
“In Bangkok you can do everything. You can go shopping in the middle of the night if you want. Only you are setting the boundaries,” Jakob says and adds that the party tonight is a great way to talk with people from many different job areas.
Tutti Frutti, all over rootie
The band got almost everyone on the dance floor with classics like Jailhouse Rock and Tutti Frutti.
Det er fanme for dårligt at ambassadøren ikke giver en undskyldning. Det er sgu for slapt.
My two brothers were taken to Dagmarhus by SS in 1943 og skudt.
Nobody should play with SS.
Hvad fa’en bilder Olfert sig ind og sige at Ballut er et proletar spil. Nej, det er et plebejer spil med masser af bajere. Jeg er sømand og os gutter spiller det hver dag med en masse bajere. Spillet skulle egentlig hedde Ballut og Bajere.
Olfert os Ballut spillere er intelletuelt( en mand i et værthus lærte mig ordet igår) underlegne, men der er plads til os alle.
As a non-member of Scandinavian Society Siam I was quite surprised that it is a SS party according to the Ambassador’s speech.
Further I was told that many members didn’t join as the Ballut players also had a party the same evening. Ballut in my opinion is a proletarian game.