On Tuesday, February 25, it was time once again for SWEA Bangkok to hold its annual meeting. This time, the meeting took place at the embassy, rather than at the residence of the Ambassador as in previous years. The embassy, located in One Pacific Tower on Sukhumvit, is easy to reach by BTS.
We started with a glass of sparkling wine in the canteen to welcome each other, and then moved into the conference room, where our ambassador, H.E. Anna Hammargren also joined us.
Anna has now been the ambassador in Bangkok for one and a half years. Before coming here, she served as Chief of Staff at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs, which is equivalent to the position of Administrative Director. Annas husband is with her in Bangkok, while their three children are studying at university in Sweden.
Anna has previously served as an active diplomat in Africa and Paris, among other places. She has a long and solid educational background and extensive experience.
“Being a diplomat is like having the world’s second oldest profession,” Anna said – and as for the oldest, she left that unsaid, as most people would know.
Anna speaks very highly of her colleagues at the Swedish Embassy in Bangkok. It is a large embassy, with 65 employees. It’s estimated that around 8,000 Swedes live in Thailand today, many of them retirees who have chosen to spend their late years in this tropical and multicultural country. Many Swedish men have married Thai women and started families here, and many Swedes also come to work in Thailand and represent Swedish companies in Thailand. Currently, around 120 Swedish companies are established in Thailand, and this number has been increasing noticeably. Surprisingly, about 70,000 Thai people are said to be living in Sweden.
The Swedish Embassy in Bangkok also covers Laos, Cambodia and Myanmar, and there are four honorary consulates in Thailand.
Since Anna arrived in Thailand, she has traveled extensively around the country, meeting Swedish businesses and other Swedish groups active in the region. The embassy has a strong collaboration with SWECHAM (the Swedish-Thai Chamber of Commerce), the Swedish church, Business Sweden, SWEA, and several other organizations.
Anna began her diplomatic career in 1990, the year the Berlin Wall fell – and since then, the world has undergone many changes. For Swedes, NATO membership is probably the most significant change, and the new administration in the White House is another.
“We must dare to believe in cooperation and the future,” Anna pointed out. She also emphasized the importance of staying attentive to global developments, adding that these are exciting times.
Sweden and Thailand have maintained formal diplomatic relations for more than 150 years. Our two countries have always been closely connected in many ways, and the strong friendship between our royal families has also played a significant role in the strengthening of those ties. Anna also mentioned that Swedes are generally seen as well-behaved and responsible people by the Thais – we don’t seem to cause much trouble.
Collaboration with the other Nordic countries also works well. Sweden, Norway, and Denmark have, for example, chosen to combine their national day celebrations, which are often held in the Norwegian ambassador’s garden-or rather, their park. Iceland, however, does not have an embassy in Thailand.
The “Nordic concept” is well-received here, and the Nordic Film Festival is a popular recurring event. Swedish and Thai universities also have a strong partnership, creating further opportunities for collaboration.
“Yes, there’s a lot happening”, Anna concluded her presentation. She also mentioned the recent decision by Thailand to legalize same-sex marriage – a widely welcomed and celebrated decision.
The participating members of SWEA Bangkok agreed that it was very rewarding to hear Anna talk about life as a diplomat. Many would hope to keep her in Bangkok for as long as possible. Ambassadors can stay in the same post up to five years before moving on to a new challenge.
Annika Larsson, the outgoing chair of SWEA Bangkok, thanked Anna Hammargren on behalf of all of us for taking the time to join our annual meeting before she had to rush off to her next engagement.
We then enjoyed delicious canapes from “Mamma’s Kök” along with some wine, before starting the official annual meeting, led by Annika Larsson. Everything went smoothly and without any issues. SWEA Bangkok elected a new board, with Hayoung Ekhaga as the new chair. A few members of the previous board will remain for a while to ensure a smooth transition. Annika, and Lina, who served as secretary and our key contact at the embassy, were thanked with blue and yellow flowers and a small gift.
Now a fairly new and enthusiastic team takes on the task of leading SWEA Bangkok forward. As the evening came to an end, I believe we all agreed, it had been a successful and memorable night.
