On 16 November Ambassador Staffan Herrström made an official visit to Krabi Province, meeting with the Governor, H.E. Pol Lt-Colonel ML Kitibodhi Prawit, to discuss issues of mutual interest and explore areas of enhanced cooperation. Discussions focused on the two countries’ remarkable people-to-people relations, tourism, tourist safety, as well as common environmental challenges such as marine plastic pollution.
The Ambassador’s visit was in line with the 150 years celebration of relations between Sweden and Thailand, marked by the signing of their first treaty on Friendship, Commerce and Navigation in 1868. The Embassy is celebrating the anniversary by highlighting the remarkable people-to-people relations that have evolved between Sweden and Thailand over the years, something which will be highlighted in the photo exhibition ‘Neighbours from Afar’ that will be inaugurated on the Lucia event on 13 December 2018.
The Krabi Province is home to one of the largest Swedish communities in Thailand (in particular on Koh Lanta). It is also one of the top destinations for Swedish tourists. The Ambassador travelled to Lanta island where he met with representatives from the Swedish community, informing them about the Embassy’s priorities as well as addressed issues of particular concern to Swedes living abroad.
With a strong element of anti- plastic waste advocacy work the Ambassador also followed up on the Embassy’s strong commitment to join forces with Thailand in addressing the global environmental challenges threatening our oceans (UN Sustainable Development Goals14) by meeting with representatives from Krabi-based civil society: ‘Trash Hero Koh Lanta’ and ‘Krabi Goes Green’. The representatives explained a number of bottom-up initiatives on marine waste management and beating plastic pollution, with a purpose to achieve sustainable tourism.
Source: Embassy of Sweden in Bangkok
