Thai Nordic Association was successfully established on 4 March 2022 after a protracted communication between Thailand’s Department of Provincial Administration and the law firm Wissen & Co. that also assisted with the first creation of the legally registered Scandinavian Society Siam.
The playful style of the leadership of Chairman Lasse Staalung helped carry the enthusiasm of the board through the many disheartening twists and turns and seemingly never ending bureaucratic obstacles which the law firm quietly, but stubbornly encountered with a patience of a magnitude you probably only find in Thailand.
TNA’s creation is a major move forward for the Nordic community in Thailand only to be compared to the creation of the Nordic business chambers in Thailand from 1989 to 1996. The potential for the TNA to grow into an overarching, all Nordic non-governmental organisation is now there with a legal framework that may even lead to the establishment of a Nordic House in Bangkok.
The change not only wipes away the dust from the 102 years old association, but more importantly reflects that TNA now also officially covers the whole of the Nordic region, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland and Iceland as well as the autonomous areas Faroe Islands, Greenland, and Åland in line with the Nordic Council.
The purpose of the Society remains to act as a union between people from the Nordic area living in Thailand. To organize social activities and sports- and leisure activities and give advice and guidance to people from the Nordic region living in Thailand and support and cooperate with the other Nordic Associations and Commercial Chambers and Nordic churches and the diplomatic representations of the Nordic countries in Thailand as an independent, nonprofit, nonpolitical association.
That is an ambitious vision!
Congratulations to the Board of Directors of the TNA, which consists of the same group of people who in 2020 – a week before the Covid lockdown would have made it impossible – threw a grand reception to celebrate the establishment 100 years ago of Dansk Samfund Siam which later became Scandinavian Society Siam.
Now! Pop that bottle of Champagne!
Gregers, this article is recommendable. I like when you said that “The playful style of the leadership of Chairman Lasse Staalung helped carry the enthusiasm of the board through the many disheartening twists and turns and seemingly never ending bureaucratic obstacles which the law firm quietly, but stubbornly encountered with a patience of a magnitude you probably only find in Thailand.” I agree with you on this.