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15 July 2010
Dear Friends of Thailand,
The highlight of the first half of 2010 was definitely the private one-day visit to Belgium by HRH Princess Sirindhorn on 26 June, during which she graciously presided over the opening ceremony of our new Royal Thai Embassy at 876 Chaussee de Waterloo – a blessing indeed for the Embassy’s staff, as well as for all Thais whom we happily serve. I am delighted that many of you were able to join and celebrate this auspicious occasion while for others, please visit us some time.
The first half of 2010 unfortunately saw Thailand appearing far too often on the breaking and headline news. Thailand's peaceful image as the ‘Land of Smile’ was shattered. Hardly anybody would like to see it happening again.
The protest started off in March peacefully but armed elements infiltrating the protesters combined with the rhetoric of their hard core leaders, transformed their legitimate gathering into illegality. Now the highly respected former Attorney General, Dr. Kanit Na Nakorn, has been appointed as Chairman of the Independent Fact-Finding Commission to lead his eight-member team to uncover the underlying roots causes, create better understanding, provide short-term remedies, prevent the recurrence of violence and losses, rehabilitate and heal all wounds.
Let us not prejudge the work of the Commission but encourage all sides, including our foreign friends, to render their cooperation by providing relevant information and witness accounts to help advance the Commission’s work. After all, Dr. Kanit has promised to conduct all hearing and investigation based on dignity and integrity, fairness, inclusiveness, and transparency. It is gratifying to note that Prime Minister Abhisit has himself repeated on many occasions that his Government would support the Commission and stand ready to be held accountable for any evidence of wrongdoings.
Meanwhile, Committees on Reform Strategy and Reform Assembly have been established to respectively address the disparity and grievances of the people from all walks of life and propose a national reform strategy. Given the integrity of background and as recipients of the Ramon Magsaysay Award for their outstanding public service records, one can rest assured that former Prime Minister Anand Panyarachun and Dr. Prawes Vasee would respectively lead the Reform Strategy and Reform Assembly Committees with utmost impartiality, inclusiveness and transparency for the benefits of all Thais and the country.
Throughout the period of the unrest, my messages to friends in Belgium, EU and Luxembourg have been that of gratitude for their understanding, friendship and support. The statements of the High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Baroness Catherine Ashton have for one been constructive and helpful. The travel advisory of the Belgian Government has indeed been objective and friendly.
I am confident that with more positive progress made possible through the implementation of the Prime Minister’s Five-Points Road Map, participation and contribution of all sides, more and more foreigners will soon realize that Thailand is much more positive in every sense than the dramatic images in May. Different political opinions would naturally remain in our society as in others, but we must learn, for instance, from the Belgians how to manage their differences without resorting to violence. After all, what happened in May are Thailand’s internal affairs and must be resolved by all Thais themselves through democratic means.
For this summer holiday, I hope that you will take advantage of many attractive tourism promotion campaigns to visit and explore Thailand. Do you know that, despite the Emergency Decree, Travel & Leisure Magazine, which caters to the luxury travel market, has just released its 2010 "World's Best" list, with Bangkok voted by readers as the top city in the world? Could this mean that the Emergency Decree has not affected the ordinary people including tourists, their daily life or businesses whatsoever? Visitors to Thailand may probably feel not only unaffected but perhaps even more secure with its application. On this note, the Thai Cabinet decided on 6 July to further revoke the use of the Emergency Decree in 5 of the 24 provinces as the assessment of the situation showed marked improvement in these areas.
For our part, the Embassy will help promote Thailand by once again organizing the ‘Essence of Thailand’ festive at Place Du Mon in Stockel on Saturday 12 September. Not only will we bring back all the delightful events you enjoyed in previous years, but we will also showcase many wonderful Thai restaurants and authentic Thai tastes under the theme ‘Innovation’. Entrance is of course free of charge. Prices and quality will definitely be under control. We will, however, not be able to control the weather!
Finally, the current EU Presidency, Belgium will host an exciting summit event that will see forty-five Asian, ASEAN and European leaders and Heads of State coming together for the 8th Asia-Europe Meeting or ASEM during 4-5 October in Brussels. To mark this once every two years occasion where our two continents meet, the Belgian Foreign Affairs Ministry, in cooperation with BOZAR and museums all over Asia, have organized an excellent exhibition of rare artifacts, arts and crafts under the theme "Passage to Asia", which is open now to the public until the end of the Summit in October. A beautiful Ban Chieng vase is on display among fifteen other museum collection pieces from Thailand. This is certainly an opportunity to enlighten ourselves on 2,500 years of exchanges between Asia and Europe and collections of over 300 decorative and artistic objects never previously shown in Belgium or anywhere else in Europe.
I wish you all a lovely vacation, safe journey and wonderful summer holiday.
Sawasdee Krub,
Pian Manawapat
Ambassador of Thailand
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1 January 2010
Dear friends of Thailand,
On behalf of the Royal Thai Embassy to Belgium and Luxembourg and Mission of Thailand to the European Union, I would like to send my best wishes to you all for a happy and prosperous 2010.
I feel touched and gratified by the best wishes many of you had expressed for the good health of His Majesty King Bhumibol. He had made good recovery from his recent illness and was advised by his doctors to rest and do the necessary to regain his strength. His Majesty the King has told the Thai nation on 5 December very clearly that his happiness rests on the stability and progress of Thailand.
Throughout 2009, the amount of goodwill and activities that so many friends of Thailand had organized in their capacities at various cities, towns in Belgium and Luxembourg touched my heart.
To name a few, " We Love Thailand” by Thaibel in Antwerp on 29 September 2009, Loy Kratong Festival by Thai-Flemish Association at Kokalore on 15 November 2009, Fatima Christmas Market in Schilde on 21-22 November 2009 by Pieter Vannenville to raise fund for their centre to assist children and women in Thailand, Thai Street Food at Cooking Studio in Gent on 27 November 2009 by Tom Vandenberghe, Christmas Market for Nong Kai project at the Royal Military Academy on 16 December 2009 by Commandent Dirk De Busschere and the cadets of the 145th Promotion Social and Military Sciences, as well as individuals such as Khun Harry and Khun Banthom Metzen for Health Centre project in Chayaphoom, Thailand.
For those whose actions I had not mentioned, please accept more of my gratitude. It goes without saying that all the Thais who are law abiding citizens in Belgium and Luxembourg are the true representatives for their country because each day, they present a truly fine image of Thailand to their host families, communities, in Thai restaurants, fruit farms or wherever their decent workplaces may be. The temples continue to provide useful dharma teaching as well as community service for Belgium and Luxembourg. I am also very grateful to the various Thai community groups which organize cultural and educational activities to promote strong community relations and Thai cultural heritage.
Over the past year, the Thai Government under the leadership of PM Abhisit Vejjajiva had weathered the economic and political storm and their impacts on the Thai economy well. Please see his year end report on the State of the Thai Nation here.
The Prime Minister is expected to visit Brussels to attend the Asia-Europe summit (ASEM 8) in October this year or even before.
Looking into 2010, there will at least be two major cultural events that the Embassy will be directly involved, namely, the annual Asia Pacific Women Association ( APWA ) fair on Saturday 12 June at the Cultural centre in Audeghem and the fifth Essence of Thailand in Stockel on a Sunday of the first half of September. More details will be posted on our Embassy website for your information.
Many visitors to the Embassy have expressed good impression with our new Embassy at Chaussee de Waterloo which is more spacious than the old one. I will however recommend to my Foreign Ministry that we keep and, when the budget is available, renovate the old elegant office building at Square de Val de la Cambre that had served us so well for the past 25 years. It is after all located at the best address of Brussels.
Please let us know how you would like the Embassy to better serve you and your loved ones as we continue our mission to deepen the already excellent relationship between Thailand and Belgium, Luxembourg and the European Union.
With my best wishes for 2010.
Yours sincerely
Pisan Manawapat |
