Our ambassador Joan Boer already mentioned it in his speech during the reception on April 30 at the Dutch Embassy in Bangkok; the age-old friendship between the Netherlands and Thailand.
It now goes back 409 years. In 2004, relations between the Netherlands and Thailand celebrated their 400th anniversary. In January of that year, Queen Beatrix and Crown Prince Willem-Alexander paid a state visit to Thailand. In this article we give you a picture of what these friendly relations consist of.
Political relations between the Netherlands and Thailand
From the 17th century, Siam (ancient Thailand) came into contact with trading European countries, such as Portugal, France and the Netherlands. In 1604 the first contacts took place between the Dutch VOC and the Siamese court. In 1, a VOC factory was established near the then capital Ayutthaya.
In 2012, several visits took place in both countries. For example, the Thai Minister of Science and Technology visited the Delta Works in the Netherlands. The Dutch State Secretary for Infrastructure and the Environment visited Thailand. The purpose of these visits was to share experiences and to offer Dutch knowledge and expertise in the field of water management. Thailand is regularly hit by floods.
The Thai princess also visited the Floriade in Venlo. The Netherlands and Thailand have a treaty that makes it possible for Dutch prisoners in Thailand to serve the last part of their sentence in the Netherlands under certain conditions. This is called the WOTS Convention (Transfer of Enforcement of Criminal Judgments Act). The Netherlands also has an embassy in the Thai capital Bangkok.
Economic relations between the Netherlands and Thailand
The Netherlands is one of the five largest EU investors in Thailand. Dutch companies are active in transport, technology, energy, food and financial services. For Thailand, the Netherlands is the most important sales market in Europe. Trade between countries is increasing. The Netherlands imports office machines, telecommunications equipment and electronics from Thailand and mainly exports electronics to the country. Rotterdam plays an important role as a transit port for Thai products.
The Netherlands Thai Chamber of Commerce (NTCC) promotes trade and investment between the countries in Thailand. Dutch small and medium-sized enterprises are gaining a foothold in Thailand. In 2013, there will be an SME Business Fair in Thailand. For up-to-date information about economic and trade relations with Thailand, please visit the website of NL Agency. You can also consult the websites of the Dutch Embassy in Bangkok, the Netherlands Thai Chamber of Commerce (NTCC) and the Dutch Chamber of Commerce SME Thailand.
Relations in the field of education and culture
The Netherlands and Thailand work together in the field of education and science. For example, Nuffic, which has an office in Bangkok, encourages cooperation between educational institutions and universities in both countries and promotes Dutch higher education among students in Thailand. The Netherlands Fellowship program is open to Thailand. With this program, the Dutch government helps people from Thailand who want to study in the Netherlands.
Thailand is not a priority within the international cultural policy of the Netherlands. Nevertheless, cultural relations have become more important in recent years. Dutch performing artists in particular are interested in Thailand. The Dutch embassy in Bangkok provides financial support for this.
The Netherlands has set up an information center about the Netherlands in Thailand. This information centre, the Dutch-Thai Information Center “Baan Hollanda”, focuses on the shared history (VOC), but also addresses current topics, such as modern water management in both countries. The center was presented by Queen Beatrix during her state visit to Thailand in 2004 and opened in April 2013.
There is a lot of exchange of Jazz music between the Netherlands and Thailand, for example various performances during the Jazz festivals in Koh Samui and Bangkok. The Blaze dance company performs at the annual Bangkok International Festival of Dance and Music. The Netherlands also participates in the annual EU film festival in Thailand. In 2012, the Netherlands was well represented at the World Film Festival by showing various films from Dutch soil. There are cultural events that receive support from the Dutch business community, such as the World Press Photo exhibition. This exhibition has already been shown in various cities in the world, but was also in Bangkok at the beginning of 2012. For more information about cultural relations with Thailand, please visit the SICA website.
Development relationship
The Netherlands finances humanitarian aid to Burmese refugees in Thailand. Until recently, the Netherlands supported small projects aimed at southern Thailand with contributions from the Human Rights Fund.
Source: www.rijksoverheid.nl/
More information:
- Up-to-date information on economic and trade relations with Thailand
- Dutch Embassy in Bangkok
- Netherlands Thai Chamber of Commerce (NTCC)
- Dutch Chamber of Commerce SME Thailand
- Information on cultural relations with Thailand
A wonderful story that everyone should be proud of.
perhaps this can lead to somewhat lower prices for a visa stamp
at the royal thai general consulate……………RIGHT?
furthermore a nice story that could give rise to
consider the Dutch tourist as a very important partner.
hood can be tight.