Blog Ambassador Kees Rade (20)
The Dutch Ambassador to Thailand, Kees Rade.
De Dutch ambassador in thailand, Keith Rade, writes a monthly blog for the Dutch community, in which he outlines what he has been doing in the past month.
Dear compatriots,
A little later than planned my twentieth blog. Later because my return from the Netherlands was delayed, the KLM flight we had booked turned out not to go and we were put on a flight a few days later.
As is well known, the Thai Embassy in The Hague must issue a special “Certificate of Entry” to any passenger wishing to fly to Bangkok, as the country is closed to incoming commercial flights. Given Thailand's strict admission policy, which does not allow more than a few hundred travelers per day worldwide, this means that in practice only a few flights per month can take passengers from Amsterdam to Bangkok. Our flight was practically full, mainly with Thai passengers who wanted to return to their country, but luckily also with a few Dutch people living in Thailand who managed to obtain all the required papers to return home.
The arrival in Bangkok was a special experience. We were escorted from the plane door by hundreds of Thai officials, fully dressed in protective gear. Everything was strictly orchestrated, it is clear that Thailand does not want to take any chances with returning travelers. In itself, of course, rightly so, Thailand is in the increasingly unique situation that there are practically no internal infections. However, the country pays a hefty price for this. I think that many companies that rely mainly on international tourism are becoming increasingly desperate when they read that there are again hesitations about starting a pilot with bubble tourism in Phuket. Especially now that the government is also going to stop or at least reduce the monthly payment to economic victims of the crisis, the economic and social consequences of the pandemic will weigh more and more heavily on the informal sector in particular. Coupled with the increasing student protests, this could lead to troubled times in the coming period.
Well, here I am, quarantined. Not being able to participate in external activities is not a huge disaster at the moment, due to the circumstances there are fewer meetings anyway, a lot is going virtual. Missions are also a long way off, as long as the quarantine requirement is maintained that will not change.
However, this doesn't mean that a lot isn't happening! Firstly, in addition to normal business and consular services, we are busy supporting Dutch people affected by the pandemic. For example, by giving advice to Dutch people who are in danger of getting into trouble because the tacit extension of visas for foreigners staying here will expire at the end of this month. After all, it is not possible to go to a neighboring country and return to Thailand again. We are looking at this together with our EU colleagues, we are working on a letter that we want to send to the relevant Thai officials. But we cannot do more than plead, after all it is a decision of the Thai government, that is how it would go in the Netherlands.
Before I went on leave I also had the opportunity to make two domestic trips. First to Chiang Mai, at the end of July, where I attended an event organized by the ever-active NTCC, and visited a school in the border region with Myanmar together with Sallo Polak (see video). Sallo is the director of Philanthropy Connections, an NGO financed with Dutch voluntary contributions, among other things, that supports all kinds of social projects that are struggling to keep their heads above water. In this case it was a school for children from poor ethnic minorities. Always heart-warming to see how with a relatively small financial contribution these very young Thai citizens, who already have to fight against disadvantages in many areas, at least get some education. If you realize that we visited a family of 10 members who have to get by on 100 baht a day, it is clear that without this project, transport costs, etc. for the children would not be there.
A very different trip was the attendance in Kanchanaburi, on 15 August, of the commemoration of the end of the Second World War in Asia for the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Since this time it's the 75th time this commemoration took place, the NVT, the NTCC, Thailand Business and the embassy had decided to make it a special event. Here too, however, the pandemic threw a spanner in the works, the planned high visit from the Netherlands could not take place. Nevertheless, the commemoration took on a special character because the association of British veterans and the British embassy had decided to also hold a memorial at the cemeteries of Kanchanaburi. Naturally, it was decided to merge these two commemorations, so that we, with almost 200 people present, commemorated in a dignified manner all those who fell victim to WWII. Later in the year we hope to launch a documentary about the sad episode of the Burma Railway, which can be used in Dutch schools to inform the younger generation about it.
So, I'm going to start my daily 20 rounds through the very small piece of garden where we can come. See you next time!
Video: Dutch Ambassador visits COVID-Impacted Community in Thailand's Mountains | Philanthropy Connections
Dear Mr Rade,
I am surprised that you, as a diplomat, also have to be quarantined.
I assumed that diplomats would be exempt after a negative test.
By the way, you describe your arrival in Bangkok very diplomatically and politically correct, but a good reader will read your true idea between the lines.
Hopefully you will soon be out of quarantine and back to your normal work, and that your advocacy for the visa extension will bear fruit.
Kind Regards Rob
Dear Mr Rade,
I am also planning to fly back to Bangkok at the end of October to rejoin my Thai wife but I would like to know from you how the covid 19 PCR test is going which must be done no later than 72 hours in advance ?
You write that your flight was delayed for a few days, but you must have booked a hotel selected by the Thai government, which of course does not take your delay into account.
When I read everything like this I am afraid that if my flight is canceled I will have thrown a lot of money over the bridge because I am almost certain that my cancellation insurance does not cover this.
Would you like to hear how it worked for you?
Yours faithfully,
thomas.
Dear Thomas, normally I do not respond to comments on my blog because that interferes with the normal communication patterns between Dutch people and the embassy. Also in this case I would advise to just send an email to [email protected]. This will then be forwarded to our consular staff, who can answer all practical questions. Kind regards, Kees Rade
Sallo is the director of Philanthropy Connections, an NGO financed with Dutch voluntary contributions, among other things, that supports all kinds of social projects that are struggling to keep their heads above water.
Always astonishing to see that the Thai government is the major absentee and that no "honour" can be achieved to these people!
Here applies: “No money, no honey!”
Dear Mr Rade,
I myself have a long-term relationship with a Thai national, but I am not married. We own a house in a rural village. I am currently in the Netherlands and my re-entry permit is valid until mid-March 2021.
When you and your EU colleagues are looking at how you can help foreigners residing in Thailand not to leave the country indefinitely, I would also urge you to look with your EU colleagues at how You could help EU nationals who have been locked out indefinitely to be re-admitted to Thailand on the basis of their 'extension of stay' and 're-entry permit' and/or visa.
I too would like to be able to hold my beloved in my arms again.
Thanks in advance for your efforts,
Mr. Left out.