New Year's message from Ambassador Hartogh
Dear Thailand Blog Friends,
First of all I would like to wish you and all who are dear to you a very good, healthy and happy 2017.
As far as the cooperation with the embassy is concerned, I hope that this can be continued in the same pleasant and open manner. I expressly thank you for the generally constructive attitude towards embassy staff and understanding for the fact that the embassy is confronted with ever new budget cuts that put pressure on service provision worldwide. On the other hand, there is a departmental modernization program that will increase and facilitate online services in the coming years.
You still owe an answer to the open letter on income statements. You can count on us to try to find a solution with the department that meets the specific situation in Thailand as much as possible.
The embassy can generally look back on an eventful, active and successful year. The trading department was approached by a record number of companies and worked overtime. The number of trade applications increased (from 114 in 2013) to almost 900 in 2016, by far the highest number in the ASEAN region. A large number of support activities were jointly undertaken with the business community. The consular section was traditionally busy and was able to implement a number of efficiency-enhancing measures.
Special was the reception of the four Dutch victims of the bomb attacks in Hua Hin. The KLPD team at the post has achieved some great successes in the fight against human trafficking and child sex crime. In addition, many cultural events were organized in which more and more Thais were involved. That certainly also applied to one of the absolute highlights of the past year, the celebration of King's Day. In a new jacket, with a kind of Parade-like atmosphere and lots of music, this national holiday was given shape by about 1000 Dutch people and 500 Thai people. This year I do not expect a grand celebration due to the death of the Thai king, but next year we will go 'loose' again.
2017 will be an exciting year in many ways, and not just because of the warming geopolitical situation expected by President-elect Trump. The elections in the Netherlands will also provide a new government team and therefore also new ministers at BZ. A permanent ingredient of every new cabinet in recent years has been a further restructuring of the state economy, in other words: cutbacks. Not even so much to further reduce the size of the civil service, but to free up money for new policy. Of course we don't know how that will affect the embassy, but in recent years the embassy has been unable to avoid it. Although the Thai staff could be expanded somewhat in 2016, the position of Second Secretary of Commerce (currently occupied by Mr Van Buuren) will expire next summer, which will mean a significant loss of our capacity in the field of trade and public events.
On a personal note, the editors have asked me several times since mid-October to explain my sudden absence from the post. I replied that I first wanted to wait for more clarity about my illness and that I would appreciate it if my privacy would be respected. Thanks to the editors for that. I can say at this stage that I am being treated, apparently successfully, for bladder cancer (chemotherapy) at the Antoni van Leeuwenhoek hospital in Amsterdam. My position will be filled in January (a few weeks) by a “temporary chargé d'affaires”. I expect to resume my activities in early February and then undergo surgery a month later that should lead to total healing. Fingers crossed.
It only remains for me to wish you a very Happy New Year once again.
Charles Hartogh
An excellent speech from the ambassador, but the most important thing is that his illness can be combated. I wish him and his wife a lot of strength.
Sometimes it is just a cry, but now it certainly applies: “I wish you a healthy 2017!
Hopefully 2017 will be a special year for Ambassador Hartogh, in which he will be told that he is completely cured of this nasty disease and that he can return to work in beautiful Thailand.
And how much respect I already had for Karel Hartogh, the more I consider this 'posting' on Thailand Blog to be proof of his openness, approachability and commitment.
I wish him all the best in this and the future.
Wishing him a prosperous year...
I also wish Ambassador Hartogh a blessed year and a full recovery. A prosperous 2017 to the entire staff of the embassy as well
First of all, I wish ambassador Hartogh a full recovery and a prosperous 2017. And of course a healthy and prosperous New Year for all bloggers.
I wish all Thailand-Blog readers a lot of prosperity in the new year. Hopefully Ambassador Hartogh will be back to his old self soon, because health is the richest asset of man.
Karel Hartogh especially for you, without depriving anyone else of anything, I wish you all the best in this new year. You write that it will be an exciting year and applies in particular to yourself. I wish you all the best and strength in the coming time.
I'm concerned about those income statements. I am single and elderly and if we come to a point where I can no longer travel to BKK, what will happen? I don't want an illegal status. SSO a solution? The SVB does that too.
Wishing all blog readers, and you in particular, a good 2017(2060).p
The Hague does not always make things easier for all of us, but it is good to hear that the embassy works as well and as accessible as possible for, among other things, the citizen within what is possible. Thank you for the transparency and wishing you a speedy and full recovery.
We'll be fine, we need you
I wish you the best of luck with your bladder treatment and hope that this will lead to a quick and lasting success so that you and your loved ones can get on with their lives without the fears that will now be about your health
Happy and healthy 2017
Ton
We wish you, your family but also the entire Embassy staff a very good and healthy 2017. We hope that 2017 will be a good year and that you will be declared cured of this terrible disease.
First of all, I wish our ambassador a healthy and prosperous 2017.
Fortunately, he is in the best hands one could wish for in terms of medical treatment.
It will not be easy to have to undergo some things in this area.
In addition to the medical therapeutic treatment, a positive attitude will be promising.
I wish everyone a prosperous 2017.
Let's hope that our very special ambassador will recover completely this year. Even in the most difficult moments, he continues to stand up for us Dutch people from his sick bed and that deserves a lot of admiration.
As far as the questions section is concerned: from 9 January you can ask questions again. At the moment my son, whom I have not seen for several years, is visiting and I have devoted all my time to that.
First of all I wish the ambassador a speedy recovery in the new year and all ThailandBlog readers a happy new year.
Remarkable is the strong increase in trade requests. But does that also translate into more Dutch exports to Thailand? Not according to the Bank of Thailand.
In 2013, the Netherlands exported USD 1.075 million, in 2014 USD 1.039 million and in 2015 only USD 970 million (Figures for 2016 are not yet known, but those for the first 3 quarters are comparable to 2015).
Incidentally, the number of trade applications in 2013 is misleading. The formal registration of applications did not start until the end of that year, and was not used by all employees until the end of 2014.
Excuse me, but what is the need for this negative attitude about the trade applications? The fact that the number of applications has increased enormously is certainly due to the activities of the economic department of the embassy, led by an enthusiastic ambassador.
If you are a bit familiar with the (Thai) business world, you can know that a trade request, no matter how serious, will hardly ever be successful in the short term and will lead to an order. Look at the numbers again in a year and then draw a conclusion. Now that is much too early and your negative comments do not do justice to the great work that the economic team of the embassy has done.
Gringo, I do not want to detract from the work of the current economic team and the activities that team organizes and undertakes with enthusiasm.
What I would like to say is that it is not the quantity that is important, but the quality. The system used by the Netherlands (not the embassy itself) emphasizes the first in particular. However, 1 trade application can yield more than 100 for the Netherlands.
Have done that work myself for many years, and therefore am not unfamiliar with it.
The increase in the number of trade applications is mainly due to the increased interest of the business community and the proactive information of companies about opportunities in Thailand.
About exports: the conferences of our own CBS do indeed show an increase in exports.
I wish you a very successful treatment and a full recovery soon!
Best wishes to all in 2017, with good health, joy and fun!
The Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Bangkok has made very positive progress in recent years. With Ambassador Karel Hartogh this goes even further because of his great positive and open attitude. We miss you as an Ambassador, but certainly also as a person, and we wish you a speedy recovery. We also hope that you are not in pain. Good luck and hope to see you soon!
good luck and strength and a happy one
and a good 2017 to your family too
'
Dear Karel,
As a former and fellow cancer patient, treated exceptionally and so far successfully in the Daniël den Hoed clinic in Rotterdam, I wish you extraordinary strength and health!
Kind regards,
Jan Goeijenbier
To our sympathetic ambassador in Bangkok,
Dear Mr. Hartogh,
I wish you a successful treatment at the Antonie van Leeuwenhoek Hospital. My late wife was received and helped there in a wonderful way. Approachable doctors who have all the time for the patients, nursing staff who consider the patients as family members. You are in good hands there.
With my very best wishes for a speedy recovery.
Han van Boldrik.
Dear Mr Hartog,
You easily steal the hearts of the Thailand blog readers and not just theirs.
Jovial to us Thailand blog readers, a good number of whom live permanently in Thailand, and yet speak clear language where necessary to clarify some difficult to digest measures.
Sharing your candid message about your personal problems with us is also a credit to you, I hope that this shared sorrow strengthens you.
I wish you a Happy New Year from the Heart and that 2017 will bring you, especially in terms of your health, what seems to be expected, namely complete recovery from a bad illness, wishing you and your family strength.
We sympathize with you, if possible and if you wish, will you let us know how you are doing now and then?
With respect and thanks for your good work and your involvement.
Nico B
Good Karel, dear Maddy and Saskia,
After reading your New Year's message, I wish you, also on behalf of Willem, all the best in the year 2017, which is so important to you in every respect. Health, peace and (political) stability.
All the love and lots of strength from The Hague, Willem and Annemarie de Vries