On 26 August 2022, H.E. Ms. Vimolbajra Ruksakiati, Ambassador of Thailand to Norway, hosted a farewell and congratulatory dinner for H.E. Mrs. Astrid Emilie Helle on the occasion of Ambassador Helle’s upcoming assumption of position as the Ambassador of Norway to Thailand. Invited guests, who are Friends of Thailand in Norway, include H.E. Mrs. Ragne Birte Lund, former Ambassador of Norway to Thailand, Mr. Vebjørn Dysvik, Director General of the Department of Regional Affairs and Ms. Anne Kristine Grøtting, Deputy Mayor of the Porsgrunn kommune.

 

Both sides exchanged views about the historical relations between Thailand and Norway of almost 120 years which are constructive and full of dynamic to this very day. Both sides agreed that Thailand and Norway have great potential to further enhanced cooperation in many areas, especially people-to-people relations, tourism, trade and investment, which the ongoing Thai-EFTA FTA negotiation will greatly contribute to trade volume between Thailand and the members of European Free Trade Association (EFTA), including Norway, and innovation in the fields of Norwegian expertise such as electric vehicles (EVs), clean energy, and carbon capture and storage (CCS). Ambassador Ruksakiati also informed Ambassador Helle about the Thailand and Nordic Countries Innovation Unit (TNIU) project, which is the collaboration of the 4 Thai Embassies in the Nordic countries and is scheduled to launch on 7 September 2022. TNIU will be an important platform for the promotion of collaboration on sustainable development and innovation between Thailand and Nordic countries.

 

The Thai Embassy in Oslo warmly wishes Ambassador Helle all the best in Thailand and looks forward to continuing our close and excellent cooperation between our Embassies for the further strengthening of the relations between Thailand and Norway.