On 24 February 2025, H.E. Dr. Lalivan Kanchanachari, Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs, attended and delivered congratulatory remarks at the anointing ceremony for the statue of Mr. Carl Bock at the preaching hall of Wat Saket Ratchaworamahawihan. The statue was sculpted by Mr. Thawatchai Srisomphetch.

Mr. Carl Bock, Norwegian explorer and naturalist, conducted expeditions across Thailand in 1882 under the royal patronage and support of His Majesty King Chulalongkorn. Mr. Carl Bock later wrote ‘Temples and Elephants’, documenting his journey. The book has been widely recognized by scholars and historians across Europe and continued to serve as a valuable reference for studies on Thailand’s historical and cultural landscape during His Majesty King Chulalongkorn’s reign.

The anointing ceremony for the statue of Mr. Carl Bock also marks the commemoration of the 120th anniversary of Thailand-Norway diplomatic relations in 2025. Following the ceremony, the statue will be exhibited at the Museum of Cultural History, University of Oslo, Norway.