On 2 July 2022, H.E. Ms. Vimolbajra Ruksakiati, Ambassador of Thailand to Norway attended the Commemoration of King Chulalongkorn’s visit to Norway 115 years ago by paying homage to King Chulalongkorn’s Monument in Brevik. This year, the Embassy co-organized the Thai Festival in Brevik 2022 in collaboration with Wat Thai Norway, the Thai Language and Culture Association in Grenland, Thai community in Telemark, and Porsgrunn Commune. Mr. Øyvind Solbakken, business developer manager, Porsgrunn Commune, represented the Mayor of Porsgrunn. More than 200 people, including Mr. Johnny Sørensen, historian and one of those initiated the construction of the Monument, came to the event.

 

Today is to commemorate His Majesty King Chulalongkorn’s visit to Norway in 1907, which have marked the beginning of the solid friendship between Thailand and Norway. It is the history that both Thais and Norwegians are proud of and this mutual sentiment should be carried on to the future generation of Thai-Norwegian relations.

 

In her remarks, Ambassador Vimolbajra stated that the Embassy places high importance to the conservation and maintenance of His Majesty King Chulalongkorn’s monument in Brevik. The monument has brought the hearts and minds of Thai community closer together, thus all of us should join hands in maintaining this beautiful and great monument. The Embassy is coordinating with the Norwegian side to renovate the monument in accordance with the design proposed by the Fine Arts Department, Ministry of Culture of Thailand.

 

Ambassador Vimolbajra commended the organizers of this event for their hard work, which reflects the strength of Thai community in Norway which the Embassy hopes it will be continuously upheld. She also hopes that this Festival will be a good model for more Thai Festival activities in many other parts of Norway.