On 21 November 2025, the Royal Thai Embassy in Oslo organized a Commemorative Reception to mark the 120th Anniversary of Diplomatic Relations between the Kingdom of Thailand and the Kingdom of Norway. The event also served as a remembrance of the Royal Visits to Norway by His Majesty King Chulalongkorn (King Rama V) and the State Visit to Norway by Their Majesties King Bhumibol Adulyadej The Great and Queen Sirikit The Queen Mother. The reception was held at the Oslo City Hall, Kingdom of Norway.

 

The event was attended by 200 distinguished guests, including Mr. Andreas Motzfeldt Kravik, State Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Norway, who attended as the Guest of Honour; Ms. Anne Lindboe, Mayor of Oslo; representatives from the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs; members of the Diplomatic Corps in Norway; the Norwegian private sector; “Friends of Thailand”; and members of the Thai community in Norway who supported the Charity Walk-Run to mark the 120th Anniversary of diplomatic relations in June 2025.

 

Prior to the commencement of the ceremony, attendees stood in silence to pay tribute and express their deepest condolences on the passing of Her Majesty Queen Sirikit The Queen Mother, who passed away on 24 October 2025. The gathering also paid tribute to Her Majesty’s dedication to improving the quality of life of the Thai people through her Royal Duties in arts and crafts, including the creation of the Thai National Dress, the promotion of Thai textiles, and the preservation of the Khon masked dance drama.

 

Her Excellency Miss Nitivadee Manitkul, Ambassador of Thailand to Norway, delivered opening remarks, paying tribute to the legacy of Her Majesty Queen Sirikit The Queen Mother, particularly on her Royal Duties in foreign affairs and her vital role in Thai-Norwegian relations.

 

Ambassador Nitivadee highlighted the close ties between Thailand and Norway under the theme “From the Palace to the People”, recalling the Royal Visit to Norway by His Majesty King Chulalongkorn in 1907, which laid the foundation for the deep-rooted relationship between the two nations in all dimensions. Ambassador Nitivadee also mentioned the State Visit to Norway by Their Majesties King Bhumibol Adulyadej The Great and Queen Sirikit The Queen Mother in 1960, which included a visit to Oslo and the City Hall. Additionally, His Majesty King Olav V of Norway paid a State Visit to the Kingdom of Thailand in 1965, visiting both Bangkok and Chiang Mai province.

 

Ambassador Nitivadee also touched upon the current close relations between Thailand and Norway, noting that cooperation spans all dimensions, including politics, economy, trade, investment, and people-to-people ties. At present, over 30,000 Thai nationals reside in Norway, playing a significant role in driving the economy and living harmoniously within Norwegian society.

 

On this occasion, the Mayor of Oslo expressed her gratitude to the Royal Thai Embassy for organizing the event. Mayor Lindboe mentioned the relationship between Thailand and Norway, which began with the Royal Visit of His Majesty King Chulalongkorn in 1907, and thanked the Thai community in Oslo for their important role in promoting relations between the two countries.

 

The State Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Norway praised Thailand as a key friend with strong ties at all levels. He stated that Norway is pleased to support Thailand’s accession to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and commended Thailand’s role on the international stage and its continuous emphasis on promoting human rights. On this occasion, the State Secretary mentioned the Thai-EFTA Free Trade Agreement, which is currently being ratified by Thailand and is expected to enter into force next year, as well as the close people-to-people ties in areas such as culture and tourism.

 

During the event, the Royal Thai Embassy was honoured by Miss Sassaya Chavalit, a Thai opera singer, who performed the Thai Royal Anthem, the Norwegian National Anthem, and the Royal Composition “Alexandra” (Phan Din Kong Rao). A troupe of experts from the Chiang Mai College of Dramatic Arts performed the “Kinnaree Ron” dance and the Khon masked dance episode “Hanuman Chasing Suvannamaccha.”

 

Furthermore, Mr. Siam Saenkhat, a Thai historian, and Mr. Hans Paul Hansen, a Norwegian historian and curator of the Thai Museum at Nordkapp, served as guest speakers to present the history of His Majesty King Chulalongkorn’s Royal Visit to Norway and Nordkapp in 1907.

The Embassy also presented a commemorative exhibition on the Royal Visit of His Majesty King Chulalongkorn and the State Visit of Their Majesties King Bhumibol Adulyadej The Great and Queen Sirikit The Queen Mother. The event featured live Thai traditional music by the Thai Music and Dance Association in Norway and fruit carving demonstrations by representatives of the Thai community. Guests were served Thai cuisine prepared by the Embassy’s chef, including Papaya Salad (Som Tum), Ma Hor (Galloping Horses), and Mango with Sticky Rice, which were highly popular among the attendees.

 

This event marked the first and only occasion to be held at the Oslo City Hall. It was also the first time that “Team Thailand,” including the Office of the Air Attaché in Stockholm and the Office of the Naval Attaché in London, joined forces for such an event. Moreover, it was the first significant occasion Royal Thai Embassy was honored to have Guests of Honour in a Ministerial level as well as the Mayor of Oslo.