Danish Ambassador meets expats in Hua Hin
Danish Ambassador Danny Annan met Danish expats in Hua Hin on Thursday, June 18, during an outreach visit aimed at maintaining contact with Danish nationals living in the town and surrounding areas.
Mr Annan, Ambassador of Denmark to Thailand and Cambodia, held the session at My Honey Pie coffee shop, where he discussed a range of issues with Danes living locally and listened to their experiences of life in Thailand.
The meeting formed part of a two-day visit to the area, during which Mr Annan was also due to meet Hua Hin municipal officials and officers from the Marine Police.
Speaking to Hua Hin Today shortly before the outreach session, Mr Annan said meeting Danish communities across Thailand was an important part of the embassy’s work.
“We have many different tasks, but one of them is of course also to stay connected with the Danish community,” he said.
He said the embassy estimates around 5,000 Danes live in Thailand more or less permanently, with communities in Hua Hin, Pattaya, Bangkok and parts of Isaan.
“In Hua Hin there’s a concentration,” he said. “So I thought it would be good to be back.”
Danish Ambassador highlights support for community
Danny Annan Ambassador of Denmark to Thailand and Cambodia
Mr Annan said the profile of Danish nationals in Thailand varies by location. Bangkok has a larger business community, while Khon Kaen has many mixed marriages. In Hua Hin, he said, many Danes are retirees who come for the sea, climate and “a friendly and warm environment like Thailand.”
The embassy handles a wide range of consular matters, including deaths, legal issues, health problems, lost passports and documentation for marriage.
Last year, 156,000 Danish tourists visited Thailand. By the end of May this year, 86,000 had already visited, suggesting the number could be similar again by year-end.
Mr Annan said air links remain strong, with Thai Airways flying daily between Bangkok and Copenhagen throughout the year. SAS also operates during Thailand’s high season and has said it will increase flights to Thailand, including services not only to Bangkok but also Phuket and Krabi.
Denmark and Thailand build closer links
Asked about relations between Denmark and Thailand, Mr Annan said the two countries were “getting closer and closer.”
“For each passing year we are building our commercial ties,” he said, adding that Danish companies are investing in Thailand and Thai companies are investing in Denmark.
He pointed to 14,000 Thais living in Denmark, mixed marriages, student exchanges and regular political dialogue between the two countries.
He said the two governments also cooperate on circular economy and waste management, including sharing experience on recycling, reuse and managing waste in areas affected by heavy tourism.
Mr Annan said about 75 Danish companies operate in Thailand, directly employing around 50,000 Thais, with key areas of cooperation including food and agriculture, health, renewable energy and energy efficiency, and maritime business.
He also highlighted Pandora, the jewellery company, as the biggest Danish employer in Thailand, with three factories and about 12,000 employees.
“All the silver is recycled silver. All the energy they use is renewable energy,” he said, adding that Pandora’s factory in Lamphun is powered by biomass and solar energy.
“That is also one of the things that makes me very proud as the Danish ambassador to Thailand, the fact that the Danish companies are so focused on renewable energy,” he said.
Asked about his message to Danes living in Hua Hin, Mr Annan said the embassy wanted to keep dialogue open.
“The message is basically to say we are here and we are here to help you if you have any issues to the best of our ability,” he said.
