Kära vänner, Dear Friends, Sawasdee ka
It is a great honour for me to send my warmest wishes to Swedes in Thailand and all friends of Sweden in Thailand and around the world on the occasion of Sweden’s National Day.
The 6th of June marks the day in 1523 when Sweden became a unified country. Gustav Vasa became the first king of this cold nation far up in the north of Europe. Also on the 6th of June, but in 1809, the constitution was adopted that laid the groundwork for Sweden to become a modern, democratic nation. So, we have double reasons to celebrate this date.
Our constitutional monarchy, together with strong democratic traditions and work for equality and human rights, is a source of national pride. These values not only define our national identity, but also support our international relationships, including our strong ties with Thailand.
This day is therefore also a day to celebrate the fruitful friendship and close bonds between the peoples of Sweden and Thailand. Our nations celebrate 156 years of diplomatic relations this year as the first Siam-Swedish friendship treaty was signed in 1868. As two trade dependent nations, we have developed excellent mutual commercial relations. Today, we have close to 100 Swedish companies present in Thailand, and the interest of Swedish investors in Thailand is growing.
Furthermore, both countries are committed to working towards the 2030 Agenda and finding sustainable solutions to global challenges such as climate change. Sweden greatly values our partnership with Thailand, and we look forward to a future of even closer cooperation in different fields.
As we celebrate today, let us also celebrate shared values and goals that unite us and look forward to
continued collaboration of mutual benefit.
I wish a Happy Swedish National Day to everyone celebrating in Thailand and around the world!
Anna Hammargren
Ambassador of Sweden to Thailand
