Editorial | Praya Lundberg Bold & Beautiful

You might be surprised by our sleek and voguish cover. Elite+ Magazine doesn’t only feature ambassadors and successful businessmen; we value all exceptional people – those with intelligence, passion, emotional sensitivity, a commitment to excellence and, most importantly, those who make contributions to society. We value talented women and their contributions to the humanities and to the home, community and the world at large.

Bold and beautiful Praya “Pu” Lundberg is a good example of young women who take a passionate and unwavering stand to create a better world. We are very grateful that she took time out of her busy schedule travelling the world to chat to us about her new role as the fi rst goodwill ambassador of UNHCR in Thailand and Southeast Asia. Praya makes me think of Michelle Obama’s saying: “There is no limit to what we, as women, can accomplish,” as she is playing an active role in building a strong and caring community by volunteering in many humanitarian issues, from refugees to AIDS and global warming. We are very proud and fortunate to feature someone as dedicated and determined as Praya, who can also empower other people and ignite their passion for meaningful giving, service and leadership.

Apart from Praya, we feature a lot of successful people who are very passionate about what they do, and we hope their stories will inspire our readers. Read the story of Darren Buckley, country head and Citi country offi cer and former president of the American Chamber of Commerce in Thailand, who has a strong passion for football and is one of those behind the success of the Thailand National Football Team. Also read Dr Surin Pitsuwan’s perspective on the future of ASEAN, as we are celebrating the 50th anniversary this August.

I strongly believe that passion drives progress, which becomes success. But what drives passion? Perhaps it’s a desire to constantly contribute to our society and see the world become a better, healthier, cleaner, less confl icted place, bit by bit, for our children and future generations.

One correction from last issue should be noted: Renata Greplova is spouse of the ambassador of the Czech Republic, not Slovakia as indicated in our Diplomatic Affairs article. Our apologies to Mrs Greplova.

Warm regards,
Arthorn Techatada
Executive Editor