BERLIN — At a National Day reception marked by reflection, diplomacy and quiet grandeur, Thailand’s Ambassador to Germany, Chittipat Tongprasroeth, gathered German officials, diplomats and members of the Thai community on Monday evening to honor both his nation’s past and its ambitions for the future. But the evening’s emotional center was the memory of Her Majesty Queen Sirikit, the Queen Mother, who died on October 24, 2025, at age 93.
In the ballroom of the Waldorf Astoria, the ambassador opened the celebration by invoking the triple significance of the occasion. “It is my great honour to welcome you to this auspicious evening,” he said. “We are gathering here to celebrate the birthday anniversary of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej The Great, Thailand’s National Day, and the Thai Father’s Day.”
Among the distinguished guests was Ambassador Dr. Joachim Bertele, Director for East Asia, Southeast Asia and the Pacific at the German Federal Foreign Office, underscoring the high-level attention Berlin pays to its long-standing partnership with Bangkok.
A Queen Remembered, a Legacy Renewed
The Thai Embassy presented a short documentary honoring Queen Sirikit’s life and public service — a gesture that cast a reflective mood over the festivities. For the ambassador, her passing was not only a national moment of mourning but also a point of historical connection between Thailand and Germany.
Photo courtesy of the Bureau of the Royal Household
“Her Majesty Queen Sirikit, together with His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej, laid a strong foundation for the partnership between Thailand and Germany,” Mr. Chittipat said, drawing a line from her decades of devotion to some of the most symbolic milestones in bilateral relations.
He reminded guests of the royal couple’s state visits to Germany in 1960 and again in 1966 — years when Thailand, emerging from the postwar era, sought deeper engagement with Europe. Those visits, he noted, “marked historic milestones of our bilateral relations,” shaping the trust and familiarity that endure today.
By weaving the Queen Mother’s memory into the evening’s diplomatic themes, the ambassador framed her legacy as part of a shared narrative — one that continues to influence perceptions of Thailand in Germany and beyond.
Confronting a Changing World
The ambassador then shifted from historical reflection to the volatile present. “We are witnessing a number of global disruptive challenges,” he warned, emphasizing that climate change is no longer an abstraction but an immediate threat to human security.
Referring to recent extreme monsoon rains and severe flooding in southern Thailand and neighboring Southeast Asian nations, he described the events as “an awakening call that the universal impacts of climate change are here for real.” He reaffirmed Thailand’s role as a responsible global actor: “Thailand is therefore seriously and unwaveringly committed towards the achievement of Paris Agreement climate change goals.”
This environmental framing dovetailed with a broader assertion of Thailand’s foreign policy identity. For eight decades, he said, Thailand has held firm to a diplomatic ethos grounded in peace, non-aggression and international law — a stance shaped by its experience as a regional refuge in times of crisis.
“Thailand has played host to countless number of displaced persons fleeing several humanitarian crises in the region,” he noted, calling the country’s commitment to peaceful dialogue and respect for international law an “objective that has always been and will always remain Thailand’s foreign policy.”
Threats Without Borders: The Rise of Online Crime
Turning to digital-age security, the ambassador addressed another borderless threat: online scamming. The crime, he said, is “the elephant in the room — a serious problem that many acknowledged but few openly addressed.”
Thailand, he announced, will co-host the International Conference on the Global Partnership Against Online Scams with the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in Bangkok on December 17–18. The conference aims to coordinate global strategies to combat increasingly sophisticated criminal networks exploiting digital platforms.
Thailand’s Role in ASEAN and Asia’s New Economic Landscape
Mr. Chittipat highlighted ASEAN as a central pillar of Thailand’s strategic identity. As a founding member, he said, Thailand is proud of the regional bloc’s “58 years of achievements,” noting its collective rise to become the world’s fourth-largest economy with projected regional GDP growth of 4.3 percent this year — above the global average.
He warmly welcomed Timor-Leste as ASEAN’s eleventh member, a move he said reflects “ASEAN’s commitment to centrality and regional unity.”
He also pointed to the increasingly intertwined futures of Europe and Southeast Asia, citing ASEAN-EU cooperation as the “key of our close relationship.” Germany’s interest in becoming an ASEAN Sectoral Dialogue Partner, he added, is “particularly welcome,” as is momentum toward an ASEAN-EU free trade agreement.
A 163-Year Partnership Enters a New Phase
On the bilateral front, he noted that this year marks 163 years of Thai-German diplomatic relations — one of the oldest partnerships between a European nation and a Southeast Asian kingdom. “Frequent high-level exchanges in recent years have further solidified this bond to pave the way for establishing a Thailand-Germany Strategic Partnership,” he said.
He described Thailand’s current economic trajectory as forward-looking and reform-driven: “Our objective is clear: to maintain and navigate the economy that is robust, reliable, and resilient.” Thailand, he affirmed, remains “an attractive and reliable partner for German industries seeking diversification and long-term cooperation.”
Talks are underway to convene the 4th Thailand-Germany Joint Economic Commission next year, signaling renewed momentum in trade, technology exchange and green transformation.
People-to-People Ties and a Warm Invitation
The ambassador concluded on a personal note, highlighting tourism and cultural exchange as emotional anchors of the bilateral relationship. Germany, Thailand believes, plays an important role in shaping how Europeans discover Southeast Asia.
“Thailand heißt Sie stets willkommen, dem Winter zu entkommen,” he said with a smile, inviting Germans to escape the winter and experience Thailand anew — through its cultural heritage, its ecotourism offerings and its increasingly connected cities. Direct flight routes could expand soon, he added, as the embassy explores connections beyond Frankfurt, Munich, Bangkok and Phuket.
In honoring a Queen, recalling historic friendship and mapping the challenges of a turbulent century, the Thai ambassador used the National Day celebration to cast Thailand not only as a steadfast
partner but as a nation confident in its place in an evolving world. (AT/hz)
Photos: AT/hz (2), Embassy of the Kingdom of Thailand (2)