“I was born in Vienna in 1957. My father was an agricultural engineer and my mother was a teacher. I joined the Austrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs 33 years ago, in 1986. I studied Arabic and political science at university and even before concluding my studies I was assigned as an interpreter to accompany Austrian ministers on trips to Arab countries and accompany other important people when they received guests and dignitaries who spoke Arabic. But what I always wanted was to be a diplomat and not an interpreter,” said Ms Hager. She was well on her way with an assignment in 1988 as attaché for political affairs at the Austrian Embassy in Damascus, Syria, and has since held a number of important positions in Vienna and around the world. As an ambassador, she formerly served in Cyprus and Mexico. (See CV in Box)
 
Asked if the posting in Thailand was her choice, she replied: “Yes, in a way. In our system you have to submit applications for several posts in order to be eligible for assignment. I was pleased to learn I had been chosen for Thailand.
 
“I am also Ambassador to Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar. It’s not an overloaded job for me, because while serving as Ambassador in Mexico between 2013 and 2017 I was also looking after seven other countries – Belize, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Panama.
 
“I have to keep up with the latest information on all four countries I am ambassador to, and I do it on my own, already in the morning from my residence at the embassy compound. This is the first thing I do over breakfast or immediately after. I read Thai English-language news sources and other sources on the internet. Then I look at news from Austria, the EU and around the world.
 
“After getting acquainted with what’s going on in the world and especially Thailand and the region, I take the short walk to the embassy. I decide what the priorities are, especially in regard to Thailand, and I may call on my staff and collaborators to discuss matters and distribute tasks for them. Then I get to less pressing duties, which includes office work.
 
“Essentially, the task of an ambassador is to promote relations with the country we are assigned to in the best possible way, in all fields – politics, economic relations, culture, education, you name it. In order to do that, you have to take part in a lot of activities such as attending meetings and give presentations. You also have to participate in cultural and social events such as –but not limited to – national day receptions and organize events for guests and so on. Most of this occurs in the evening hours. You have to develop and maintain good relations with officials as well as people from the civil society in your host country.
 
“It is a very versatile and flexible job, and it requires a lot of travel. I travel to each of the other three countries I am accredited to a couple of times a year, and maybe more. It depends on whatever operations and activities, like official meetings, there may be.”

Background
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“I should start by saying that having been engaged in the world of management, banking and business in both public and private sectors in my country, this has given me certain comparative advantages to develop a successful and pragmatic approach to my mission here. The results over the four years of my tenure as ambassador and consul general in Thailand are evidence that this approach works.
 
“Business know-how was important in carrying out initiatives to secure for Panama a better quantitative relationship with Thailand in terms of trade, investment, tourism, bilateral agreements and official and private sector visits. This was also a key to cultural initiatives which have brought about a heightened image and clearer understanding of Panama in Southeast Asia.
 
“I joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Panama when I was appointed as ambassador and consul general to Thailand, in January 2015. Before that I served from 1990 in the Panamanian Parliament. One day the President of Panama asked me if I would like to represent my country in Thailand and I said, ‘Yes, why not?’ It was a big change, but I would still be working for the country. I arrived in the Kingdom of Thailand on April 17, 2015.
 
“In my role as ambassador I have all the usual responsibilities and activities that come with being head of a diplomatic mission in a foreign country. These include representing my country at state and royal ceremonies and functions, and promoting Panama’s interests in Thailand with regard to the state government and private sector. I negotiate deals and bilateral agreements of common interest for both countries and keep my country informed of political, economic and cultural developments in Thailand.” The ambassador said her daily agenda varies a great
deal. There is almost always a function or two to attend, be it a reception, conference, workshop or one of a number of cultural activities. Her work takes her to government offices, universities, corporate headquarters, factories, chambers of commerce and so on. Always the focus is on Panama and its relations with Thailand in areas such as
 politics, economy, culture, entrepreneurship, trade and country image.
 
“On the other hand, in my role as consul general I attend to the protection and well-being of Panamanian citizens in Thailand, both tourists and residents, as well as facilitate visa requests and so on for Thai citizens wishing to visit Panama. Another very important duty is providing services of merchant marine support for ships with Panamanian registry. Because Panama is the world leader in registration of merchant marine vessels, this is a high priority national interest for my country.”

Consul General of Uzbekistan aims to increase  already strong ties with Thailand.
Words MAXMILIAN WECHSLER​

On the eve of the 28th anniversary of Independence of Uzbekistan, which is celebrated annually since September 1st, 1991, The BigChilli interviewed the Consul General of Uzbekistan to Thailand, His Excellency Mr Aziz Aliev.

As it is customary in the East, the owner of the house (and in our case it is the head of the diplomatic mission) met us at the beautifully laid table. In accordance with the Uzbek tradition, there were many dishes of famous national cuisine: a delicious Uzbek pilaf, tender manti, appetizing soss, warm Uzbek bread and other delicious dishes. So, we began our conversation at the table and tried to get to know our host little closer.

Her Excellency Mrs Kjersti Rødsmoen has been Ambassador of the Kingdom of Norway to the Kingdom of Thailand since August 2018. Her Nordic vitality and good looks make an immediate impression, and after talking to her you get the feeling that Norway has installed its A team in Bangkok for the next four years.

The short and pointed speech given by Mrs Rødsmoen at the Norwegian Constitution Day was one of the most memorable addresses of its kind in recent years.

We met last month in her office at the Norwegian Embassy on the 18th floor of the UBC II Building on Sukhumvit Road.

     Some of the photos seen here were taken at the ambassador’s residence and feature her lovely dog Remba, who devotedly followed Mrs Rødsmoen around the house and garden.

Around 30 ambassadors and other diplomats joined Thai officials and other distinguished guests in the ballroom of the Arnoma Grand Hotel for a night to remember. The Thai and Cuban national anthems were played and the ambassador gave a short speech. Then a Cuban salsa band began playing and Mr Almeida took the floor with Elena Olivia Conde Picans, his nine-year-old daughter. Guests looked on in amazement as they danced in perfect synchronization. On the 4th floor by the swimming pool, Cuban cigars and rum were on offer. ​

The Cuban Embassy may not be as imposing as the sprawling diplomatic compounds on Wireless Road, but it has a personal touch that makes it no less impressive. Large photos of former President Fidel Castro, his brother and former President Raúl Castro and current President Miguel Díaz-Canel adorn the walls. Colorful brochures in Spanish and English are available to visitors.
 
The Ambassador’s residence is nearby, situated in a quiet neighborhood off Sukhumvit Road. Some of the photos on these pages were taken there. The ambassador’s wife, Thelma Alina Picans Esnard, who also works at the embassy, prepared breakfast for everyone.

The Philippines Ambassador to Thailand, Her Excellency Mary Jo A. Bernardo-Aragon, began her assignment in Bangkok in July 2015. She has since established a well-deserved reputation in the local diplomatic corps as a highly experienced career diplomat who is also open, sincere and down-to-earth. During our conversation at the Philippine embassy on Sukhumvit Road she revealed a passion for work in the foreign service that began well before she joined the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs in June 1979. She also revealed that her assignment in Bangkok is the final chapter of a distinguished career. “This is my first and also my last ambassadorial appointment,” said the ambassador.
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“I am already 64 years old and our mandatory retirement age is 65.”

Background
I was born and raised in Manila and went to a Catholic school run by nuns– Saint Rita College for elementary and part of high school. My father, who worked for the Philippine Atomic Energy Commission, was seconded by the Philippine government in 1969 to the International Atomic Energy Agency in Vienna, Austria, where I finished high school at the American International School. My parents, older sister and I were all in Vienna. I am the youngest in the family. My elder brother was at that time studying in the United Kingdom. After high school I continued my studies in Germany and the UK. Having lived in Austria and Germany, I had the opportunity to learn the German language. Regrettably, I have not spoken the language for so long, but I hope to pick it up again,” said the ambassador.
 
“In those years abroad I was exposed to many new things. While studying at the international school I became interested in meeting people from different backgrounds and in international organizations. At the university, I took courses in international relations to prepare myself for a career where I could be of service to my country and our people, and at the same time have the opportunity to meet people from different countries.”
 
After passing the Foreign Service Officers’ Examinations, Ms Bernardo-Aragon joined the Department of Foreign
Affairs in Manila in 1979, where over the years she held a number of important positions. As she had hoped, her profession has also allowed her to spend a lot of time abroad. She represented her country for a number of years in Brussels and also saw extensive duty on the other side of the Atlantic, first in New York City with the Philippine Mission to the United Nations and then in Los Angeles with the Philippine General Consulate there.
 
“My very first posting abroad was as Third Secretary and Vice-Consul at the Philippine Embassy in Brussels in 1982, dealing with our bilateral relations with Belgium and Luxembourg. In 1985, the Philippine embassy and Philippine Mission to the Commission of the European Community were merged. At that time, our overseas postings were for eight years, which were reduced to six years by the Philippine Foreign Service Act in 1991. Then we return to Manila to serve in the Home Office for two or three years before we become eligible for another posting abroad,” said the ambassador. Her last position before coming to Thailand was in Manila for three years as Assistant Secretary of the Office of Internal Audit Services.
 
“I am not an accountant, nor a lawyer, so I had to have some training for that job. Establishing offices of internal audit in different government agencies, including the Department of Foreign Affairs, was a part of the government’s anti-corruption measures. My office reported directly to the Secretary of Foreign Affairs.”
 
When she became eligible for a new overseas posting in 2015 and expressed interest in the Bangkok post, she was greatly honored when the President of the Philippines appointed her to her current position. “All ambassadorial appointments need to be confirmed by the Commission on Appointments, which is made up of members from both houses of Congress, 12 from the Senate and 12 from the House of Representatives. The Commission is chaired by the President of the Senate. There are hearings and then they vote on confirmation. This is a part of the constitution that was put in place in 1987 when we returned to democracy.”
 
While Ms Bernardo-Aragon was elated with her eventual confirmation, she had to deal with a great personal loss at that time. “I had planned to bring my mother with me here. But unfortunately, before I could do so, she passed away in September 2015. My father passed away in 2003.”

Background
 
“I studied political science at the Pontifical Catholic University in Buenos Aires, Argentina, with a bachelor´s degree in political science and international relations. In 1980 I entered the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and graduated from the Institute of Argentine Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Worship in Buenos Aires. In 1982 I had my first post as diplomat in Switzerland. It was at the General Consulate of Argentina in Zurich,” Ambassador Sonschein said.
 
“From the beginning of my studies I knew that I wanted to become a career diplomat and this is what I have been
doing all these years of my life. Being Ambassador of Argentina to the Kingdom of Thailand is a dream come true as I considered Thailand my second home, and I love prathet Thai and kon Thai so much!
 
“I arrived in Thailand for the first time in 1998 on a tourist trip with my husband, and it was love at first sight. I visited the country a couple more times and then, in 2008, I was sent as Deputy Chief of Mission at the Embassy in Bangkok. I stayed until 2012 and then came back every year for holidays passing through Bangkok to go to India or Bhutan.
 
“I was appointed by Argentine President Mauricio Macri as Ambassador to Thailand in August 2016. Argentine ambassadors have no set terms. When our President recalls us, we end our mission abroad. But normally the time is four to five years in the post.
 
“Before coming here I worked in different places at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as Departments of Cooperation, Politics, and Human Resources. But I spent most of my time at the Protocol Department heading the Direction of International visits, which dealt with the visits of high-ranking officials and head of states from all over the world including when our President went abroad.
 
“That post allowed me to travel around the world and visit places that normally tourists cannot have access to. I’ve been to Moscow, St. Petersburg, Canada and China, many times in the USA, Singapore, India, Japan, the Vatican, Rome, Switzerland, and several other countries in Europe as well as in Latin America.
 
“Normally I arrived at destinations before the president and his delegation in order to prepare and arrange all details of the official visit with the local protocol department. It was extremely challenging and risky, but I enjoyed it so much. It was very nice meeting different people from other countries and speaking other languages.
 
“However, my career was not homogeneous or a classic diplomatic career. I got married to an ambassador, so I decided to follow him. When he was posted abroad I took leave of my duties as a diplomat and became an ambassador’s wife. So, I swapped my ‘chapeau’ in Buenos Aires and started a different kind of work. I enjoyed so much being with him and complementing his posting. We were the perfect diplomatic couple. He was an outstanding senior diplomat with a lot of experience, culture and knowledge. I learned many things from him and we shared so many interesting experiences.
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“We stayed in Dublin, Ireland, and actually we got married there; I have fabulous memories… Next we went to Belgrade, Yugoslavia. The first two years were very interesting, as the Balkan countries have a special charm. But then the Kosovo war started and my husband refused to leave the capital even though the government allowed us to do. So I decided to stay with him. We spent 72 days under the NATO bombardment. It was a very tough period but we survived and it was an extraordinary experience.”