Thailand: an emerging middle power in Asia

[webfact]

Remco van Wijngaarden with his husband and their three children. 'We are a regular family here.'//Image: ©Ministerie van Buitenlandse Zaken

 

Ministry of Foreign Affairs | Government of the Netherlands

 

As a child, Remco van Wijngaarden wanted to become a diplomat. He has been the Dutch ambassador to Thailand for a year now. A wonderful country to live with his husband and children. ‘We're an regular family here. And Thailand is very interesting to work in, the country is gaining political and economic importance in the region.’

 

What was the first thing that struck you about Thailand?

 

‘My husband and I have been holidaying in Thailand for years, and that includes when we lived in China. What struck me initially was the city of Bangkok. It is the second most popular city in the world for tourists, and it’s obvious why. It has everything and offers an exciting mix of contrasts. Skyscrapers alongside old neighbourhoods, and chic Michelin-starred restaurants alongside stalls selling the world’s best street food. It’s such a wonderful and pleasant juxtaposition. Bangkok is an international city and yet the culture here is still distinctly Thai.

 

What I enjoy about living here is that I now have the opportunity to learn about life in Thailand beyond what the tourists see. And now that the coronavirus restrictions have been lifted, I can finally start travelling to other parts of this large country. And I can visit Laos and Cambodia, which the embassy in Bangkok also serves.

I am also the Netherlands’ Permanent Representative to the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, (UNESCAP), the UN’s largest regional organisation. Its aim is to promote socioeconomic growth in the region. The Netherlands has been a member since 1947 because, at the time UNESCAP was established, the Netherlands still had sovereignty over areas in the region.’

 

The Dutch Ambassador in Thailand, Remco van Wijngaarden.

 

You have three young children and are married to a man. How do people in Thailand respond to your rainbow family?

 

‘We have been here a year now and things are going very well. Before Thailand, we lived in Shanghai where I was consul-general. Even though Shanghai is China’s most tolerant city, life was not always simple for us as a family. Often we couldn’t be fully open about our identities and had to retreat back into ‘the closet’, as it were.' 

 

'Only once did the Chinese authorities extend an informal invitation for an event to my husband Carter. Here, on the very first day I was introduced at the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs, I was asked how my husband and family were doing and whether we were enjoying living in Thailand. Invitations to events here are always for both of us, and that makes a world of difference.'

 

'However, our marriage is unfortunately not legally recognised in Thailand, and that can sometimes be a hassle. But there is a lot of public support for same-sex marriage. Some temples also bless same-sex marriages. And the Thai government recently approved registered partnerships for LGBTIQ+ couples, which is a major step towards greater equality in Thailand.

 

'My eldest daughter is black and our two youngest children are biracial, as is my husband. We want to help our kids become resilient and at the same time protect them from racism and discrimination.’

 

Here we are a regular family. At the same time, I am increasingly aware that we can serve as an example to others. I was recently involved in the opening of an online workshop about LGBTIQ+ storytelling, which the Netherlands funded. I spoke briefly to the audience about my husband and children – more to set them at ease than anything else. The impact was bigger than I had expected. While I was talking I heard people cheering and applauding. And people asked a lot of questions.

 

An important question I ask myself when choosing a country to work in, including Thailand, is whether I can make a difference in terms of my work and whether our family will thrive there. How open and tolerant is the society? My eldest daughter is black and our two youngest children are biracial, as is my husband. We want to help our kids become resilient and at the same time protect them from racism and discrimination.’

 

Full story: https://www.government.nl/latest/weblogs/meet-the-ambassadors/2022/meet-the-ambassador-thailand

 

--2022-06-28

[RichardColeman]

As the article seems more about his 'lifestyle' I think I can read little into Thailand being any sort emerging power

[Excel]

4 minutes ago, RichardColeman said:

As the article seems more about his 'lifestyle' I think I can read little into Thailand being any sort emerging power

Yes and I guess him and his husband have many tea parties with the British Ambassador and his husband to discuss how to help their own citizens best, or is it only about themselves and their chosen lifestyles I wonder that is important to them?

[Gottfrid]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

We are a regular family here.

Yes, but of course! Daddy, daddy where is mummy?

[Henk Langeweg]

TAT poster boy ...

[Henryford]

37 minutes ago, Gottfrid said:

Yes, but of course! Daddy, daddy where is mummy?

Did anyone ask the children if they didn't want a mother?

[Orinoco]

2 hours ago, Excel said:

Yes and I guess him and his husband have many tea parties with the British Ambassador and his husband 

Or a Rainbow party !!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

[Excel]

1 hour ago, Orinoco said:

Or a Rainbow party !!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

With Fairy cakes too ????

[Grusa]

The world has gone completely mad. We're doomed.......