CERCLE DIPLOMATIQUE - issue 04/2015

LE MONDE THAILAND | INTERVIEW
H.E. Arthayudh Srisamoot
“Thailand is the prime location as a gateway to South East Asia.“
Interview: Rainer Himmelfreundpointner
“Our big aim is to
present Thailand
as a global showcase
for sustainable
development
in many fields.“
Arthayudh Srisamoot, Ambassador of the Kingdom of
Thailand to the Republic of Austria, Permanent Representative
to the OSCE and Chairman of the UN Commission
on Narcotic Drugs, speaks out openly.
CD: Ambassador Arthayudh Srisamoot, your first year as
Ambassador to Austria seems to have been an very busy one,
since you took the post in November 2014.
srisamoot: Immediately after my arrival as Ambassador
to the Republic of Austria, the chairmanship
of the UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs in
Vienna was transferred to me. This position is also
important for Thailand. For many years people used
to know the border region between Thailand, Myanmar
and Laos, where a huge amount of poppy flowers,
the basis for opium or heroine, was grown, as the
“Golden Triangle”. Over the years, there has been
good cooperation among the countries concerned
and Thailand has managed to eradicate the cultivation
of illicit poppy plants and to substitute it with
other crops. Though the application of “AD alternative
development principle”, the initiative of King
Rama Bhumibol, since 1969 we introduced cultivation
of cash crops as substitute to poppy. Now the AD
enterprises have flourished and brought sustainable
income and development to the affected areas. AD
products such as organic fruits and vegetables, coffee,
macadamia nuts are sold both national and internationally.
We have revitalized local wisdom and
handicraft in the affected areas. Now with collaboration
with IKEA, our AD fabric and porcelain products
are sold in Austria, Denmark and Sweden.
Thailand jointly hosted the first International Conference
on Alternative Development (ICAD) with
Peru in 2011, which has resulted in its outcome document
being adopted as United Nations Guiding
Principles in Alternative Development (UNGP on
AD) in 2013. This November, we held the Second
International Conference on Alternative Development,
or ICAD II, in Bangkok to look at the sharing
of best practices in the implementation of the UNGP
on AD.
PHOTOS: RALPH MANFREDA
versa opened their Embassies again. And our present
king, Rama IX, visited Austria twice, in 1964 and
1966, when he came with Queen Sirikit, who had a
reputation of one of the world’s most beautiful ladies
in that time. King Bhumibol even played the saxophone
with the Austrian musician Hans Salomon at
the Thai Residence in Vienna. Their music was
broadcasted on radio by ORF. So we have a long and
deep relationship.
Acting as gateway to Asia, Thailand is competing with other
hubs like Singapore or the Philippines. What would the
advantages of Thailand be for Austrian companies?
If you look at the map, Thailand is in the center of
mainland South East Asia. Nearby we have Vietnam
with 90 million people and Myanmar with 60 million
people. Beyond that we have China and India. So
in terms of transportation and logistic costs Thailand
offers better connection via road, rail or air to
all these markets compared to neighbouring countries.
We think Thailand is the prime location in the
center of South East Asia and a good place for foreign
companies to invest. And do not forget that
Thailand is called the “Detroit of Asia” since we are
the 7th largest car exporter globally and the 2nd largest
pick-up market (after the US), which offers big
opportunities to the Austrian car supply industry.
How would you see Thailand‘s role in the global community?
This year marks the 70th anniversary of the United
Nations. Like Austria, Thailand attaches great importance
to the UN and contributes actively to all
three main pillars of the UN – development, human
rights, peace and security. As far as development is
concerned, Thailand has been a net donor for decades,
especially in Asia and Africa. Thailand’s approach
has been primarily guided by His Majesty the
King of Thailand’s Sufficiency Economy Philosophy
based on moderation, reasonableness and self immunity.
Thailand is also a staunch champion of alternative
development, which aims at reducing supplies
of narcotic drugs and ensures viable licit livelihood
opportunities for local communities across borders.
In the field of human rights, we are an active participant
in the Human Rights Council and other international
fora, including the Commission on Crime
Prevention and Criminal Justice, to advance the human
rights agenda for all, particularly women and
girls, other vulnerable groups and even female inmates.
In the area of international peace and security,
ever since we joined the UN in 1946, Thailand has
sent over 20,000 military and police personnel to
take part in more than 20 UN peacekeeping and related
missions. Currently, our officers are stationed
in the UN missions in Haiti, Sudan, Liberia and
Kashmir. We have emphasized that peacekeepers
must not only keep the peace, but also contribute to
development. This is why our peacekeepers always
reach out to communities in conflict zones, develop
a rapport and share with them various development
skills such as agriculture and water management.
With these qualities, we believe that we are a natural
bridge builder among nations with different views
and interests. Recently, Thailand has been endorsed
by the members of the Group of 77 to serve as the
Group’s chair at the UN for the year 2016.
We are also ready to take up greater responsibilities
and, hence, have presented our candidature for a
non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council for
the term 2017-2018.
Ambassador Arthayudh Srisamoot in
a talk with “Cercle Diplomatique”
author Rainer Himmelfreundpointner.
AD PERSONAM
Please share with us a glimpse into the long historic
relationship between Thailand and Austria.
Thailand used to be called Siam, and the Kingdom
of Siam and the Habsburg empire first established diplomatic
relations in 1865. In 1869 our countries signed
a Treaty of Friendship, Commerce and Navigation
and in 1878 Austria sent its first ambassador to
Siam. King Chulalongkorn, or Rama V from the Chakri
Dynasty, visited Emperor Franz Joseph in 1897
and gave him a beautiful sword and trident as a present.
In recent time, we reestablished diplomatic relations
with Austria in 1953 when both countries vice
ARTHAYUDH SRISAMOOT, serves as Ambassador of
the Kingdom of Thailand to Austria and the UN in Vienna
as well as Chairman of the UN Commission on Narcotic
Drugs since November 2014. He has a Master of
Sciences (Economic Policy) from the University of
Chigaco, USA.
42 Cercle Diplomatique 4/2015