The Bangkok Podcast | Expat Life In Thailand Via Expats From Canada & America

Greg interviews Belgian Ambassador to Thailand, Madam Sybille de Cartier, formerly Ambassador to Egypt and Sudan, with plenty of diplomatic experience in other posts around the world.  She discusses the long history that Belgium and Thailand share, going back all the way to 1839, which is pretty amazing since Belgium itself was founded in 1830. Belgium also played a key role in the modernization of Thailand under King Chulalongkorn, providing advisors that aided in maintaining the Kingdom’s independence and building up its legal system.  Next, the Ambassador talks about her country’s current relationship with Thailand, especially economically, and the function of the embassy in Bangkok which actually also services Cambodia, Myanmar, and Laos. The two continue and discuss a myriad of the details of the relationship, from mutually beneficial social security rules to the genesis story of the famous Thai-Belgian bridge of friendship, a story worth hearing in detail.  Special thanks to Ambassador de Cartier for ta