Bangkok and Finland Explore Collaboration on Key Urban Development Initiatives
(February 25, 2025)— Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt welcomed Finnish Ambassador Kristiina Kuvaja-Xanthopoulos to City Hall on February 25, 2025, presenting her with a replica city key and a copy of "Very Bangkok: In the City of the Senses."
The meeting, held in the Amornphiman Room, Sao Chingcha (Giant Swing), marked the Ambassador's first official visit since taking up her post and focused on potential collaboration in four key areas: waste-to-energy conversion, water purification, digital transformation of work and education, and broader cooperation.
Discussions between the two parties covered a range of topics, including infrastructure development, water management and wastewater treatment, waste-to-energy projects, and education from pre-primary to vocational levels. A key focus was placed on promoting digital skills and artificial intelligence learning, as well as integrating digital technology into public services. The Finnish Embassy extended an invitation for Bangkok officials to visit a school utilising the Finnish curriculum and expressed interest in Bangkok's ongoing Chao Phraya River pedestrian bridge project. Bangkok, in turn, expressed a keen interest in learning from Finland’s expertise in organisational transparency and air quality improvement, particularly concerning PM2.5 pollution.
Also present at the meeting were Deputy Governors Wisanu Subsompon and Sanon Wangsrangboon, Adviser to Governor of Bangkok and Chief Sustainability Officer Pornphrom Vikitsreth, and senior officials from the Drainage and Sewerage Department, Education Department, Bangkok Metropolitan Administration Digital Department, and International Affairs Office.
Thailand and Finland established diplomatic relations on June 17, 1954, and have a history of cooperation. Recent collaborations between Bangkok and the Finnish Embassy include Bangkok Car Free Day 2023 at Benjakitti Forest Park, attended by then-Ambassador Jyri Järviaho; the Bangkok Nordic Fun Run 2023, with Governor Chadchart and Deputy Governor Sanon Wangsrangboon participating, hosted by the Nordic countries in Thailand; and the Nordic Film Festival 2024 reception, also attended by Governor Chadchart and hosted by the Nordic countries at the Danish Ambassador's residence, Sathorn District.
