On 20 September 2022, H.E. Ms. Vimolbajra Ruksakiati, Ambassador of Thailand to Norway hosted dinner in honour of H.E. Mr. Erling Rimestad, State Secretary, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Mrs. Anita Mlodozeniec, his spouse. Invited guests also include Ms. Birgitte Elise Sylthe, Senior Adviser/Thai desk officer, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Mr. Christoffer Grønstad, Ministry of Climate and Environment.

 

Ambassador Vimolbajra congratulated H.E. Mr. Rimestad on his assumption as the State Secretary of the Royal Ministry of Foreign Affairs and informed the State Secretary of the development in the bilateral relations, which are dynamic and constructive. Current important areas of development are the resumption of Thai-EFTA FTA negotiation, cooperation in the energy sector, sustainable development, innovation and Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) technology. Recently, Bangchak Corporation Public Company Limited invited members of Thai media to learn about OKEA, a developer and operator of oil and gas fields in Norway, which Bangchak invested and became the principal shareholder. In addition, a group of 40 executives from various Thai agencies are coming to Norway on a study visit about the advancement of Norway in the field of digital government.

 

State Secretary Rimestad was pleased to learn about the dynamism of Thailand-Norway relations, particularly a good progress of the on-going Thai-EFTA FTA negotiation as he was the Director General at the Ministry of Trade, Industry, and Fisheries. He also expressed his intention to visit Southeast Asia, including Thailand, in early next year. Both sides therefore agreed on the importance of the Political Consultations meeting, a mechanism to promote, advance and take stock of the bilateral relations between Thailand and Norway.

 

Before resuming his position as the State Secretary, Mr. Rimestad was the Director General at the Ministry of Trade, Industry, and Fisheries and Ambassador of Norway to Japan.