BERN – Director–General of the Department of Consular Affairs, Mr. Worawoot Pongprapapant, co–chaired the 2nd Thailand-Switzerland Consular Consultations with Mr. David Grichting, Director of the Consular Directorate at the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA), at the Parliament Building in Bern on 2 September. Together with the two Co-Chairs, H.E. Mr. Chittipat Tongprasroeth, Ambassador of Thailand to Switzerland, diplomats from the Royal Thai Embassy in Bern, and officials from Thai and Swiss department/directorate of Consular Affairs also attended the meeting.
The Meeting discussed a wide range of consular issues, including visas and migration, legalizations, establishment of the Honorary Consulate of Switzerland in Surat Thani, and the supports for Thai nationals in Switzerland and Swiss nationals in Thailand. Currently, there are 30,000 Thai nationals living in Switzerland, as well as 10,000 Swiss nationals living in Thailand. The latter makes Thailand the biggest Swiss nationals’ residency in Asia. (MFA)
