Address by her Majesty the Queen of The Netherlands on the occasion of the state visit to Thailand 19 - 23 january 2004
Your Majesty,
It gives my son and me great pleasure to be here in your country. We both retain very pleasant memories of earlier trips. Alexander was here in nineteen eighty-seven, and I myself was a guest in Thailand over forty years ago, when I also witnessed the unforgettable Loy Krathong festival. In nineteen sixty-three, I was able to accompany my parents during their visit to your country. In nineteen sixty you and Queen Sirikit made a State visit to the Netherlands which many people still remember so well and in later years we were happy to welcome nearly all your children. They followed in the footsteps of Prince Damrong, who visited our country in nineteen thirty, and King Chulalungkorn, who travelled to the Netherlands as long ago as eighteen ninety-seven and met both my grandmother and my great-grandmother. All these events illustrate the close ties that have linked our families for such a long time.
The ties of friendship between our two countries date back further still. Indeed, this year we celebrate four centuries of Thai-Dutch relations. The first official contact, in 1604, stemmed from the desire of our newly established and ambitious Dutch East India Company or VOC, which was already active in various parts of Asia, to establish links with great and powerful China. To achieve this aim, a plan was devised together with merchants from Ayutthaya to allow the Dutch to travel along with the annual mission of a Siamese delegation to the Forbidden City. In the end, this plan came to nothing, but it was nevertheless of great historical significance because it constituted the first official contacts between our two countries.
Shortly afterwards, the King of Siam decided to send an official delegation to the Netherlands. This delegation had a rather unusual mission: to find out whether the Netherlands really existed. For wicked tongues had spread the rumour that the Dutch were merely pirates who lived on a number of islands in the northern seas. The delegation arrived safely in our country, presented a letter from the King to the Stadholder, Prince Maurits, and visited a number of Dutch cities and VOC chambers. The existence of our country thus seems to have been adequately proved, for it was never questioned again. Our mutual relations subsequently flourished. In 1608 , the Dutch received permission to build a factory in the royal capital, Ayutthaya. Regrettably, little of this has been preserved, but the memory is kept alive by the slipway on the site of the old VOC shipyard which we hope to visit during our stay. Here the Hollanders repaired their ships, which the Siamese, incidentally, found heavy and unmanageable. The elegant vessels in which the King of Siam made ceremonial tours, on the other hand, were much admired by the Dutch.
The VOC saw various commercial opportunities in Siam, for both the trade between Europe and Asia and that between the countries of Asia. For example, it obtained a monopoly on the export of deer hides and ray skins to Japan. Another remarkable activity was the trade in elephants. These animals, which still hold a special place in the hearts of your compatriots, were shipped in large numbers by Dutch merchants to various parts of Asia.
After the revolution of sixteen eighty-eight, the Dutch were the only Europeans allowed to remain in Ayutthaya, which considerably strengthened their position. Trade continued to be an important element in our relations, but certainly not the only one. Like many other peoples, the Dutch were much impressed by the wealth of your country and the beauty and elegance of its inhabitants. Not only the beautiful ships and mighty elephants, but also the cities and temples, processions and ceremonial voyages were observed with great admiration. In their reports and correspondence, the Dutch provided detailed descriptions of the riches and refinement of this 'land of milk and honey'. These documents remain an important source for our knowledge of seventeenth-century and eighteenth-century Thailand, and Thai students come to study them in the Dutch archives.
When large parts of Asia came under European control in the nineteenth century, the Thai kings managed to preserve their country's independence. They not only proved themselves to be skilled statesmen on the international stage, but also introduced major reforms in the political, administrative and economic fields. Their goal was modernisation following the European example, but European models were only adopted after careful selection, consideration and adaptation to the domestic situation. Thailand became a modern state with a modern constitution. The monument commemorating Thailand's first constitution is evidence of the high esteem in which this institution is held in your country.
Thailand has also developed rapidly in the economic field, particularly in agriculture. In the nineteenth century your country even became a major exporter of rice. The economy has continued to grow at an even faster rate over the last few decades. Prosperity has increased substantially and the infrastructure has been improved. Thailand is no longer only a major exporter of the highly popular Thai rice and other agricultural produce, but your industrial products have also found their way in ever-increasing numbers on to the world market, including the Netherlands.
Rapid modernisation and industrialisation always entail a risk of damage to the natural environment. Your country and your government have tackled this problem with vigour and energy. In particular, by developing small-scale, environmentally friendly agriculture, Thailand sets an important example. Your great personal commitment to this process, through the 'King's projects', is well known. We are looking forward to seeing something of this in the days to come.
You, Your Majesty, are intensely interested not only in economy, but in politics as well. The stable parliamentary democracy that has been established here - with your support - is now a model for the region. As a result, many people in and outside your country hold you in high esteem. When in nineteen ninety-seven Thailand was engulfed in the terrible economic crisis that afflicted the whole of Asia, it wrested itself free of the consequences with admirable diligence and strength and rapidly paid off its foreign debt. The pursuit of a strict financial policy - a long-standing Thai tradition - has helped your country always to maintain its political and financial independence. All in all, it will surprise no-one that Thailand plays a significant role in Asia and the world at large.
It also plays a leading role within ASEAN, and has often proved willing to help and support its neighbours. Furthermore, your country has made impressive efforts for several decades to shelter many thousands of refugees from neighbouring countries. This is a sign of the same profound sense of responsibility vis-à-vis the international community that is also reflected in Thailand's participation in UN peace operations and in the hospitality that is always offered here to international organisations.
Your Majesty,
Our bilateral relations began on a modest scale four hundred years ago. Over the centuries, they have expanded from simple trading links to a complex network of contacts and a lively exchange of persons, goods and ideas. Like our seventeenth-century ancestors, many of our compatriots today are under the spell of this beautiful country and its ancient civilisation. I will be happy if this State visit could further strengthen the relations we have maintained already for four hundred years.
May I ask all those present to raise their glasses and join me in a toast to Your Majesty's health, to that of Queen Sirikit and the other members of your family, and to a bright future for the people of Thailand.