News & Press Notes

Bangkok 21-22 June 2022– For 40 years in France, June 21 is not only the longest day of the year but also the celebration of the Fête de la Musique (created in 1982) also known in English as the World Music Day.
By invitation of the Franco-Thai Chamber of Commerce, the Vice Delegate enjoyed the cheerful French tradition successfully brought to Bangkok, at Blue Parrot restaurant with pool and garden, thanks to several sponsors. On June 22 the Vice Delegate attended an event at Alliance Française Bangkok, organised in partnership with the Embassy of France to Thailand. The program comprised a documentary screening and a talk with scientists.
The documentary “La Fabrique des Pandémies” was directed by Marie-Monique Robin: the last 40 years have been marked by a large number of zoonoses, that is infectious diseases transmitted to humans by animals (Dengue, Chikungunya, COVID-19, Aids, Ebola, to name just a few).
In this documentary, primary French actress Juliette Binoche seeks to understand the causes of this “epidemic of pandemics”. She meets with scientists from around the world to understand the links between human health and the health of ecosystems. A discussion and Q&A session followed, including the chance to meet the co-authors of “Biodiversity and Health: The Links Between Life, Ecosystems, and Societies,” published by Iste, Ecology series, Mrs. Claire Lajaunie and Mr. Serge Morand, and learn about the book’s theme. Serge Morand is a field health ecologist and evolutionary ecologist. He is the director of research at the CNRS (French National Centre for Scientific Research, the largest fundamental science agency in Europe) and conducts research in rural Southeast Asian areas on the effects of changes in land use and biodiversity on the transmission of infectious illnesses, mostly zoonotic diseases. Claire Lajaunie, a researcher at INSERM (the French National Institute of Health and Medical Research), investigates the links between biodiversity and health using approaches that combine environmental law, multi-scale governance, and the associated ethical issues.

Bangkok, 13 June 2022 – The Embassy of Luxembourg in Bangkok celebrated the Grand Duchy’s National Day introducing a series of concerts and performances by Luxembourg born musician Francesco Tristano, as part of his world tour concert and release of his new album “On Early Music (Sony Classical)”, culminating with an enchanting classical piano recital, lasting 75 minutes without break, at the Main hall of Thailand Cultural Centre, in collaboration with the Royal Bangkok Symphony Orchestra.
The recital, supported by the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of the Government of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg and its Ministry of Culture, was preceded by an elegant reception by invitation only attended by roughly one hundred distinguished Guests, amongst which the Ambassador of Belgium, Germany, Poland, Singapore, Diplomats from Mexico and other countries, at the special presence of H.E. Cherdkiat Atthakor, Deputy Permanent Secretary of the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The concert, open to the public, was followed by a much appreciated meet and greet opportunity with pianist and composer Francesco Tristano.
The Vice Delegate had the chance to present a token bearing the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George insignia to H.E. Jean-Paul Senninger, Ambassador of Grand Duchy of Luxembourg to Thailand, as well as to virtuoso Francesco Tristano (perfectly fluent in Italian).

Bangkok, 7 June 2018 – Upon kind invitation of Sicily born Maestro Alberto Firrincieli, the Vice Delegate enjoyed a concert at Alliance Française Bangkok, hosted by the Embassy of the Czech Republic to the Kingdom of Thailand.

Mezzo soprano Hélène Cajka McClellan interpreted with pathos opera pieces as well as lively folk songs by Czech composers Dvořák and Janáček, accompanied by Italian pianist and composer Firrincieli who also played solo piano pieces.

The event, introduced by the Deputy Head of Mission of the Czech Republic in Bangkok, Mister Michal Švèda, is part of the 110th year celebration since the founding of Alliance Française Bangkok (1912-2022) and was intended to mark as well the imminent taking over by the Czech Republic of its semester of Presidency of the Council of the European Union, starting from July 2022.