Besides forging closer ties between the two royal families, the State Visit of H.M. King Bhumibol Adulyadej the Great and H.M. Queen Sirikit of Thailand to Denmark during 6-9 September 1960 also served to further expand relationship and cooperation between the two countries in several areas.

During the State Visit, Their Majesties the King and Queen of Thailand paid a visit to many important historical sites in Denmark including Kronborg Castle in Helsingør and Roskilde Cathedral, where H.M. King Bhumibol Adulyadej the Great laid a wreath at the burial grounds of Danish late kings and queens as well as had his height measured and his name engraved on the “Royal Column” inside the Cathedral, along with other Danish monarchs and H.M. King Chulalongkorn of Siam, whose name was also engraved when visiting Denmark. Their Majesties also attended a gala performance at the beautiful and historical Danish Royal Theatre in Kongens Nytorv.

Furthermore, Their Majesties paid a visit to several private companies and research center to observe and study about Denmark’s technology and commerce. These include the Danish Atomic Energy Research Centre in Risø, the Copenhagen County Hospital in Glostrup, the East Asiatic Company’s headquarters, the government experimental farms "Favrholm" and "Trollesminde" in Hillerød, Fritz Hansen’s furniture factory in Allerød which used teak wood imported from Thailand by the East Asiatic Company. In addition, Their Majesties granted an audience to Thai government officials and students at the Royal Thai Embassy in Copenhagen.

The following excerpt from the reply speech of H.M. King Bhumibol Adulyadej the Great to the welcoming address by the Chairman of Copenhagen City Council at the reception held at Copenhagen Town Hall, reflected once again the close cooperation in various fields between the two Kingdoms:

“The Thais and the Danes have much in common. In certain respects, they are very much alike. They love freedom, they love simplicity, and they love peace. For these reasons the relations between our countries have always been of the best. Our young men have come and studied here, and they have served their country well. For their technical knowledge, Danes have been engaged in our service, and they too have been truly successful. In the realm of business, the establishment of the East Asiatic Company in Bangkok has contributed to the increase in trade between our countries.”

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Story by: Chinnavat Samranjai

               Munchuta Suadmalai Olsen

Picture 1: On September 7, 1960, Their Majesties King Bhumibol Adulyadej the Great and King Frederik IX visiting the headquarters of the East Asiatic Company

Picture 2: His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej the Great visiting a dairy farm and observing the processing of dairy products at the government experimental farms in Hillerød

Picture 3: On September 7, 1960, Their Majesties King Bhumibol Adulyadej the Great and

H.M. Queen Sirikit granted an audience to Thai government officials and students at the Royal Thai Embassy in Copenhagen

Picture 4: On September 8, 1960, H.M. King Bhumibol Adulyadej had his height measured and his name engraved on the “Royal Column” inside Roskilde Cathedral

Picture 5: On September 8, 1960, Their Majesties King Bhumibol Adulyadej and H.M. Queen Sirikit being received by Professor Niels Bohr, a Danish physicist who won Nobel Prize in Physics in 1922, at Atomic Energy Research Centre in Risø

Picture 6: On September 6, 1960, Their Majesties the King and Queen of Thailand visited Kronborg Castle where a statue of Holger the Dane sits asleep in tunnel underneath the castle.