On 15th March 2023, H.E. Mrs. Sirilak Niyom, Ambassador of Thailand to Copenhagen, together with the ASEAN Committee in Copenhagen (ACC), paid a courtesy call to Mr. Jens-Kristian Lütken, Mayor of Employment and Integration of Copenhagen. Mayor Lütken, and Ms. Heidi Wang, a member of the City Council, welcomed and discussed with the ACC on the importance of foreign workers to the City of Copenhagen, and the policy to employ them in the fields that experienced labor shortage, especially the sectors of public health and service.

In this connection, the ACC provided brief information on ASEAN nationals who worked and resided in Copenhagen. These nationals have successfully integrated themselves into the Danish society and became one of the keys driving forces behind the economy of the city. The ACC also discussed possible avenues to accommodate easier employments of ASEAN workers in occupations in which more labors were needed, such as nursing, and chefs. In this opportunity, the Ambassador also raised the issue regarding the shortage of chefs which affected business owners who operated Thai restaurants in Copenhagen and Denmark as a whole.

Additionally, the meeting also discussed the possibility of organizing future events to raise awareness of ASEAN countries and their nationals in Copenhagen. After the meeting, Ms. Wang led the ACC on a tour in the Copenhagen City Hall which was inaugurated in 1905 and has been in used for 115 years. The large hall in the middle of the building is open to the public and can be requested as a venue for multiple types of activities including an exhibition.