On 8th September 2023, H.E. Sirilak Niyom, Ambassador of Thailand to Denmark hosted a dinner for 7 student trainees from Colleges of Agriculture across Thailand who participated in “Travel to Farm” program and Ms. Maria Jeppesen, Consultant of the program. The student trainees traveled to Denmark for an 18-month internship in various livestock farms in Denmark.

In this occasion, the Ambassador conversed and exchanged views with the student trainees on their experiences in working and living in the farms, and opportunities to acquire modern livestock farming techniques from Denmark, which should be implemented to improve farming methods in Thailand when they return home. Moreover, the Ambassador also expressed her gratitude to Ms. Jeppensen for her dedication to ensure the well-being and livelihood of the student trainees, as well as congratulated the program for its long-standing cooperation between Denmark and Thailand.

“Travel to Farm” is a Danish non-profit organization established in 1912 Which arrange exchange programs for Danish student trainees who seek internship abroad, and foreign ones who seek internship in Denmark. For Thailand, the Office of Vocational Education Commission (OVEC) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the program since 1995 with the purpose to provide valuable working experiences at Danish livestock farms for Thai vocational students. Each year, 10 – 15 students from Colleges of Agriculture and Technology across Thailand are selected through a screening process and have an internship at livestock farms in Denmark for 12 – 18 months.

Up until this year, approximately 440 student trainees from Thailand have completed this professional program, and gained valuable knowledge and experiences, especially on modern farming technologies for dairy cows and pigs. During the internship, the student trainees would reside with the owners of the farms and their family and receive monthly monetary compensations for their work as well as protections and right according to Danish labour laws.