Fond memories of Thailand from Australian Ambassador Angela Macdonald

Added: 2026-06-01

[00:00:00]Looking back at four [music] years up until now, what has been the most significant milestone in the bilateral relations between Thailand and Australia?

[00:00:10]>> I guess um the strategic partnership [music] which we signed in 2020. So, that was just before uh before I arrived, but underpinning that or or perhaps it's over the top of that is um a joint plan of action, [music] which is really set out across a number of areas.

[00:00:25]So, defense and security, some of the law enforcement security very meaningful in Southeast Asia, particularly [music] with scam centers phenomenon being so prominent, um economic uh >> [music] >> engagement, um social and cultural engagement. So, under all of these um pillars of the strategic partnership, [music] the joint plan of action has set out, you know, a whole series of activities, um events, dialogues, conversations uh that we've been having with Thailand. So, [music] to really see that come to fruition over the over the time um has been great.

[00:00:57]Uh another project that I've um been really proud of and love to see come uh to its halfway point is a a vaccine development program between [music] the Government Pharmaceutical Office and and Biotec Thailand uh and the CSIRO, Australia's Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation.

[00:01:16][music] And this is about sharing the capability for actually the manufacture of some important biologics and vaccines [music] in Thailand. And it's been going extremely well. So, Thailand has a lot of the [music] R&D, the research and development. And this is about ensuring that Thailand will have the capability to develop [music] itself, to manufacture the active pharmaceutical ingredient, so that [music] Thailand will be able to manufacture and have this capability to manufacture not just these current set of drugs, but in future a whole [music] different set of um uh drugs and and vaccines, which is great for Thailand, obviously, and the people of Thailand. [music] It's also great for Australia because we never want uh and COVID showed us if nothing else that we never want [music] one one supply chain actually having a diversity of supply chains for important products like vaccines [music] is um is is really important.

[00:02:09]>> Well, what about the leaders in terms of tackling these scam [music] centers as well as the human trafficking? What has been the latest progress [music] so far?

[00:02:20]>> It's a very good question. It seems just in the four years that I've even been here that the the trend, the pattern, the understanding of the really dire consequences of these scam [music] centers has become more and more apparent.

[00:02:33]And there's both the the trafficking for forced criminality of of individuals who are trafficked [music] into those scam centers and that's the sort of work on you know, hoping to prevent [music] trafficking in persons which we've supported through ASEAN Act. There's also the cyber elements, you know, what [music] is the effect of the online scams themselves? Entire Australian citizens, hardworking family members are being scammed out of their um their investments [music] of their income through some of these you know, across the Southeast Asian region [music] and so the work that Australian Federal Police have done [music] with the Thai authorities really trying to understand the dynamics of this but also to >> [music] >> share information to disrupt some of these scam centers >> [music] >> to understand what's going on to empower some of the civil society organizations to support vulnerable people [music] with alternate livelihoods or who otherwise might be tempted to be trafficked [music] into these or to work in some of these scam centers. So it's a very complex multifaceted [music] challenge that's facing the region.

[00:03:45]>> Since you'll be leaving your post at the [music] end of May, what What miss the most about Thailand?

[00:03:53]>> Well, very much. So much.

[00:03:57]So many friends, [music] people who started as as colleagues or as acquaintances who shared such great experiences with here.

[00:04:07]We have a lot of Thai food [music] in Australia, so I won't I won't miss it.

[00:04:11]I'll be able to take the flavors back with me. But we don't have very much pomelo, so pomelo salad is one of my favorites. So that will be that [music] will be a little different. A good a good reason to come back. I've also really enjoyed traveling Tang Chan Wat around the country.

[00:04:27]>> [music] >> Australians of course love a beach culture. So whether it's Khao Lak or Krabi or PP. So those sorts of beach [music] landscapes are just beautiful.

[00:04:38]But I've also really enjoyed >> [music] >> the the cultural experience whether it's Nakhon Phanom or Surat Thani, Yala, Chiang Rai, Chiang Mai, or you know, all over the place and just seeing different aspects of Thai culture, >> [music] >> whether it's temples, whether it's weaving, whether it's celadon ceramics.

[00:05:01]>> [music] >> So I'll I'll miss the vibrancy.

[00:05:05]And I also love the gardens of of Bangkok in particular. It's a huge city, [music] over 10 million people. It's bustling.

[00:05:13]It's energetic.

[00:05:15]Rooftop bars are terrific. [music] But I just love that everywhere there's greenery. There's a frangipani [music] or an orchid or a small garden somewhere which just reminds you of the connection with nature as [music] well.

[00:05:30]>> Is there one thing that you must do before you leave Thailand [music] for good?

[00:05:36]>> I feel like I've done so much. So no, I don't think there's one one specific thing. I'll be looking forward to walking around Lumpini Park again before I go because there's lots of memories of um, uh, things that we've done as an embassy in the park. [music] Um, the the children's playground, for example, that Australia supported. But, it's also when I've had family visiting [music] and friends from Australia, we've always uh, gone for a morning walk around the park. So, it has lots of lots [music] of great memories. So, maybe maybe that's one last thing I need to do again.

[00:06:08]>> So, one last thing is [music] to visit Lumpini Park. But, other than that, you have absolutely no regrets at all.

[00:06:16]>> There's things I haven't done. So, but that would just mean I need to come back.

[00:06:20]>> Right.

[00:06:20]>> it's always good to leave something undone, so that um, I'll take a lot of Thailand um, in my heart with me when I go. But, it's always nice to have a reason to come back.