The 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Kazakhstan and Thailand was celebrated last year. In May last year, H.E. Mr Arman Issetov, Ambassador of the Embassy of Kazakhstan to the Kingdom of Thailand, accompanied by Madame Assemgul Issetova, arrived in Bangkok.
In October, Ambassador Arman presented his credentials to the King Maha Vajiralongkorn Phra Vajiraklaochaoyuhua. Expat Life sat down with Ambassador Arman to learn about the young democratic country which declared full independence in 1991, and his perspective on Thailand and discuss the bilateral relations between the two countries.
Ambassador Arman proudly shared, ‘Kazakhstan is a new democracy as our country is merely 30 years old. Despite this, conditions that meet high international standards are constantly being created in the country. Last year Kazakhstan entered a new era of its development. The large scale transformations initiated by the Head of State marked the beginning of profound changes in the country. Constitutional reform was carried out, as well as all spheres of public life were comprehensively updated. Political and economic reforms aimed at creating a ‘state that listens to its people’ are being implemented in Kazakhstan’.
On his views of Thailand, Ambassador Arman commented, ‘Thailand is considered one of the most important partners in the Asia-Pacific region. It is a central hub in SE Asia and a major economic player in the region. Thailand is not only important for our bilateral relations but also at the multilateral level, as a host country for the United Nations and many other international organisations. In recent years Thailand has become one of the favourite tourist destinations for citizens of Kazakhstan.
Last year we celebrated the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between our two countries. For three decades, the world has undergone drastic changes on an international, regional and global scale. Despite this, the principles on which relations between Kazakhstan and Thailand are based have always remained unchanged. That is why Kazakhstan and Thailand have similar positions on major global issues and support each other in promoting peace and security around the world.”
He further elaborated, “Thailand is one of the leaders in ASEAN. My country is also considered a leader in its region. This provides good opportunities for fruitful cooperation between the two countries. In 2022, the trade turnover between the countries reached a historical maximum in the previous period of relations in the amount of 270 million USD for 12 months, or an increase of 87% compared to 2021. As for trade between Kazakhstan and Thailand, the trade turnover is more in favor of the latter. It mainly focuses on trucks, passenger vehicles, road and construction equipment, tires, sugar, clothing and its accessories, computers and air conditioning units, ferroalloys, asbestos.”
‘I see similarities between our nations in the kindness and hospitality of Thai people. Kazakhs are also known for such human qualities’.
Ambassador Arman proudly shared that he really enjoys his work in Bangkok. ‘I have the opportunity to combine work both in a bilateral direction and in a multilateral format. In addition to the position of Kazakhstan’s Ambassador to Thailand, I am the Permanent Representative of Kazakhstan to UN ESCAP. My busy working day is not much different from my colleagues. I have many meetings, events, interviews and diplomatic receptions. I would say that all this makes the work of diplomats very interesting.”
On his goals to achieve in Thailand, ‘I always try to set maximum goals for myself. My work in Thailand is no exception. Our countries have a huge potential for fruitful bilateral cooperation. I hope to intensify the trade and investment between our countries. There are certain problems that prevent these goals from being fully implemented. My first priority is to eliminate these problems. For example, this concerns the issue of logistics. Kazakhstan, being a landlocked country, is experiencing serious difficulties with the delivery of its goods to international markets and to Thailand as well. I would be glad to resolve this difficulty between our countries during my work in Bangkok. There are many similar issues or problems and my daily task is to find effective ways to solve them for the benefit of the peoples of both countries.”
Ambassador Arman and his family like to travel. ‘I visited Pattaya, Krabi and Phuket. We have plans to visit all the famous places in Thailand. I enjoy sports activities. I have four children and three of them are studying here in Bangkok. My eldest son is currently studying in Italy. On weekends, I try to take my family out of town.
