Introducing our new Ambassador: Ambassador Pirkka Tapiola

The Ambassador of the European Union to Thailand, H.E. Mr Pirkka Tapiola, arrived in Thailand in September of 2017 and formally assumed his duties on 10 December 2017.

Prior to taking up his current posting as EU Ambassador to Thailand, Ambassador Tapiola headed the European Union Delegation to the Republic of Moldova in 2013-2017. A career diplomat, Ambassador Tapiola holds a Master's Degree in International Relations from the University of Helsinki. He speaks Finnish, English, French, German, Russian, Ukrainian, Swedish and some Romanian and he is currently working on improving his Thai.   

Ambassador Tapiola has extensive experience from several regions in the world. He began his career with the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) in the Baltic States and subsequently worked with the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland.

The Ambassador previously served as Deputy Head of Mission of the Embassy of Finland in Bangkok with cross-accreditations to Myanmar, Cambodia and the Lao PDR from 1998 to 2001. He subsequently served as Deputy Head of Mission in Kyiv, Ukraine.

Within European Union diplomacy, Ambassador Tapiola previous positions include Senior Adviser on Eastern Europe in the Strategic Planning Division of the European External Action Service (EEAS), and Senior Adviser to the then EU High Representative for Common Foreign and Security Policy, Dr Javier Solana.

He is married to Mrs Olga Tapiola and is the father of three children.

What do you think about your post in Thailand so far?

"Thailand is truly a wonderful country and I am very glad to be back here. I am definitely not a stranger to your country, having previously served here between 1998 and 2001," Ambassador Tapiola said.

"The EU and Thailand have had a close and strong relationship over thirty years, but it can, and definitely needs to be closer. Thailand plays an important strategic role in ASEAN, Southeast Asia and Asia as a whole. I am looking forward to strengthening EU-Thailand relationship in all aspects including political partnership, trade, cooperation, environment, climate change, democracy, good governance, human right and cultural diplomacy as well as working on regional cooperation to address global challenges,"

"My wife Olga and I look forward to discovering more aspects of our new home in the country, Thailand,"