Swiss President visits Pattaya

November 21, 1997 by Michael Swart
Filed under General News, Our Guest

Swiss President Arnold Koller last week became the first Swiss president to pay an official visit to Thailand, marking the 100th anniversary of King Chulalongkorn’s (Rama V) visit to Switzerland in May 1897.

At the invitation of Alois X. Fassbind, the President and First Lady took time out from their busy diplomatic schedule to visit Pattaya and celebrate the Loy Krathong holiday at the Royal Cliff beach Resort.

“Just like in Paradise”

Swiss President Arnold Koller took time off from his busy diplomatic schedule for a private visit to Pattaya on the 15th and 16th of November. The President and his wife Erica, guests of Alois X. Fassbind, Executive Vice President of the Royal Cliff Beach Resort, enjoyed two extraordinary days at the Royal Cliff Beach Resort.

Swiss President visits Pattaya

 Photo: Alois X. Fassbind, Executive Vice President of the Royal Cliff Beach Resort (left) greets Swiss President Arnold Koller and First Lady Erica Koller.

President Koller and his wife first visited Pattaya in 1972 when it was still a little fishing village. They came back to Pattaya with their children in 1989 and stayed at the Royal Cliff Beach Resort. During this visit they got to know Alois X. Fassbind, a countryman who is also known as Mr. Pattaya.

On a recent visit to Switzerland, Alois X. Fassbind met Arnold Koller and invited him back to Pattaya. Arnold Koller already planned an official journey to Asia, including Nepal, Vietnam and Thailand, and on 15 November he finally arrived at the seaside resort.

The Swiss President and his wife, along with the Swiss Ambassador to Thailand Bernard Freymond and his wife, the Directors of the Royal Cliff Beach Resort and the General Director of Swissair Thailand Peter Wiesner, were the guests of honour at the Loy Krathong celebrations at the Resort last Saturday.

Alois X. Fassbind invited the Swiss guests and correspondents of the Pattaya Mail to an exciting sailboat trip on Sunday, November 16th. At 9:30 a.m. all were on their way to Koh Pai, a few kilometers from Pattaya, where the Swiss guests could jump into the sea.

“Crystal clear water,” noted President Koller. “It is extremely wonderful here,” his wife added. Erica Koller, a very sportive woman, enjoyed a long swim, far away from the shore. But this didn’t bother her stoical husband who commented, “I’m already used to that”.

The Swiss honoury guests were amazed by the beautiful islands dotting Pattaya Bay. “Just like in paradise,” the Swiss President told Pattaya Mail.

The President and First Lady related that they thought Pattaya itself had become overbuilt, especially after their memories of a sleeping little fishing village 25 years ago. But nobody will be surprised about that, though the beautiful world of islands around Pattaya was a surprising experience.

Alois X. Fassbind offered a nice aperitif on the island (a deliquesce Chardonnay) as a preamble to sailing back on his sailboat “Hanumarn”, named after the mythical Monkey God. An exquisite Barbecue was also served on board.

President Koller was introduced and lectured on Thailand’s Economic and National politics, as he was preparing to meet with Prime Minister Chuan Leekpai on Monday the 17th as part of his official visit to Thailand. Later that same afternoon, President Koller was granted an audience with H.M. King Bhumibol Adulyadej.

“We were skeptic of coming to Pattaya for such a short period, but it was completely worthwhile,” said Erica Koller. “We enjoyed it very much.”

The trip came to a conclusion with a trip to Bruno’s Restaurant. Bruno Forrer, proprietor of the famous restaurant, shares a common heritage with Mrs. Koller. Both hail from the same town in Switzerland.

Original article by Pattaya Mail