Interview
Home is where the heart is By Agneta de Bekassy
Ratanawadee Winther, spouse of Ambassador Michael Winther talks about the couple’s return to Denmark after their posting in Thailand, the challenging tenure in Bangladesh and the how they enjoy life in Copenhagen.
I
was going through some old photos, that photographer Daniel Herron took a few years ago for an interview that I wrote for ScandAsia with Ratanawadee Winther, spouse of Ambassador Michael Winther, when suddenly I got curious – “I wonder what has happened to this popular Ambassador couple from Denmark since they left Thailand a few years ago?” I remember them as very active and social persons, who really put fire into the beautiful Danish residence in Bangkok. Michael, who always was ready to play the guitar or jump on his huge motorbike, with his darling behind, the shining, laughing Ratanawadee. This couple knows how to enjoy life! So I decided to get in touch with them to find out what they have done since they left Bangkok 30 ScandAsia • May 2019
“We went to Bangladesh in 2016, after the posting in Bangkok. We spent six wonderful years in my home country Thailand,” Ratanawadee responded promptly I had to ask if their lives were more or less the same in the two countries and Ratanawadee answered, “In some aspects our lives were similar and in other aspects rather different.” “As an Ambassador’s spouse, I did similar stuff in both countries. I assisted Michael in building relationships with government officials, organisations, and business and with the locals. I supervised residence staff and coordinated functions in and outside the residence and saw after that we gathered to-
gether with the Danish community. I also helped the local communities, exchanged ideas and activities concerning art and culture events. I assisted Michael in as many public and diplomatic events as possible. One of the most important tasks was to help the Ambassador and the Embassy to keep after and taking care of the residence property that belongs to State Denmark.” “In Thailand I was the Chairperson of a NGO advocating road safety and I maintained my work while living in Bangladesh. During our almost two years of posting in Bangladesh, I travelled back to Thailand every four or five weeks to take part in several chair programs. In both countries I got a lot of support from the media.”