I am starting to write a blog again after an absence of nearly 4 years. I used to write when I was Ambassador to Vietnam. Since then I moved to using Twitter (@KentBKK). Now I will try to juggle both.
In this first post, I will try to give a bit of background about myself.
I grew up in a small village in the English countryside in the county of Lincolnshire. My father was a farmer and lorry driver. My mother was a teacher. I attended the local school, and then had the opportunity to study law at Oxford University, followed by a Masters degree in European Law and economics at the University of Brussels, Belgium. My career history is here. I have spent all my working life as a crown servant, and have no political affiliation.
My blog is my personal thoughts and views, not necessarily those of the British government. I will do my best to explain UK policy, and my focus will obviously be on Thailand and its relations with the UK. I will try to post most weeks.
I should therefore give a few more details by way of introduction about what I believe in and what I will be writing about.
- The Monarchy. I am Her Majesty’s Ambassador to the Kingdom of Thailand. I have met Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth twice, before taking up each of my Ambassadorial postings. HM Queen Elizabeth and His Majesty King Bhumipol are the longest serving monarchs in the world. I deeply respect the way the Queen has carried out her role for more than 60 years, and recognise the widespread respect and affection for HM the King here in Thailand too. The British Monarchy has adapted to changes in society over the years and is popular among a large majority of the population – here for example is The Queen’s appearance with Daniel Craig (James Bond) at the 2012 London Olympics. Loyalty and affection towards the The Queen does not arise from any legal obligation. Those who disagree are in a small minority, but they are free to hold their opinions. I believe in the Constitutional Monarchy model and that there is no need to choose between Monarchy and democracy – the two go well together.
- Democracy. In short , as Abraham Lincoln said – “Government of the people, for the people, by the people”. Democracy is not perfect as former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill once said: it is the worst system of governance , apart from all the others ever tried. And there are many variations in different countries throughout the world. But the common theme is that the government is truly representative of the will of the totality of the electorate.
- Rule of Law. Everyone should be equal before the law. The law gives rights and obligations, which should be applied equally to all. I strongly agree with the saying of Lord Acton that absolute power, without checks and balances, corrupts absolutely.
- Equality of opportunity in society, regardless of social background, location, gender, ethnicity or sexual orientation. Acceptance of Diversity and the inclusion of all parts of society in its development and governance.
- Freedom of speech and debate. The right to challenge and peacefully express different views is essential for the development of any society. It brings different perspectives and a sense of social inclusion, which in turn is shown to help create a dynamic, prosperous and innovative society. The media and social media have an important role.
- I should warn that I am also a big fan of football and Arsenal FC…
I recognise that my own country is not perfect. But I believe that we grow stronger as individuals and societies by sharing our views and experiences. We can learn as much from our failures as our successes. History has much to teach us but in a rapidly changing world with emerging challenges we have to adapt to the changing environment around us.
I will be sharing my views in the coming weeks on a range of issues. The blogs will be published in both English and Thai. I look forward to hearing your views and questions. Please do so in a way which respects others and refrain from abuse. Our terms and conditions are here. You can also follow me on Twitter at @KentBKK and the Embassy at @UKinThailand and on UKinThailand Facebook.