An interview with the Thai Consul General Saudi Gazette Living in Jeddah close to the Grand Mosque in Makkah is truly a blessing that many Saudis and other Arabs take for granted. Visiting the holy city of Makkah is actually a long awaited dream for many Muslims from the Far East, and Thai Consul General Chalee (Ali) Sakolvari is no exception. In my meeting with the Thai Consul General, his hospitable and friendly personality shone through and he shared with me a bit of the interesting Thai culture and his dream of living near Makkah. Q. What are your impressions of living in the Kingdom? A. I have been in Saudi Arabia for a year and a half, since May of 2010. I think it is great living in Jeddah because it is close to the two holy cities, Makkah and Madinah. Jeddah is the first stop for all pilgrims who wish to embark on the most memorable spiritual journey of a Muslim's life. As a Muslim diplomat, I had actually been looking forward for years to be posted in Jeddah. It was my personal desire and dream to be close to the House of God so that I could perform the pilgrimage with ease myself and also so that I could serve the Thai pilgrims who come for Haj and Umrah each year. Out of the 70 million people who make up the population in Thailand, 10 million are Muslims who mainly live in the south. Each year 13,000 Thai pilgrims come to the Kingdom to perform Haj, in addition to the worshipers who arrive here all year round to perform Umrah. In Thailand, we have very few Muslim diplomats and I think a Muslim diplomat in Saudi Arabia is more appropriate and able to serve the Thai pilgrims better than a non-Muslim. I consider having access to the two Holy Mosques and my responsibility in serving Thai pilgrims an honor and a privilege. Q. What parts of the Kingdom have you visited? A. Of course I have been to Makkah, Madina, and Riyadh. I also made a short trip to Al-Taif. When I was visiting Madina, we drove out for about four hours to Madain Saleh which I enjoyed very much. I was impressed with this ancient city that showed me the rare and unique heritage and architectural wonders of the Kingdom. Q. How many times have you performed Haj? A. I am very fortunate to have performed Haj four times so far. About 15 years ago, I was assigned as a diplomat to accompany and oversee the Haj delegation from Thailand. I performed Haj twice as a supervising member of the Thai Haj delegation. I again performed Haj last year after I was posted in Jeddah, and once more this year, by the grace of God. My Haj journey this year was extra special and meant a lot to me because my two daughters were visiting me from Thailand and they joined my wife and me in the pilgrimage. That was the happiest moment in my entire life; to perform Haj together with my family. I intend to go for Haj every year for as long as my post in this country will last. Q. How was your Haj experience this year different from your experience 15 years ago? A. To be honest, I could not believe all the development projects and advanced services that greatly facilitated the Haj rituals for millions of pilgrims from all over the world. I have seen tremendous changes and improvements in the transportation services, cleanliness, the general organization of the sites, and in the area of the Jamarat. I want to express my gratitude and appreciation to the Saudi authorities and to King Abdullah, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, for arranging the Haj services in the best possible manner. The Saudi government has ensured convenience, comfort, and safety for all pilgrims. When I performed Haj 15 years ago, we encountered much difficulty, got stuck in massive traffic jams, and endured hardships throwing the stones in the midst of enormous crowds of people at the Jamarat. Today, due to the determination and hard work of the Saudi government and people, we threw our stones with ease. Overcrowding at the Jamarat was prevented because four different levels have been constructed for pilgrims to throw the stones. Very few people from our Haj delegation from Thailand became sick this year, as a result of the reduced crowding and the excellent services. My only hope is that next year the Kingdom will permit a larger number of Thai Muslims to be granted entry into the country for Haj. The Kingdom allows 13,000 Thai pilgrims to come for Haj each year, but we hope that the government will be kind enough to give us a larger number. There is a high demand for Thai Muslims to perform Haj. Q. How will you celebrate the Thai National Day which is also the birthday of the King of Thailand? A. Thai diplomats and Thai nationals residing in foreign countries all over the world participate in the Thai National Day on December 5th, to honor and show respect to our beloved king. At our event in Jeddah at the Park Hyatt, I will deliver a speech that summarizes some of our king's achievements, after which we will all sing together the Thai National Anthem. That will be followed by dinner from the appetizing Thai cuisine. My personal chef along with other active members of the Thai community in Jeddah will help prepare Thai food for our esteemed guests. __
