Bjorn Falkenbrink - the Santa Claus of Denmark

by Elfi

The winner of Pattaya Mail’s first Photo Competition, Bjorn Falkenbrink, was recently in Pattaya to receive his prize, together with his wife Thani and his three children. It was not the prize alone that brought him back to Thailand. Bjorn comes approximately three times a year, with containers filled with goods for the children at the Pattaya Orphanage.
E: “Bjorn, first of all I want to congratulate you to your first prize. How come you knew, back in Denmark, about the Photo Competition?”
B: “I was in Pattaya at that time when I heard about it and having my camera with me all the time, I happened to take the picture of this nice baby taking a bath in a bucket. I sent the photograph in, but I never thought I would win.”
E: “I know you didn’t come only to pick up your prize, but to deliver, again, a lot to Pattaya’s Orphanage. Why are you doing this?”
B: “Why? One look at those children there and you will know why. I got involved in this kind of charity work about 14 - 15 years ago after I met Father Ray Brennan for the first time. I adored him immediately for what he was doing and back home in Denmark, I got many companies involved. Now I am their delivery-boy. I usually fly with 350 - 450 kg, including two shirts, one pair of shoes, 2 trousers and several pieces of underwear for myself. That doesn’t take much space and everything else is for the children. I’ve even brought wheelchairs with me several times already. Usually it’s music instruments, toys, clothing, cookies, chewing gum, sweets, you name it - and coffee, marinated herrings, smoked salmon and home made cookies for Father Ray. Many times I’ve brought the music group “The Cliffters” to Thailand. All the profits of their concerts goes to charity.”
E: “Now I understand why they call you Santa Claus. You are doing a great job. But let me ask you, what were you doing before getting involved in charity work?”
B: “How many hours do you have? O.K., don’t look so scared, I’ll make it short. I was born in Denmark, studied Public Relations and Marketing there and worked with a big company until I was 21 years old.” He smiles, scratches his chin and says: “You know how boys are, sometimes they can be very adventurous. I read a lot about South Africa. How miserable life was there and other bad things. I wanted to find out for myself. I went off for 1 month and came back to Denmark 14 years later.”
E: “What a long ‘holiday’. Did you spend all those years in South Africa?”
B: “No, I didn’t. Just a few years. I also spent two years in Zimbabwe and Rhodesia selling electronics from Hong Kong. It was great. I had a beautiful pet there, a little leopard called ‘Samantha’ and I kept her until she grew too big for my small house. It almost broke my heart, giving her away. Until now, I love animals, especially cats. Wherever I go, I carry cat-food with me and will feed stray cats or dogs. Anyhow, during my time in Africa, I worked with a German who set up his own company there. After Rhodesia I went for more than two years to the USA. New York, Toledo Ohio and Los Angeles. Only this time I worked for a big American PR & Marketing firm.”
E: “Los Angeles sounds very interesting. Have you been to Hollywood?”
Bjorn laughs, pushes his rather thin hair back and asks: “Can’t you see that? Now, don’t get me wrong, this was only a joke, but yes, I went many times to Hollywood. Since I was 14 years old I was fascinated by taking pictures. There I had all the opportunity. I ‘shot’ many of the great stars, like Elvis Presley, Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., Lollo Fellano, and Stella Star. I am sure I forgot a few names, but anyhow,” he adds on proudly, “a few of those pictures were even published.”
E: “I wish I could have taken pictures of some of them, Elvis for example. So, you had a great time in the States? What did you do after leaving?”
B: “I went back to Denmark for several years. My parents were old already and I wanted to spend at least a few years with them. In-between I went to live in Austria for two years. After I met this smashing beauty, I married her and we moved to live in her castle there. She was an Aristocrat, I am a simple man, so it didn’t work out too well. After only two years I left her to finally end up in Denmark again, this time for good.”
E: “Looking at your wife Thani - she doesn’t seem to be Danish?”
B: “No, of course not. She is a Thai. I always came to Thailand for vacation. Since more than twenty years. Altogether about 40 times. I met her some twelve years ago during one of the charity events. She was a very talented, promising actress. Her agent was the uncle to His Royal Highness, the present Crown Prince. Though she gave it up - all for me. Now we have three beautiful sons, Dick, Daniel and Adam. We are still hoping for a daughter.” Thani looks quite shocked and tries to hit him on his hand. Bjorn laughs: “You know, I love antiques of all kind and so does Thani. I think that’s the reason why she married me.”
E: “Come on now, don’t fish for compliments. What are your plans for the future?”
B: “I retired last year, now I have all the time to spend with my family and increase my charity work. I never had a big organization behind me doing this, it is rather a one-man-show, but I get lots of help from big companies and I try to make more people aware of the needs of the orphans here. Another big project I have in mind is to nominate Father Ray Brennan for the Nobel Piece Prize. He has done so much and most of it with his own hands. He would deserve it. See, Father Ray is a monk, not a priest and he doesn’t get any salary from his church. All what he did was on his own. I sent in petitions already and received answers from Princess Elisabeth of Denmark, who gratefully signed the plea for his nomination while I was invited to her private house, as well as from Count Flemming of Rosenbourgh (he is the cousin of the King of Norway) and his son Count Axel, amongst some other 25 signatures. To nominate Father Ray is the biggest target in my life.”
Bjorn, thoughtfully adds on: “There are only four people, besides my family of course, who I really admire: Mother Teresa, Nelson Mandela, South Africa’s former president De Clerk - who had the guts to get Mandela out of prison despite all the problems, and Father Ray.”
E: “I am sure, with an advocate like you, Father Ray might come a long way. I wish you and Father Ray all the best and hope you’ll be successful. Bjorn, I thank you so much for this interview and I’ll see you next time when you come back to Pattaya.”