German benefactor for Thai youth receives royal medal

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HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn has bestowed a royal medal upon German politician Juergen Koppelin for his long work for children’s causes in Thailand.

HRH the Princess presented the “Most Honorable Medal of the Crown” during a dinner at the Hotel Atlantik in Hamburg, Germany.

The 70-year-old politician, who has resided in Pattaya during many of his 120 visits to the kingdom, was honored for his engagement in Thailand where he looks after projects dedicated to children and youths. Among them was the first children’s university in Thailand set up in coordination with the German Academic Foreign Service.

HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn graciously presides over the medal ceremony for Juergen Koppelin.HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn graciously presides over the medal ceremony for Juergen Koppelin.

He is also vice chairman of the ASEAN Parliamentary Group, a co-curator of “Germany Helps”, and an advisory counselor at the German-Vietnamese Society and German-Thai Society.

He received an honorary doctorate in 2009 from Vietnam’s National Economics University Hanoi and oversees a foundation that enables a dual education for young Vietnamese.

During his many visits to Thailand Koppelin meets regularly with German business owners in Bangkok. During his stays in Pattaya, he resides at the Thai Garden Resort. The rest of the time he likes to spend in Kanchanaburi.