The Ambassador of Sweden to Laos (known formally as the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Sweden to the Lao People's Democratic Republic) is the official representative of the government of Sweden to the president of Laos and government of Laos. Since Sweden does not have an embassy in Vientiane, Sweden's ambassador in Bangkok is co-accredited in Vientiane.
History Sweden established diplomatic relations with Laos on 10 October 1964. After an agreement was reached between Sweden and Laos to establish diplomatic relations at the embassy level, the ambassador in Bangkok, Thailand, Åke Sjölin, was appointed on 15 January 1965 as ambassador also to Vientiane.
In 1978, Sweden opened an aid office in Vientiane, which also functioned as an embassy office. Between 1981 and 1987, the embassy office (also referred to as the embassy) was headed by a diplomat seconded from the Ministry for Foreign Affairs, serving as head of mission and chargé d'affaires ad interim while the ambassador, who was resident in Bangkok, was absent. During the periods 1978–1980 and 1987–2008, the head of the aid office, employed by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida), served as head of mission and chargé d'affaires ad interim. The head of the aid office held the diplomatic rank of counsellor.
The embassy was closed on 15 August 2008 as the Swedish government decided to phase out bilateral development assistance to Laos. A section office was established under Sida's auspices during 2008–2010, and was gradually wound down as development cooperation there was phased out.
List of representatives NamePeriodResident/Non residentTitleNotesPresented credentialsRefKingdom of Laos (1947–1975)Åke Sjölin1965–1967 Non-residentAmbassadorResident in BangkokAxel Lewenhaupt1968–1970 Non-residentAmbassadorResident in BangkokEric Virgin1971–1976 Non-residentAmbassadorResident in BangkokLao People's Democratic Republic (1975–present)Jean-Christophe Öberg1976–1981 Non-residentAmbassadorResident in BangkokBörje Ljunggren1978–1980 ResidentChargé d'affaires ad interimAxel Edelstam1981–1982 Non-residentAmbassadorResident in BangkokMats Åberg1981–1983 ResidentChargé d'affaires ad interimNils-Olov Hasslev1983–1986 Non-residentAmbassadorResident in BangkokSten Ask1984–1987 ResidentChargé d'affaires ad interimOlov Ternström1986–1992 Non-residentAmbassadorResident in BangkokPer Kökeritz1986–1992 ResidentChargé d'affaires ad interimEva Heckscher1993–1996 Non-residentAmbassadorResident in BangkokRolf Carlman1993–1995 ResidentChargé d'affaires ad interimOlof Milton1995–1999 ResidentChargé d'affaires ad interimInga Eriksson Fogh1997–1998 Non-residentAmbassadorResident in Bangkok–1999–1999 Non-residentVacantJan Axel Nordlander2000–2004 Non-residentAmbassadorResident in BangkokChrister Holtsberg2000–2004 ResidentChargé d'affaires ad interimJonas Hafström2004–2007 Non-residentAmbassadorResident in BangkokAnnLis Åberg2004–2008 ResidentChargé d'affaires ad interimLennart Linnér2007–2011 Non-residentAmbassadorResident in BangkokKlas Molin2011–2015 Non-residentAmbassadorResident in BangkokStaffan Herrström2015–2020 Non-residentAmbassadorResident in BangkokJon Åström Gröndahl2020–2023 Non-residentAmbassadorResident in BangkokAnna HammargrenAugust 2023 – present Non-residentAmbassadorResident in Bangkok12 February 2024
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