[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 234 Introduced in House (IH)]
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118th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. RES. 234
Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives relating to the
commemoration of the 190th anniversary of diplomatic relations between
the United States and the Kingdom of Thailand.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
March 17, 2023
Mrs. Steel (for herself, Mrs. Radewagen, Ms. Tokuda, Mr. Sherman, Mr.
Obernolte, Mr. Carter of Texas, Mr. Peters, and Mr. Case) submitted the
following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign
Affairs
_______________________________________________________________________
RESOLUTION
Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives relating to the
commemoration of the 190th anniversary of diplomatic relations between
the United States and the Kingdom of Thailand.
Whereas 2023 marks the 190th anniversary of the March 20, 1833, signing of the
Treaty of Amity and Commerce between the United States and the Kingdom
of Thailand (formerly known as Siam), which initiated diplomatic
relations between the 2 countries during the administration of President
Andrew Jackson and the reign of King Rama III;
Whereas Thailand was the first treaty ally of the United States in the Asia-
Pacific region and remains a steadfast friend of the United States;
Whereas Thailand has been a beacon of independence, a friend of freedom, and a
support to the United States through the years of adversity and
prosperity for both countries;
Whereas His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej the Great was born in Cambridge,
Massachusetts, and His Majesty's reign had cemented the solid bonds of
friendship and cooperation between Thailand and the United States;
Whereas, in December 2003, the United States designated Thailand as a major non-
NATO ally, which improved the security of both countries, particularly
by facilitating joint counterterrorism efforts;
Whereas, for more than 40 years, Thailand has been the host country of Cobra
Gold, the United States Pacific Command's annual multinational military
training exercise, which is designed to ensure regional peace and
promote regional security cooperation;
Whereas the United States hosted the inaugural Thailand-United States Strategic
and Defense Dialogue in Washington, DC, on May 9, 2022, and May 10,
2022, to enhance the Thailand-United States strategic partnership in all
aspects, ranging from enhancing political and security cooperation,
strengthening economic partnership, to deepening people-to-people ties,
as well as promoting a peaceful and stable environment conducive to the
socioeconomic recovery from COVID-19;
Whereas the President of the United States welcomed Prime Minister of Thailand,
Prayut Chan-o-cha, to the White House on October, 2, 2017, to reaffirm
the importance of the enduring alliance between the United States and
Thailand and to discuss their shared commitment to promoting peace,
security, and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region and beyond;
Whereas the Secretary of State met with Minister of Foreign Affairs of Thailand,
Don Pramudwinai, in Bangkok, Thailand, on August, 1, 2019, to cultivate
the friendship between the 2 Pacific nations, strengthen United States
private enterprise investments in Thailand, and highlight the strong
security cooperation between both nations;
Whereas the Secretary of State met with Minister of Foreign Affairs of Thailand,
Don Pramudwinai, in Bangkok, Thailand, on July, 10, 2022, to further
enhance the United States-Thailand strategic alliance and partnership as
well as to promote closer cooperation in multifaceted areas based on
shared values and mutual benefits;
Whereas Thailand and the United States signed the United States-Thailand
Comminique on Strategic Alliance and Partnership on July 10, 2022, to
enhance our strategic alliance and partnership, and to strengthen
cooperation on economic prosperity, defense and security, global public
health advancement, people-to-people ties, as well as climate change
mitigation and environment protection, law enforcement, and technology
and cybersecurity, both bilaterally and on regional fora;
Whereas Thailand and the United States signed a Memorandum of Understanding on
promoting supply chain resilience on July 10, 2022;
Whereas the Vice President of the United States was granted an audience with His
Majesty King Maha Vajiralongkorn Phra Vajiraklaochaoyuhua and Her
Majesty Queen Suthida Bajrasudhabimalalakshana in Bangkok, Thailand, on
November 19, 2022, and also met with the Prime Minister of Thailand,
Prayut Chan-o-cha, during the visit to Thailand to attend at the Asia-
Pacific Economic Cooperation Economic Leaders' Meeting to strengthen the
partnership between the United States and Thailand and to reaffirm the
United States commitment to the Mekong subregion;
Whereas Thailand is a valued trading partner of the United States, with
bilateral trade totaling approximately $74,000,000,000 per year;
Whereas Thailand was the first country to join the United States Clean Energy
Demand Initiative in February 2020, and has joined the Net Zero World
Initiative in November 2022, as part of an effort to achieve energy
transition initiatives;
Whereas Thailand investment in the United States has continued to increase and
currently totaled over $11,000,000,000;
Whereas United States is among the first development partners of the Ayeyawady-
Chao Phraya-Mekong Economic Cooperation Strategy, an economic framework
initiated by Thailand in 2003, with an aim to narrowing economic
development gaps and promoting sustainable growth in the Mekong
subregion;
Whereas the United States has launched the Mekong-US Partnership in 2020,
building on the success of the Lower Mekong Initiative, which had been
established since 2009, to enhance cooperation in the areas of economic
connectivity, energy security, human capital development, transboundary
water and natural resources management, and nontraditional security
among the Mekong countries;
Whereas Thailand is one of the founding members of the Indo-Pacific Economic
Framework, supporting the United States economic reengagement in the
region with a focus on standard building and supply chain resilience;
Whereas the United States and Thailand have close collaboration on science and
technology, innovation and education, through high-level engagements,
including, among others, the Joint Committee Meeting on Science and
Technology, the Thailand-United States Space Dialogue in Thailand and
the Fulbright Thailand Program which is a binational program for
academic exchanges between Thailand and the United States;
Whereas more than 300,000 people of Thai descent live in the United States,
joining in the pursuit of the American Dream;
Whereas Thailand continues to be a friend to the United States and strives to
lead Southeast Asia to a new measure of economic liberty and
accomplishment;
Whereas Thailand has played a leading role in the development of the Association
of Southeast Asian Nations by helping the regional group develop into a
more cohesive and comprehensive entity that ensures regional security
and prosperity and serves as a valued partner in Asia for the United
States;
Whereas the President of the United States launched the United States-
Association of Southeast Asian Nations Comprehensive Strategic
Partnership on November 12, 2022; and
Whereas the United States reaffirms its commitment to conduct relations with
Thailand in a manner consistent with the spirit and letter of the Treaty
of Amity and Commerce, to promote the friendly relations and good will
traditionally existing between the United States and Thailand, and to
encourage mutually beneficial trade and closer economic and cultural
cooperation between their peoples: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
(1) commemorates the 190th anniversary of diplomatic
relations and enduring alliance between the United States and
the Kingdom of Thailand; and
(2) looks forward to further enhancing the enduring ties of
friendship between the peoples of Thailand and the United
States.
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