20080319 Statement by the President on 175th Anniversary of Relations Between United States and Kingdom of Thailand

Statement by the President on 175th Anniversary of Relations Between United States and Kingdom of Thailand

The historian in me is fascinated with the idea that the United States establishing diplomatic relations with Thailand (Siam) in the early 1800s – March 20, 1833.

For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
March 19, 2008

Statement by the President on 175th Anniversary of Relations Between United States and Kingdom of Thailand

http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2008/03/20080319.html

Laura and I join in celebrating the 175th anniversary of relations between the United States of America and the Kingdom of Thailand.

The United States and Thailand have long been linked by bonds of trust, appreciation, and friendship. The Treaty of Amity and Commerce, signed on March 20, 1833, solidified our commitment to working together for mutual benefit and marked the first agreement of its kind between the United States and an Asian nation.

Over the past 175 years, our two governments have worked together on issues such as economic development, healthcare, and security. Today, we share a commitment to democracy and to free and fair trade as well as a respect for human rights. Our tradition of cooperation and support remains strong.

I thank His Majesty the King and the citizens of Thailand for our enduring partnership. This anniversary is an opportunity to underscore our shared ideal of liberty and reinforce our bonds of friendship and understanding. We are proud to celebrate this historic day.

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Indo-China 1886 "Map of Indo-China showing proposed Burma-Siam-China Railway" from the Scottish Geographical Magazine. Published by the Scottish Geographical Society and edited by Hugh A. Webster and Arthur Silva White. Volume II, 1886. (533K)

http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/thailand.html

Retrieved March 20, 2008

Historical Maps Perry-Castañeda Library Map Collection

University of Texas Libraries

Thailand Maps

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History

Indochina

Thailand

NBH

20080319 Statement by the President on 175th Anniversary of Relations Between United States and Kingdom of Thailand