[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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