[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 148 (2002), Part 14]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 18982]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




        WELCOMING QUEEN SIRIKIT OF THAILAND TO THE UNITED STATES

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. DANA ROHRABACHER

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, October 1, 2002

  Mr. ROHRABACHER. Mr. Speaker, it is with great honor that I rise to 
welcome the visit of a great friend of our country and our sacred 
principles of liberty and democracy, Her Majesty, Queen Sirikit of 
Thailand. Queen Sirikit will arrive in Washington on October 4 to begin 
a two week visit. Her Majesty will also travel to New York to further 
her charitable activities. And in Houston, Her Majesty will be 
presented with the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center 
Award for Humanitarian Service, recognizing her lifelong dedication, 
not only for improving the health and well being of the people of 
Thailand, but for her international leadership in health and the 
environment.
  I have long admired the Queen and her distinguished husband, His 
Majesty, King Bhumibol, who has led Thailand to a half century of peace 
and prosperity. Our long, constructive relationship with the government 
and people of Thailand dates back to the Presidency of Andrew Jackson 
whose administration, in 1833, negotiated and signed the Treaty of 
Amity and Commerce. This treaty was the first of its kind that our 
young Republic had signed with any Asian nation. It ushered in a 169 
year period of mutually beneficial economic, cultural and security 
relations.
  Thailand is one of only five Asian countries with whom we have 
finalized a bilateral security agreement. Each year the armed forces of 
Thailand join with our own military to stage "Cobra Gold" maneuvers, 
the largest such operations involving U.S. forces in the Asian 
continent. And, economically, United States, remains the primary 
destiny for Thailand's exports, while Thailand itself ranks as high as 
22nd largest market for U.S. exports. On all levels, led by the Royal 
Family, Thailand can clearly be considered our friend.
  Queen Sirikit has worked tirelessly to improve the lives of those 
disadvantaged in society, be they in Thailand or elsewhere. For the 
past 46 years, Queen Sirikit has served as the President of the Thai 
Red Cross Society. In this role, her Majesty has been the leading 
protector of thousands of refugees who have fled turmoil and tragedy in 
neighboring countries. Her Majesty has paid similar close attention to 
her own people. To increase the income of the country's rural families, 
Her Majesty has initiated many projects, such as the Foundation for the 
Promotion of Supplementary Occupations and Techniques, better known as 
the SUPPORT Foundation. This should serve as an outstanding example for 
other developing countries. Queen Sirikit understands that, if Thailand 
is to enjoy long-term prosperity, rural people must have hope for their 
future.
  A multitude of distinguished organizations have honored her work. The 
Food and Agriculture Organizations of the United Nations has awarded 
her the distinguished Ceres medal. Her work for the rural poor of 
Thailand led Tufts University to award her an Honorary Doctorate in 
Humane Letters. Similarly, her solicitude for the health of both Thais 
and Cambodian refugees prompted Great Britain's Royal College of 
Physicians to award her an Honorary Fellowship.
  I ask all members of the House to join me in welcoming Queen Sirikit 
to the United States. I know that many of us have been invited to 
attend an event which Her Majesty will be presiding over at the Library 
of Congress in the evening of Wednesday, October 9, which will feature 
an exhibition of the work and activities of the SUPPORT Foundation. I 
look forward to seeing many of my colleagues there to extend our 
admiration and best wishes to this great friend of the United States.

                          ____________________