[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 44, Number 31 (Monday, August 11, 2008)]
[Pages 1102-1104]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Remarks Following a Meeting With Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej of 
Thailand in Bangkok, Thailand

August 6, 2008

    Prime Minister Samak. We are pleased to welcome President Bush visit 
to Thailand on the auspicious occasion of the celebration of 155th--75th 
anniversary of Thai-U.S. relations. As Thailand has now assumed the

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ASEAN chairmanship, we will use the opportunity to strengthen our 
engagement and cooperation with the U.S., both bilaterally and through 
ASEAN.
    President Bush and I had just a very good discussion on several 
issues of common interest. We discussed the strengthen of the close 
military and the security cooperation, which benefit both country and 
the region. A case of--in point is our military close partnership during 
the tsunami and post-Cyclone Nargis to facilitate access of American 
relief and assistance to the effected countries.
    We will continue our discussion on the other regional issues over 
the dinner this evening. President Bush expressed his appreciation for 
Thailand's humanitarian role in sheltering displaced persons from 
neighboring countries for over 30 years. I also thanked the President 
for the United States understanding on the Preah Vihear issue.
    We agreed to enhance the Thai-U.S. relation by focusing on 
education, public health, sciences, security, and the law enforcement 
cooperation. Our two countries share the long and special connection. 
President Bush--former President Bush senior and Mrs. Barbara Bush came 
to Thailand to pay tribute to His Majesty the King on the occasion of 
the 60th anniversary of accession to the throne in December 2006.
    Looking towards the future, we agreed that our alliance and 
friendship will remain firm and close as have been in the past 144-174 
years. We are determined to continue working closely together to further 
strengthen our relationship and good will for the benefit of our two 
countries and the region.
    President Bush. Thank you, Mr. Prime Minister. Sawatdee khrap. 
[Laughter] Thank you, Mr. Prime Minister, for welcoming Laura and me and 
our daughter Barbara to your beautiful country. I want to thank you very 
much for welcoming us on behalf of His Majesty the King and Her Majesty 
the Queen. We appreciate the opportunity to come back, and we honor the 
friendship that has been in existence for 175 years.
    I want to thank you very much for being such a strong ally in the 
war against terror. Our nations are strengthening our security and 
defense cooperation. Thailand continues to host Cobra Gold, which is one 
of the largest annual multilateral training exercises in Southeast Asia.
    Thailand's troops have helped the people of Iraq and Afghanistan as 
they battle extremists and strengthen their democracy, and I want to 
thank you for those contributions, Mr. Prime Minister. America and 
Thailand are coordinating our law enforcement, counterterrorism, and 
counterproliferation activities so we can do a better job of protecting 
our citizens from danger.
    The United States and Thailand are working to expand freedom with 
good governance. I want to thank you very much and congratulate the 
people of Thailand for restoring its democracy. Through the Asia Pacific 
Democracy Partnership, our nations are working together to strengthen 
democratic values and institutions throughout the region. As the chair 
of ASEAN, we support your efforts to reduce trade barriers, and to 
expand economic opportunity, and help Southeast Asia grow in hope.
    The United States and Thailand work together to fight disease. I 
don't think our citizens understand this, Mr. Prime Minister, but we've 
dedicated $35 million to help prevent and treat HIV/AIDS here in 
Thailand, and we're happy to do so. I'm looking forward to going 
tomorrow to the clinic where we get to see the efforts of the 
initiative. It's called the Mercy Centre, and I appreciate you arranging 
that, for me to go see, Mr. Prime Minister.
    We're also working on avian flu. I think it's very important for our 
nations to prepare for the worst. Obviously, we're hoping for the best. 
And so we've got a good, strong initiative on avian flu.
    We're working together to help the people of Burma. We responded 
very quickly when Burma was struck by the terrible cyclone, and I want 
to thank you very much for your leadership on that issue. After all, 
yours was the place where much of the world aid came to be distributed 
to the poor people there that were deeply affected by the storm.
    We want to see prosperity and freedom restored to Burma. Tomorrow 
Laura is going to the Thai-Burmese border to visit a resettlement camp 
where Burmese refugees are receiving health care and humanitarian aid. 
She's looking forward to the trip, and I'm

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looking forward to hearing her report from the trip.
    So, Mr. Prime Minister, I want to thank you very much for your 
hospitality. I want to thank you for feeding my delegation. We're 
looking forward to eating some good Thai food, which is very famous 
throughout the world. Please give my very best regards to His Majesty 
and Her Majesty.
    Prime Minister Samak. I will.
    President Bush. And thank you very much for being so gracious.
    Prime Minister Samak. All right. Thank you.

Note: The President spoke at 7:51 p.m. at the Government House. In his 
remarks, the President referred to King Phumiphon Adunyadet and Queen 
Sirikit of Thailand.