On the 180th anniversary of the Thai-American relations, US Ambassador Kristie Anne Kenney said many American musicians, chefs, and professional athletes will visit Thailand to join various activities across Thailand.
As part of her tour to mark the 180th anniversary of the Thai-US relations, US ambassador to Thailand Kristie Anne Kenney has visited the NBT broadcasting station on Vibhavadi Rangsit Road in Bangkok.
According to NBT’s Executive Director Chamlong Singtongam, Ms Kenney’s was the first group of embassy staff to visit the government-owned television channel in the past five years.
In fluent Thai, the ambassador delivered a speech greeting station staffs. She then expressed her hope that the NBT would continue to support the US embassy’s mission by helping publicize its activities. She emphasized the role that the Thai media could play in strengthening the Thai-US relations.
Asked why she was interested in NBT in particular, the ambassador said the NBT was distinguished in its coverage. She said she had visited most of NBT’s 12 regional stations outside Bangkok.
To mark the long-standing relationship between Thailand and the US, she said the embassy would organize activities both in Bangkok and other provinces. Upcoming events would include fashion shows, food fairs, and cultural performances, she said.
The ambassador’s visit came two days after the opening ceremony of “Cobra Gold”, an annual joint military exercise in Thailand, in which over 10,000 American servicemen are joined by their Thai counterparts, and, recently, also by soldiers from some other Asian countries.
The Thai-US relations dates back to 1833 with the signing of the Siamese-American Treaty of Amity and Commerce. But the relationship grew exceptionally strong during the Cold War, when the US poured financial and military aide into Thailand, arming the Thai military against Communist forces and promoting the Thai monarchy as an anti-Communist symbol. Today Thailand remains the US oldest ally in Asia, and one of the US four key Asian security allies, along with Japan, South Korea and the Philippines.
