Prime Minister Shinawatra:
President Barack Obama,
Secretary of State Hillary
Clinton, Excellency, ladies
and gentlemen, it gives me a
great pleasure to welcome you
to Thailand and to be the first
country to receive you
after your decisive
reelection victory.
I hope to make the gala dinner
tonight not only a reception
for your visit, but also a
celebration for your second
term in office.
I sincerely believe that your
presidency will be a successful
one and will be fruitful in
enhancing the relationship
between our two nations.
I also wish to take this
occasion to thank you and
your team, in particular
Secretary Clinton, for all
that she has done to advance
Thai-U.S. relations and U.S.
engagement with Asia.
Our partnership is exceptional,
not only because of the deep
historical roots, but
also because of strong
people-to-people ties based on
shared values of democracy and
respect for civil liberties.
We appreciate your support in
bringing democracy in Thailand
back on track.
I hope you continue to do so as
Thailand's democracy still faces
many challenges ahead.
In terms of economic relations,
as the President and I have
discussed today, we will
continue to build on a
strong foundation in
expanding our trade and
investment to promote
growth and create jobs.
The world is changing fast, and
only through trust, partnership
can we ensure peace and
prosperity for both nations.
Excellency, ladies and
gentlemen, for me there
is no better way to launch
a celebration of our 180th
anniversary of relations in
2013 than with this presidential
visit today.
May I invite all of you to
join me in a toast: To the good
health and success of President
Barack Obama, and to the
long-lasting friendship between
the United States of America and
the Kingdom of Thailand.
Cheers.
President Obama:
Well, good evening, everyone.
Madam Prime Minister,
distinguished guests
and ladies and gentlemen,
my visit to Thailand is
far too brief, but even in my
short stay I've already felt the
extraordinary warmth and
kindness and hospitality
of the people of Thailand.
Everyone knows that this
is the "Land of Smiles,"
and I have felt it
everywhere that I've gone.
I've also felt the dignity and
strength of this country and its
people -- the tranquility and
peace that I felt as I had the
privilege of walking around the
sacred grounds of Wat Pho and
gazing up at the reclining
Buddha; the compassion and
wisdom that you felt in the
presence of His Majesty the
King, who has devoted his reign
to the welfare and development
of his people.
We've seen it in the resilience
that has pushed this nation
forward, most recently in the
face of devastating floods.
And most of all, I think we all
feel here tonight the unique
friendship between our peoples.
His Majesty once said that
since he was born in America,
the United States is
"half my motherland."
And we are just as proud
of all the Thai Americans
who enrich our country.
In fact, I was mentioning to His
Majesty that my friend, Ladda
Tammy Duckworth, just became the
first Thai American woman ever
to be elected to our Congress,
and she's from my home state
of Illinois so I'm
especially proud of her.
Everything that I've felt --
your dignity, your resilience,
your friendship, your warmth
-- that is the foundation of
our alliance.
It's why you were the first
Asian nation to reach out to
America after we won
our independence.
It's why in Asia, to this
day, we can say Thailand
is our oldest friend.
And we are extraordinarily proud
of that friendship, and we are
especially pleased to see the
excellent leadership that,
Madam Prime Minister, you are
providing as you continue this
country's path of democracy,
freedom and development.
So I want to propose a toast:
To the friendship between our
peoples, to the strength of
our alliance, to the peace
and prosperity that we seek,
and to Their Majesties the
King and the Queen.
Chai-Yo.
