Date: 2010-06-30
Speaker: JACKSON LEE (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Speaker. I rise in strong support of H. Res. 1321. expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the political situation in Thailand be solved peacefully and through democratic means. I thank my colleague. Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. for introducing this important resolution. Beginning in midMarch 2010. antigovernment protestors occupied parts of Bangkok for nine weeks. Initially peaceful. the demonstrations and the response from the security forces became increasingly aggressive. eventually spiraling into urban warfare. Most of the protestors. known as the "red shirts." are loyal to former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra who was ousted in a military coup in 2006. On May 3. 2010. the Thai Prime Minister. Abhisit Vejjajiva. offered talks and proposed a "reconciliation plan" including an election on November 14. 2010 in an effort to end the political crisis that immobilized Bangkok and killed 88 people and wounded hundreds. Although the violence has subsided. the political divisions remain stark and the threat of more confrontation lingers. Continuous progress has been made on the Thai Governments reconciliation plan. A public forum was convened on June 17. 2010 as a brainstorming session on how to move the process forward. According to the Prime Minister. the views gathered during this public forum reflect visions for both the Thai people and society and were in line with those of the government. Two committees will be set up by the end of June. The first committee will focus on strategies and priorities for reform to be proposed to the government and the second will work on nation reform assembly which will serve as a channel for all sectors of society to put forward their views and proposals with help from academic works. Thailand has been a longtime military ally and a significant trade and economic partner. Our close relationship and longstanding friendship with Thailand dates back to 1883 when the two countries signed the Treaty of Amity and Commerce. Despite differences on Burma policy and human rights issues. shared economic and security interests have long provided the basis for U.S.-Thai cooperation. Thailand contributed troops and support for U.S. military operations in both Afghanistan and Iraq and was designated as a major nonNATO ally in December 2003. Thailands airfields and ports play a particularly important role in U.S. global military strategy. including having served as the primary hub of the relief effort following the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami. As a major recipient of foreign direct investment. and with exports of goods accounting for over 70 percent of its GDP in 2007. Thailands economy depends heavily on its trading partners. Economic relations with the United States are central to Thailands outwardlooking economic strategy. According to the U.S. Commerce Department. U.S. trade with Thailand in 2008 consisted of $9.1 billion in exports and $23.5 billion in imports. The State Department reports that although Japan is Thailands biggest trading partner. the United States is currently Thailands largest export market. With more than 200.000 people tracing their ancestry to Thailand. our two nations share extensive social and cultural links. We recognize that enormous challenges remain ahead. Thailand has a past of turbulence and turmoilthe country has experienced 18 coups in the past 77 years. I am hopeful that their continued progress can lead to an ever more fruitful economic and political relationship between the United States and Thailand. contributing to the well being and prosperity of both our nations. The United States is hopeful that Thailands political problems will be solved peacefully and through democratic needs. The United States supports the national reconciliation plan proposed by the Prime Minister which encompasses upholding the monarchy. instituting political reform. and eradicating injustice.