On 14 July 2017, H.E. Mrs. Busaya Mathelin, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Thailand, led the Thai delegation comprising senior officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Commerce, Ministry of Defense and the National Security Council to attend the Sixth U.S. – Thailand Strategic Dialogue at the Department of State in Washington D.C., United States. 

            The Dialogue was co-chaired by Permanent Secretary Busaya Mathelin and Acting Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Susan Thornton and was attended by senior delegates from the State Department, Department of Defense, Department of Commerce and the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, Department of Agriculture and Department of Treasury.

             The Dialogue discussed preparations for the visit to the United States of General Prayuth Chan-o-cha, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Thailand, at President Trump’s invitation, which will take place at a mutually convenient date.

             Thailand and the United States reaffirmed their enduring alliance and their shared commitment to promoting peace, security, and prosperity in the Asia – Pacific region and beyond.

              Befitting the two countries’ long – standing partnership, both delegations engaged in a wide – ranging discussion of mutual interests and concerns, including their shared concern on the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea’s nuclear and ballistic missile programs.

              Both sides reaffirmed that maintaining peace, security and stability in the South China Sea as well as safety and freedom of navigation and overflight is in the interest of all countries. In this regard, they welcomed the progress of cooperation between ASEAN and China on the South China Sea issue. The Thai side discussed its aspiration of turning the South China Sea into a Sea of Peace, Stability and Sustainable Development.

           The two sides reaffirmed the importance of ASEAN centrality in the Asia – Pacific regional architecture and discussed ways to enhance their cooperation in regional frameworks including the East Asian Summit (EAS), Asia – Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), and the ASEAN – US Strategic Partnership, with a view to tackling common challenges as well as contributing to greater stability and prosperity to the region.

           On security cooperation, the two delegations discussed ways to further strengthen and expand cooperation in areas of defense cooperation, cyber security, maritime security, counter – terrorism and countering violent extremism cooperation, and intelligence sharing.

            On economic cooperation, both sides underscored their shared desire to strengthen bilateral economic ties, expand trade and investment to mutually benefit their economies, and create favorable conditions for commerce.

            Toward this end, both sides stressed the importance of promoting free and fair bilateral trade and looked forward to continued discussions under the Trade and Investment Framework Agreement in order to further deepen trade relations.

            The two sides recognized the importance of the 1833 Treaty of Amity and Commerce, and agreed to work toward further facilitation of trade and investment from respective countries. The U.S. side welcomed growing investment from Thai companies into the United States that currently creates jobs in the United States.