On 12 February 2024, H.E. Mr. Parnpree Bahiddha-Nukara, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, had a bilateral discussion with a U.S. Deputy Assistant to the President and Senior Advisor for Energy and Investment and 2 senators in Washington, D.C. during the official visit to the U.S. H.E. Mr. Sihasak Phuangketkeow, Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs, was also in attendance.

(1) Mr. Amos J. Hochstein, U.S. Deputy Assistant to the President and Senior Advisor for Energy and Investment, where both sides exchanged views on potentials of the Thailand’s Landbridge Project, both in terms of economic and geopolitical perspectives. They also discussed about the possibility to cooperate on supply chain, digital, and infrastructure connectivity, linking South Asia and Southeast Asia. Both sides agreed to task their teams to further deepen discussion on this issue.

(2) Senator Christopher Van Hollen, Jr. (Democrat), U.S. Senator, Maryland, Chairman of the Subcommittee on East Asia, the Pacific, and International Cybersecurity Policy, Committee on Foreign Relations, U.S. Senate, where both sides discussed ways to enhance Thailand-U.S. relations and exchanged views on the situation in Myanmar. Senator Van Hollen admired Thailand’s humanitarian initiative to help the Myanmar people, as well as shared his concern about remaining Thai hostages in Gaza. In addition, both sides also welcomed the establishment of the U.S.-Thai Alliance Caucus in the House of Representatives. Senator Van Hollen supports the idea of having a similar cooperation in the Senate.

(3) Senator Ladda Tammy Duckworth (Democrat), U.S. Senator, Illinois, member of the Committee on Foreign Relations, U.S. Senate, where the Deputy Prime Minister thanked Senator Duckworth for friendship and continuous support for the Thai community in the U.S., as well as her sponsorship for the senate resolution to celebrate 190th anniversary of Thailand-U.S. diplomatic relations. In addition, both sides also discussed ways to promote defense cooperation, including increasing quotas for Thai military personnels to attend the military academy in the U.S., military modernization, and explore possibility to cooperate on military medical training.