Thai FM to visit Hawaii to bolster US alliance
Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketlkeow will travel to Hawaii today to strengthen the Thai-US alliance and deepen strategic cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region, according to the Thai Foreign Ministry.
From March 29 to April 1, he is scheduled to meet senior US military leaders, including Admiral Samuel Paparo Jr, commander of the US Indo-Pacific Command, and Gen Ronald Clark, commanding general of the US Army Pacific, to discuss expanding defense and security cooperation.
Talks are expected to focus on shared strategic interests amid shifting global dynamics and emerging security challenges.
Furthermore, exchanges of views on regional and international security issues are also on the agenda.
Sihasak will also deliver a speech at the East-West Center titled “The Future of the Thai-US Alliance in a Changing Global and Regional Landscape,” outlining Thailand’s vision for its partnership with Washington and the broader geopolitical environment.
During the three-day trip, he is set to meet the governor of Hawaii, executives of the Daniel K Inouye Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies, and members of the Thai community, including business leaders and students.
The trip marks the first official visit to Hawaii by a Thai foreign minister in 15 years.
Hawaii hosts key US military commands and serves as a strategic hub linking the Indo-Pacific region. It is also home to major academic institutions that foster regional cooperation and people-to-people ties.
More than 5,000 Thai nationals currently reside in the state.