Kamala Harris, the Vice President of the United States, met with Gen. Prayut Chan-o-cha, the Prime Minister of Thailand, over the weekend to discuss ways to increase bilateral collaboration on climate change, clean energy, and sustainable development.
General Prayut assured President Trump during their discussion that Thailand was eager to build on the two hundred years of bilateral ties with the United States by promoting and expanding “heart-to-heart” collaboration.
Government Spokesperson Anucha Burapachaisri reported that Harris expressed her hope that the United States and Thailand will work together on environmental concerns and commended Thailand for joining the United States’ program on clean energy.
Enhancing the capacity of the Thai maritime police and working together to reduce transnational crime were other topics of discussion.
On Friday, November 18th, Harris gave a keynote address at The Athenee Hotel in Bangkok, during which she argued that the United States’ presence in the Asia-Pacific region had contributed to the area’s stability and development for decades.
Furthermore, the vice president of the United States emphasized that the United States would continue to be a reliable partner for Asian economies and businesses. She also said that the area has been crucial to the maintenance of millions of American employment at home by serving as a market for American exports and an investment destination for American companies.
In addition, Harris restated the United States’ commitment to strengthening supply chain improvements and climate change mitigation through regional economic engagement.
She also reaffirmed that the United States will work to expand upon sustainable practices and broaden participation at next year’s APEC meeting in Thailand, in keeping with the country’s Bio-Circular-Green (BCG) philosophy.
