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Published on February 8, 2008

Now that Thailand has an elected government, the United States will re-instate its military funding, US Ambassador Eric G John said yesterday.

The funding was suspended after the September 2006 military coup.

The assistance includes International Military Ex-change Training, Foreign Military Financing and the Global Peacekeeping Operations Initiative, he said.

"Resumption of these programmes allows our two sides to work together and achieve mutual goals, including peace and stability throughout the region," John told a press briefing.

The amount of the military assistance has not yet been allocated, he added.

The US government also plans to strengthen ties through visits by senior officials. Christopher Hill, assistant secretary of state for East Asia and Pacific Affairs, is scheduled to visit Thailand at the end of this month, followed by Admiral Timothy Keating, chief of the US Pacific Command.

"We are especially pleased to restore the full range of relations, especially as we celebrate 175 years of US-Thai relations this year," John said.

On the economic side, the US was pleased to see the new cabinet considering measures to make Thailand more attractive to foreign investors. "We welcome working with Thailand on economic exchange and enhancing trade between our countries."

With regard to the free-trade agreement, negotiations are unlikely to resume soon because the last meeting took far too long and was too detailed. John said both sides have to make sure they have enough people available to discuss the agreement this time around.

Supalak G Khundee

The Nation