On 31 March 2010, Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya joined representatives from over 150 countries and organizations at the International Donors' Conference Towards a New Future for Haiti at the United Nations Headquarters in New York. A total of over 5.3 billion US dollars has been pledged in the next 18 months to help Haiti along its path to long-term recovery from the earthquake on 12 January 2010.
On Thailand's part, Foreign Minister Kasit delivered a statement pledging an additional financial contribution of 2.5 million US dollars as well as other kinds of assistance, including shelter materials, five tons of maize and peanut seeds plus a team of agricultural experts, medical teams specialising in artificial limbs, scholarships for studying in Thailand, and a small police contingent. He also noted that Thailand's experience and the assistance it received following the 2004 tsunami has inspired Thailand to do more to help other countries in similar need, including Haiti, and in addition to making donations, Thai public also called for their government to do more.
In addition, the Thai foreign minister also had a meeting with Mrs. Helen Clark, Executive Director of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), during which the latter expressed UNDP's readiness to work with Thailand in extending assistance to Haiti.
For further information, please contact the Press Division, Department of Information, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Tel.02-6435170, Fax.02-6435169, E-mail: div0704@mfa.go.th