On 11 April 2010, Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya accompanied Deputy Prime Minister Trirong Suwannakhiri to present the Royal Decoration of “Knight Grand Cross (First Class) of the Most Noble Order of the Crown of Thailand” and the Royal Thai Army’s Master Aviation Badge to Major Ladda Tammy Duckworth, Assistant Secretary for Public and Intergovernmental Affairs, US Department of Veteran Affairs. The participants of the conferment ceremony, held at the Royal Thai Embassy in Washington DC, included Mr. Kiat Sittheeamorn, President of Thailand Trade Representatives, Ambassador of Thailand to the US, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Thailand to the United Nations, New York, and representatives of Team Thailand in Washington DC.
Major Ladda is a Thai-American national, whose sacrifice and bravery during her military service in the US Army, brought fame to Thailand and also enhanced the relationship between the two countries. Even with her disability from the tour of duty in Iraq, Maj. Ladda still devoted herself to the public service and was appointed the Assistant Secretary for Public and Intergovernmental Affairs, US Department of Veteran Affairs, on 3 February 2009. On 22 September 2009, His Majesty the King of Thailand bestowed the Royal Decoration of “Knight Grand Cross (First Class) of the Most Noble Order of the Crown of Thailand” to her.
Later in the afternoon, the Deputy Prime Minister together with Foreign Minister Kasit, President of Thailand Trade Representatives, and Minister of Science and Technology met with the Thai community at the Royal Thai Embassy. The event drew many Thais living in Washington DC and other nearby areas. The Ministers exchanged views with the participants about the latest political and economic situation in Thailand and their activities in the US, particularly to attend the Nuclear Security Summit. Later they also gave an interview to the Thai media in the US on the aforesaid matters.
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