Holiday inn Arlington

One of New Mandala’s “dedicated lurkers” has sent me the following announcment about the Conference on Thailand-U.S. Relations, to be held at the Holiday Inn, Arlington 9-10 May. I understand that the conference was due to be held in September last year but was called off as a result of the coup. It will be interesting to see how much discussion the coup gets under the “political dynamics” (or any other) heading.

May 9, 2007
Political Dynamics in Thailand and the U.S.
Chair: Ambassador William Itoh, University of North Carolina , Chapel Hill
(1) Dr. Borwornsak Uwanno, Secretary-General, King Prajadhipok’s Institute
(2) Dr. Panitan Wattanayagorn, Faculty of Political Science, Chulalongkorn University
(3) Mr. Christopher Nelson, Senior Vice President, Samuels International Associates

The Situation in Southern Thailand
Chair: Mr. Joshua Kurlantzick, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
(1) Lieutenant General Sirapong Boonpat, Deputy Secretary-General, National Security Council of Thailand
(2) Professor Ladd Thomas, Northern Illinois University
(3) Assistant Professor Sawvanee Jitmoud, Faculty of Humanities and Social Science, Dhonburi Rajapath University

Lunch: Keynote Address by Mr. Jim Kolbe, Senior Transatlantic Fellow, German Marshall Fund

Thailand – United States Economic and Trade Dynamics
Chair: Dr. Linda Lim, Professor of Strategy & Director, Center for Southeast Asian Studies, University of Michigan
(1) Mrs.Suchada Kirakul, Assistant Governor (Monetary Policy Group) Bank of Thailand
(2) Mr. Winichai Chaemchaeng, Deputy Director General, Department of Trade Negotiations, Ministry of Commerce of Thailand
(3) Mr. Ira Kasoff, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Asia, U.S. Department of Commerce
(4) Ms. Marideth J. Sandler, Executive Director, GSP, and Chairman, GSP Subcommittee of the Trade Policy Staff Committee, USTR
(5) Dr. Richard Drobnick, Managing Director, APRU World Institute and Director, Center for International Business, Marshall School of Business, University of Southern California

Thailand-United States Relations in a Changing Southeast Asia and Global Geo-strategy (Regional issues)
Chair: M.R. Sukhumbhand Paribatra, Former Deputy Foreign Minister
(1) Mr. Krit Garnjana-Goonchorn, Ambassador of Thailand
(2) Prof. Catharin Dalpino, Director of Thai Studies Program, Georgetown University
(3) Dr. Chaichana Ingawat, Faculty of Political Science, Ramkhamhaeng University
(4) Professor Daniel Unger, Department of Political Science, Northern Illinois University

Dinner: Keynote Address by Dr. Manaspas Xuto, Adviser to the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Thailand

May 10, 2007
Discussion on Thai Studies Program Network
Chair: Professor Justin McDaniel College of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences Religious Studies, University of California at Riverside
(1) Prof. Catharin Dalpino, Director of Thai Studies Program, Georgetown University
(2) Dr. Thak Chaloemtiarana, Director, Southeast Asia Studies, Cornell University
(3) Dr. Anucha Thirakanont, Director, Institute of Thai Studies, Thammasat University
(4) Professor Allen D. Hicken, Department of Political Science, University of Michigan
(5) Dr. Chunsheng Zhang, Vice Provost for International Affairs and Outreach, University of Oregon
(6) Professor Katherine Bowie, Department of Anthropology, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Thank you for your participation. We look forward to meeting you.
The Royal Thai Embassy, Washington DC .