On 19 May 2025, 17 academic fellows from Thailand’s Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative (YSEALI) and as well as alumni of the YSEALI fellowship visited the Royal Thai Embassy in Washington, DC. While the academic fellows are visiting Washington D.C. to complete the YSEALI program, visits such as the one at the Royal Thai Embassy allow for the fellows to have a hands-on learning experience and familiarity with the world of foreign affairs. Ms. Chuliepote Isarankura Na Ayudhaya, Minister and Deputy Chief of Mission, and Ms. Pemikar Lusananon, Counsellor, met with the Thai fellows. The Deputy Chief of Mission shared with them the role the Embassy has in supporting Thai citizens and Thai-U.S. relations, including implementing public diplomacy to promote Thai culture, business, and investment, as well as how the Embassy provides services to Thai communities in the United States.

The guests were among 20 Thai fellows who participated in the rigorous five-week YSEALI Academic Fellows Program. They studied in the fields of civic engagement, innovation and entrepreneurship, natural resources, society and governance, which was spread across institutions such as Western Washington University, California State University, Chico, the University of Nebraska Omaha, and James Madison University.

Thailand’s representatives to the YSEALI program this year were a part of over 200 YSEALI Academic Fellows from 11 countries: Brunei Darussalam, Myanmar, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, The Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Viet Nam, and Timor-Leste. The Academic Fellows consist of undergraduate or recently graduated students from various Southeast Asian nations who are invited to learn at the aforementioned U.S. universities to foster their leadership skills and build their expertise. The program is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State to strengthen leadership development and networking in Southeast Asia.