H.E. Dr. Suriya Chindawongse, Ambassador of Thailand to the United States, visited New Orleans, Louisiana, on 8–12 October 2026. During the visit, Ambassador Suriya met with Mayor Helena Moreno of New Orleans and executives of the Port of New Orleans to exchange views on the city’s experiences and best practices in flood management and disaster preparedness and response. Discussions focused particularly on lessons learned from Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and the subsequent development of the city’s flood and disaster management capabilities, which could offer valuable insights for Thailand’s ongoing efforts to address flooding and strengthen disaster resilience.

Ambassador Suriya also visited Tulane University and met with its leadership and faculty members to discuss opportunities to strengthen academic partnerships between Tulane and Thai higher education institutions, especially in the areas of public health, medicine, and water management. The Ambassador also met with a Thai student pursuing studies at Tulane University.

During the visit, Ambassador Suriya also met with Thai restaurant owners and members of the Thai community in New Orleans. Mr. Mark Romig, Honorary Consul of Thailand in New Orleans, accompanied the Ambassador throughout the visit and participated in the meetings.