On 28 October 2025, H.E. Dr. Suriya Chindawongse, Ambassador of Thailand to the United States, welcomed thirty-seven Thai Professional and Academic Fellows participating in the Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative (YSEALI) to the Royal Thai Embassy in Washington, D.C.

The Ambassador opened the discussion by addressing the nation’s mourning period following the passing of Her Majesty Queen Sirikit The Queen Mother. He highlighted the 192 years of diplomatic relations between Thailand and the United States and shared insights into the Embassy’s efforts to advance Thai–U.S. relations, particularly in areas of mutual interest including technological and economic cooperation, as well as collaboration to combat online scams.

The Ambassador emphasized that the United States continues to play a leading role in international affairs through a “win-win” approach. He also underlined that future economic growth will be driven by innovation-led sectors such as artificial intelligence (AI), data centers, and semiconductors. Thailand, he remarked, is well-positioned and ready to participate in these sectors due to its abundant water resources, skilled workforce, as well as reliable and sustainable energy supply. Although Thailand lacks rare earth elements and critical minerals, it seeks to strengthen its role as a processing and technology hub through partnerships with the U.S. The private sector, including major companies such as Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Microsoft, is also advancing initiatives to increase Thailand’s competitiveness - most notably, a national STEM workforce program aiming to train and upskill around 80,000 individuals over the next five years.

The Ambassador further underscored the importance of transforming shared challenges into opportunities for cooperation under the guiding principle of being “friends to all, enemies to none.” He encouraged the Fellows to pursue their goals and aspirations with humility and purpose, reminding them to “keep their feet on the ground” while striving for excellence.

This year’s YSEALI Professional and Academic Fellows Program includes participants from eleven countries: Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Timor-Leste, and Viet Nam. The Fellows comprise undergraduate and recently graduated students, as well as young professionals. Sponsored by the U.S. Department of State, the YSEALI program aims to strengthen leadership development, promote cross-border collaboration, and build lasting networks among emerging leaders across Southeast Asia.