The Embassy of the United States in Bangkok is the diplomatic mission of the United States in Thailand. It is one of the largest diplomatic missions in the world and contains several sections and agencies. The mission of the United States Embassy is to advance the interests of the United States, and to serve and protect U.S. citizens in Thailand. The Embassy reports and analyzes developments in Thailand of concern to the United States, and advances a broad range of U.S. policy initiatives. The Embassy promotes the United States' economic and commercial interests, the export of American agricultural and industrial products, and services. Moreover, it assists the American businessmen, workers and investors. The Embassy engages the government and a broad range of organizations and individuals in Thailand to promote shared values; these include individual freedom, human rights and democracy and the rule of law.
History
During the years 1832–6, Diplomat Edmund Roberts was appointed by President Andrew Jackson as America's first envoy to the Far East, and served on two consecutive non-resident embassies aboard the U. S. Navy sloop-of-warPeacock to the court of King Nangklao Roberts negotiated the and returned in 1836 to exchange ratifications. The Roberts treaty, with subsequent modifications, is still in force. Roberts also negotiated a treaty and exchanged ratifications with the Sultan of Oman. In 2008, Roberts was lauded as the "first Deputy U.S. Trade Representative for Asia – and a fine one at that." The United States and Thailand have thus had over 180 years of diplomatic relations. The American Embassy in Bangkok was built by the English businessman Henry Victor Bailey in 1914. After his death in 1920, this house was sold to the Thai finance ministry. As of 1947, this has been the official residence of the U.S. ambassador of Thailand. After WWII, Great Britain sought to punish Thailand for having aided Japan, but the U.S. hindered their efforts. For this, the Thai government thanked the U.S. by giving them this architectural icon. In 1975 a large scale protest, of about 10,000 students, took place outside the embassy when Thai air bases were used by the U.S. Air Force to launch attacks against Cambodia during the seizure of SS Mayaguez, without the permission of the government of Thailand and without informing the embassy. There were two major events in the 20th Century between the two nations. One is the Treaty of Amity and Economic Relations which facilitates U.S. and Thai companies' economic access to one another's markets. Other important agreements address civil uses of atomic energy, sales of agricultural commodities, investment guarantees, and finally military and economic assistance. The other is a Free Trade Agreement between the two nations that was proposed in 2004. Since the military coup of May 2014, relationships between Thailand and the United States have experienced strains, with several ultra-nationalist demonstrations in front of the U.S. Embassy on Wireless Road, and even charges alleged against the U.S. ambassador for lese majeste. The U.S. trimmed military aid to Thailand, the latter which has been courting closer relationships with China and Russia.
