Eni Faleomavaega: “I want to commend my dear colleague and chairman of the Asia Pacific Subcommittee on International Relations, the…”

“I want to commend my dear colleague and chairman of the Asia Pacific Subcommittee on International Relations, the distinguished gentleman from Iowa (Mr. Leach), for his authorship of this important resolution. Mr. Speaker, as the world's oldest democracy, the American Government rarely takes the time to mark important events in the lives of the world's few remaining monarchs. The key decisions affecting the livelihood of nations and the stability of the world system are made in the halls of parliaments and in the offices of presidents and prime ministers around the world. But a handful of the world's monarchs continue to play a critically important role in the lives of their nations, and are worthy of our praise and admiration. The King of Thailand is just such a monarch. As Thailand celebrates the 60th anniversary of the King's ascension to the throne, it is important to remember the King's many contributions to the prosperity and stability of our closest ally in Southeast Asia. While Thailand is governed by democratically elected parliament and prime minister, the King has kept a firm hand on the tiller of the nation. {time} 1500 After a military coup in 1992 in which hundreds of Thai citizens were killed in the streets of Bangkok, the King summoned the general to a nationally televised audience.…”