US extends more support for flood-hit Thailand

BANGKOK, November 17 (TNA) - The United States will extend more support for flood-stricken Thailand, including an additional financial assistance of over 10 million US dollars, following Washington's initial assistance of 1.1 million US dollars recently. Visiting US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton announced the additional support at a joint press conference with Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra at Bangkok's Government House Wednesday evening, following their bilateral discussions soon after Clinton arrived in the Thai capital for her two-day official visit to the Kingdom. Clinton expressed Washington's condolence and sympathy for Thailand's ongoing flooding crisis, which has claimed more than 565 lives in dozens of affected provinces since late July, saying that the US financial assistance is aimed to support immediate rehabilitation in flood-hit Thai areas so that the national situation will return to normal as soon as possible. Praising Thailand as a US long-time allied nation, Clinton said that Washington will also support Thai military and civilian units for a quick restoration and resumption of services of Bangkok's Don Mueang Airport and for immediate response to any emergency, covering well-prepared measures to effectively prevent and deal with civilians-affected disasters and subsequences in all aspects, namely public health and rehabilitation of national heritages. During the bilateral talks, Clinton and Yingluck also reportedly discussed other issues of mutual interest between Washington and Bangkok, including those to be later raised during their meeting on the sidelines of the ASEAN Summit 2011 and related forums, being held on Indonesia's Bali Island from November 15-19. (TNA)