FM:Thai-US ties remain strong

BANGKOK, June 30 (TNA) - The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has acknowledged that bilateral relations between Bangkok and Washington remain strong despite a recent decision by the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to cancel its climate survey project in Thailand. Thai Foreign Ministry Spokesman Thani Thongphakdi, who is also Director-General of the ministry's Department of Information, confirmed on Friday that strengthened ties between Thailand and the United States have remained intact. Thani told journalists that the United States appears to understand Thailand's internal processes well. Thani's remarks followed NASA's announcement through its website that it had called off its plan for conducting its Southeast Asia Composition, Cloud, Climate Coupling Regional Study or SEAC4RS Project in Thailand this year due to an insufficient time for preparations, in the wake of the Thai Cabinet's resolution earlier this week to seek a parliamentary approval of the NASA's proposed project. The spokesman said that consultations have been on progress between the Thai and the US governments on his ministry's invitation of US President Barack Obama to visit Thailand late this year, when the US President is scheduled to attend the East Asia Summit 2012 in neighbouring Cambodia, noting that there has been no conclusion on the Thai invitation so far. (TNA)