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The East-West Center in Washington and the Royal Thai Embassy, Washington, D.C. invite you to the
New Opportunities for the United States-Kingdom of Thailand Alliance in the Indo-Pacific Webinar Series:
Forging Thailand-US Economic Partnership:
A Pathway Toward Post-COVID-19 Recovery
Featuring:
Opening remarks
H.E. Manasvi Srisodapol
Ambassador of Thailand to the United States of America
Dr. Pichet Durongkaveroj
Former Minister of Digital Economy and Society of Thailand
Ms. Diane Farrell
Acting Under Secretary of Commerce for International Trade,
U.S. Department of Commerce
Panel Discussion
Dr. Luxmon Attapich
Deputy Secretary General,
Eastern Economic Corridor Office of Thailand
H.E. Michael DeSombre
Former United States Ambassador to Kingdom of Thailand
Mr. John Goyer
Executive Director, Southeast Asia
U.S. Chamber of Commerce
Dr. Satu P. Limaye (Moderator)
Vice President, East-West Center &
Director, East-West Center in Washington
East-West Center in Washington · Forging Thailand-US Economic Partnership: A Pathway Toward Post-COVID-19 Recovery
The United States and Thailand have enjoyed cordial trade relations for over two centuries, with the US always being one of the top foreign traders and investors in Thailand. In 2020, US-Thailand bilateral trade totaled almost 49 billion USD, a 4.5% increase, despite disruptions to all economic activities brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. As the United States and Thailand prepare for a post-COVID-19 economic reality, this webinar identified areas where US and Thai economic policies can mutually complement each other. To view Mr. Goyer's PowerPoint, click here. To view Dr. Luxmon's PowerPoint, click here.
The New Opportunities for the United States-Kingdom of Thailand Alliance in the Indo-Pacific webinar series is a collaboration between the Royal Thai Embassy, Washington, D.C., the East-West Center in Washington, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand, and the International Studies Center to further promote engagement and better understanding between the United States and Thailand’s respective government officials, parliamentarians, private sectors, academic and think tank analysts, and the general public.
SPEAKER BIOGRAPHIES
H.E. Manasvi Srisodapol has served as Thailand's ambassador to the United States of America since early 2021. Before this most recent posting, Ambassador Srisodapol served as Thailand's ambassador to the Kingdom of Belgium (2017), the Special Representative of the Chair of the Group of 77 and China for Climate Change (2016) and Thailand's ambassador to the Republic of Poland (2015). In 2009 he served as the Permanent Representative of Thailand to ASEAN in Jakarta. Throughout his career, Ambassador Srisodapol has been awarded numerous decorations in honor of his service to Thailand. Ambassador Srisodapol has a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from the University of Ottawa, Canada and a Master of Arts in International Affairs and Certificate for South Asian Studies from Columbia University.
Pichet Durongkaveroj is currently a member of Thailand’s National Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation Policy Council. He has held many positions in public office, most recently as Thailand’s Minister of Digital Economy and Society. He has also served as Thailand’s Minister of Science and Technology, Secretary General of the National Science and Technology Innovation Policy Office in Thailand’s Ministry of Science and Technology, and Chairman of Thailand’s Provincial Electricity Authority, among other distinguished roles. Pichet received his PhD in Public Policy Management from the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School, a Master of Science in Electrical Engineering with a focus on applied solar energy from Trinity University, and a Bachelor of Engineering with a focus on electrical engineering from the University of New South Wales.
Diane Farrell is the Acting Under Secretary and the Deputy Under Secretary for International Trade. In these roles, she plans, determines, and coordinates policy; directs the International Trade Administration; and oversees the daily operations of the International Trade Administration (ITA), which has an annual budget of $483 million with approximately 2,100 trade and investment professionals—based in more than 100 U.S. cities and 70 markets around the world. She most recently served as the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Asia, where she was the principal advisor to the Assistant Secretary for Global Markets on all matters concerning international economics, trade, investment, and commercial policy programs and agreements with respect to Asia. In this role, she also oversaw planning and execution of Commerce commercial diplomacy and export promotion strategies at United States Missions in Region Asia. Previously, Ms. Farrell worked at the U.S. India Business Council (USIBC). As Executive Vice President, she oversaw business advocacy policy and government relations. Prior to joining USIBC, Ms. Farrell served on the Board of Directors at the Export-Import Bank of the United States (U.S. Exim Bank). A Presidential appointee, confirmed by the U.S. Senate, she was responsible for voting on transactions in excess of $10 million as well as significant policy matters. Her portfolio responsibilities included small businesses, India, Southeast Asia, and portions of Latin America. In addition, she was named a member of the White House Business Council. During her tenure at U.S. Exim Bank, India transactions expanded and diversified as aircraft sales and conventional and green energy projects, among others, led to India becoming the second-largest country by U.S. dollar allocation in the bank’s overall portfolio. Ms. Farrell holds a B.A. from Wheaton College Norton, Massachusetts with a degree in American Government.
Luxmon Attapich is Deputy Secretary-General of the Eastern Economic Corridor Office (EECO) of Thailand. She oversees investment promotion and international affairs. Before joining the EECO, Luxmon was a Senior Country Economist at the Asian Development Bank where she took care of macroeconomic and policy analysis. She managed the capital market development program and was also in charge of financial inclusion technical assistance programs in Thailand. Before joining ADB, Luxmon worked at Revenue Department and the Fiscal Policy Office. She was Chief of Academic Team to Minister of Finance and Deputy Prime Minister during 2000 -2005. Luxmon receive her BA in Political Sciences from Chulalongkorn University, a post graduate degree in Economics from University of Cambridge and Ph.D. in Southeast Asian Studies from the University of Hull in the UK.
H.E. Michael DeSombre is the former United States Ambassador to the Kingdom of Thailand. Prior to his position as Ambassador, he was a partner of the global law firm of Sullivan & Cromwell where he ran their Asian M&A business from 2004 through 2019. He is also a former chairman of Save the Children Hong Kong. Ambassador DeSombre was born in Chicago, Illinois. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in Quantitative Economics and a Master of Arts in East Asian Studies from Stanford University. He received his Juris Doctor magna cum laude from Harvard Law School in 1995. Prior to assuming his post in Bangkok in 2020, Ambassador DeSombre lived in Hong Kong, residing in Asia for two decades. He is fluent in Mandarin Chinese, and also has some ability in Korean and Japanese. He is married with four children.
John Goyer is executive director of Southeast Asia at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Goyer concentrates on developing and implementing the Chamber’s Southeast Asia regional projects, as well as its bilateral programs with individual countries in the region. In addition, he is responsible for developing the Chamber’s Initiative Indonesia, the U.S.-Vietnam Business Leadership Committee, the Australia Working Group, and other initiatives. He also serves as a consultant to the UN Conference on Trade and Development’s ASEAN Investment Report Series. Before joining the Chamber, Goyer was vice president of the Coalition of Service Industries (CSI), a U.S.-based membership association that promotes the liberalization of international trade and investment in services. He worked with the coalition’s member companies and with U.S. trade negotiators to ensure that U.S. service industry international trade objectives were reflected in bilateral, regional, and multilateral trade agreements. He coordinated the Global Services Network, managed CSI’s annual Global Services summits, and was a member of the U.S. Government Industry Trade Advisory Committee (ITAC), advising the U.S. government on information technology, electronic commerce, and telecommunications issues in U.S. trade agreements. Earlier in his career, Goyer was senior director of the US-ASEAN Business Council, where he monitored and reported on major trade policy and political developments and trends impacting commercial interests in Southeast Asia, with a particular focus on ASEAN economic integration. He organized numerous trade and investment promotion missions to Southeast Asia and other events highlighting opportunities in the region. Goyer is a graduate of The George Washington University and has a master’s degree from the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies. He lived and studied in Thailand and Japan. He and his wife, Laura, have three children.
Satu P. Limaye is Vice President of the East-West Center and the Director of the East-West Center in Washington where he created and now directs the Asia Matters for America initiative and is the founding editor of the Asia Pacific Bulletin. He is also a Senior Advisor at CNA Corp (Center for Naval Analyses) and Senior Fellow on Asia History and Policy at the Foreign Policy Institute at Paul H. Nitze School of International Studies (SAIS). He is magna cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Georgetown University and received his doctorate from Oxford University (Magdalen College) where he was a George C. Marshall Scholar. Recent publications include: “America’s ‘Pacific Principle’ in an Indivisible Pacific Islands Region,” (Asia Pacific Bulletin); “Despite Stumbles, America’s Engagement with Southeast Runs Deep,” (Global Asia); Raging Waters: China, India, Bangladesh, and Brahmaputra Water Politics (Marine Corps University Press); and Russia’s Peripheral Relevance to US-Indo Pacific Relations (Center for the National Interest).
The East-West Center in Washington and the Royal Thai Embassy, Washington, D.C. invite you to the
New Opportunities for the United States-Kingdom of Thailand Alliance in the Indo-Pacific Webinar Series:
Forging Thailand-US Economic Partnership:
A Pathway Toward Post-COVID-19 Recovery
Featuring:
Opening remarks
H.E. Manasvi Srisodapol
Ambassador of Thailand to the United States of America
Dr. Pichet Durongkaveroj
Former Minister of Digital Economy and Society of Thailand
Ms. Diane Farrell
Acting Under Secretary of Commerce for International Trade,
U.S. Department of Commerce
Panel Discussion
Dr. Luxmon Attapich
Deputy Secretary General,
Eastern Economic Corridor Office of Thailand
H.E. Michael DeSombre
Former United States Ambassador to Kingdom of Thailand
Mr. John Goyer
Executive Director, Southeast Asia
U.S. Chamber of Commerce
Dr. Satu P. Limaye (Moderator)
Vice President, East-West Center &
Director, East-West Center in Washington
East-West Center in Washington · Forging Thailand-US Economic Partnership: A Pathway Toward Post-COVID-19 Recovery
The United States and Thailand have enjoyed cordial trade relations for over two centuries, with the US always being one of the top foreign traders and investors in Thailand. In 2020, US-Thailand bilateral trade totaled almost 49 billion USD, a 4.5% increase, despite disruptions to all economic activities brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. As the United States and Thailand prepare for a post-COVID-19 economic reality, this webinar identified areas where US and Thai economic policies can mutually complement each other. To view Mr. Goyer's PowerPoint, click here. To view Dr. Luxmon's PowerPoint, click here.
The New Opportunities for the United States-Kingdom of Thailand Alliance in the Indo-Pacific webinar series is a collaboration between the Royal Thai Embassy, Washington, D.C., the East-West Center in Washington, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand, and the International Studies Center to further promote engagement and better understanding between the United States and Thailand’s respective government officials, parliamentarians, private sectors, academic and think tank analysts, and the general public.
SPEAKER BIOGRAPHIES
H.E. Manasvi Srisodapol has served as Thailand's ambassador to the United States of America since early 2021. Before this most recent posting, Ambassador Srisodapol served as Thailand's ambassador to the Kingdom of Belgium (2017), the Special Representative of the Chair of the Group of 77 and China for Climate Change (2016) and Thailand's ambassador to the Republic of Poland (2015). In 2009 he served as the Permanent Representative of Thailand to ASEAN in Jakarta. Throughout his career, Ambassador Srisodapol has been awarded numerous decorations in honor of his service to Thailand. Ambassador Srisodapol has a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from the University of Ottawa, Canada and a Master of Arts in International Affairs and Certificate for South Asian Studies from Columbia University.
Pichet Durongkaveroj is currently a member of Thailand’s National Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation Policy Council. He has held many positions in public office, most recently as Thailand’s Minister of Digital Economy and Society. He has also served as Thailand’s Minister of Science and Technology, Secretary General of the National Science and Technology Innovation Policy Office in Thailand’s Ministry of Science and Technology, and Chairman of Thailand’s Provincial Electricity Authority, among other distinguished roles. Pichet received his PhD in Public Policy Management from the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School, a Master of Science in Electrical Engineering with a focus on applied solar energy from Trinity University, and a Bachelor of Engineering with a focus on electrical engineering from the University of New South Wales.
Diane Farrell is the Acting Under Secretary and the Deputy Under Secretary for International Trade. In these roles, she plans, determines, and coordinates policy; directs the International Trade Administration; and oversees the daily operations of the International Trade Administration (ITA), which has an annual budget of $483 million with approximately 2,100 trade and investment professionals—based in more than 100 U.S. cities and 70 markets around the world. She most recently served as the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Asia, where she was the principal advisor to the Assistant Secretary for Global Markets on all matters concerning international economics, trade, investment, and commercial policy programs and agreements with respect to Asia. In this role, she also oversaw planning and execution of Commerce commercial diplomacy and export promotion strategies at United States Missions in Region Asia. Previously, Ms. Farrell worked at the U.S. India Business Council (USIBC). As Executive Vice President, she oversaw business advocacy policy and government relations. Prior to joining USIBC, Ms. Farrell served on the Board of Directors at the Export-Import Bank of the United States (U.S. Exim Bank). A Presidential appointee, confirmed by the U.S. Senate, she was responsible for voting on transactions in excess of $10 million as well as significant policy matters. Her portfolio responsibilities included small businesses, India, Southeast Asia, and portions of Latin America. In addition, she was named a member of the White House Business Council. During her tenure at U.S. Exim Bank, India transactions expanded and diversified as aircraft sales and conventional and green energy projects, among others, led to India becoming the second-largest country by U.S. dollar allocation in the bank’s overall portfolio. Ms. Farrell holds a B.A. from Wheaton College Norton, Massachusetts with a degree in American Government.
Luxmon Attapich is Deputy Secretary-General of the Eastern Economic Corridor Office (EECO) of Thailand. She oversees investment promotion and international affairs. Before joining the EECO, Luxmon was a Senior Country Economist at the Asian Development Bank where she took care of macroeconomic and policy analysis. She managed the capital market development program and was also in charge of financial inclusion technical assistance programs in Thailand. Before joining ADB, Luxmon worked at Revenue Department and the Fiscal Policy Office. She was Chief of Academic Team to Minister of Finance and Deputy Prime Minister during 2000 -2005. Luxmon receive her BA in Political Sciences from Chulalongkorn University, a post graduate degree in Economics from University of Cambridge and Ph.D. in Southeast Asian Studies from the University of Hull in the UK.
H.E. Michael DeSombre is the former United States Ambassador to the Kingdom of Thailand. Prior to his position as Ambassador, he was a partner of the global law firm of Sullivan & Cromwell where he ran their Asian M&A business from 2004 through 2019. He is also a former chairman of Save the Children Hong Kong. Ambassador DeSombre was born in Chicago, Illinois. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in Quantitative Economics and a Master of Arts in East Asian Studies from Stanford University. He received his Juris Doctor magna cum laude from Harvard Law School in 1995. Prior to assuming his post in Bangkok in 2020, Ambassador DeSombre lived in Hong Kong, residing in Asia for two decades. He is fluent in Mandarin Chinese, and also has some ability in Korean and Japanese. He is married with four children.
John Goyer is executive director of Southeast Asia at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Goyer concentrates on developing and implementing the Chamber’s Southeast Asia regional projects, as well as its bilateral programs with individual countries in the region. In addition, he is responsible for developing the Chamber’s Initiative Indonesia, the U.S.-Vietnam Business Leadership Committee, the Australia Working Group, and other initiatives. He also serves as a consultant to the UN Conference on Trade and Development’s ASEAN Investment Report Series. Before joining the Chamber, Goyer was vice president of the Coalition of Service Industries (CSI), a U.S.-based membership association that promotes the liberalization of international trade and investment in services. He worked with the coalition’s member companies and with U.S. trade negotiators to ensure that U.S. service industry international trade objectives were reflected in bilateral, regional, and multilateral trade agreements. He coordinated the Global Services Network, managed CSI’s annual Global Services summits, and was a member of the U.S. Government Industry Trade Advisory Committee (ITAC), advising the U.S. government on information technology, electronic commerce, and telecommunications issues in U.S. trade agreements. Earlier in his career, Goyer was senior director of the US-ASEAN Business Council, where he monitored and reported on major trade policy and political developments and trends impacting commercial interests in Southeast Asia, with a particular focus on ASEAN economic integration. He organized numerous trade and investment promotion missions to Southeast Asia and other events highlighting opportunities in the region. Goyer is a graduate of The George Washington University and has a master’s degree from the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies. He lived and studied in Thailand and Japan. He and his wife, Laura, have three children.
Satu P. Limaye is Vice President of the East-West Center and the Director of the East-West Center in Washington where he created and now directs the Asia Matters for America initiative and is the founding editor of the Asia Pacific Bulletin. He is also a Senior Advisor at CNA Corp (Center for Naval Analyses) and Senior Fellow on Asia History and Policy at the Foreign Policy Institute at Paul H. Nitze School of International Studies (SAIS). He is magna cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Georgetown University and received his doctorate from Oxford University (Magdalen College) where he was a George C. Marshall Scholar. Recent publications include: “America’s ‘Pacific Principle’ in an Indivisible Pacific Islands Region,” (Asia Pacific Bulletin); “Despite Stumbles, America’s Engagement with Southeast Runs Deep,” (Global Asia); Raging Waters: China, India, Bangladesh, and Brahmaputra Water Politics (Marine Corps University Press); and Russia’s Peripheral Relevance to US-Indo Pacific Relations (Center for the National Interest).
