Celebrating Freedom 250 with a jazz performance at the International Thailand Jazz Conference by the U.S. Marine Corps Band from the III Marine Expeditionary Force. The performance spotlighted American jazz saxophonist John Coltrane, in addition to leading student workshops with the Royal Thai Navy Music Division and Srinakharinwirot University. This engagement represents one of many efforts to strengthen and showcase American military excellence and highlight the strength of the American-Thai alliance.

CHIANG MAI, Thailand – January 23, 2026 — The United States officially dedicated its new U.S. Consulate General building in Chiang Mai, reaffirming America’s commitment to protecting and advancing U.S. interests, and its enduring commitment to northern Thailand. 

Led by Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources Michael J. Rigas and U.S. Ambassador Sean K. O’Neill, the ceremony highlighted the new consulate building’s role as a secure, modern hub for serving over 21,000 American citizens across northern Thailand and working with our Thai partners to make our countries safer, stronger, and more prosperous. 

“This year we celebrate America’s 250th birthday and it is an honor to start the year by joining Deputy Secretary Rigas to dedicate this beautiful new building,” said Ambassador O’Neill. “America has had a consulate in Chiang Mai for over 75 years, and this new building is a visible and lasting symbol of the friendship between America and Thailand. We have a proud past and a bright future, and the best is yet to come!”  

The new consulate building features state-of-the-art facilities that streamline services for Americans and support U.S. diplomatic engagement across the 15 provinces of northern Thailand. The new consulate building will help us continue to strengthen cooperation with our Thai partners to protect our citizens by countering transnational crime, and increase prosperity by fostering economic growth in both nations.

Located east of Chiang Mai’s historic Old City, the complex is a model of architectural diplomacy, blending modern American innovation with the rich heritage of northern Thailand. The design team utilized three primary Lanna architectural concepts to root the compound in its local context:

• Lanna: The buildings utilize an elevated ground plane to separate public spaces and provide natural ventilation.
• Chaan: Inspired by traditional northern Thai homes that are arranged as a series of separate cabins around the chaan—a central terrace—the new consulate building adapts this by creating a series of smaller buildings around a shared central space. 
• Kuti: The facility’s needs are broken down into four smaller, linked volumes, an adaptation of the kuti concept found in traditional temple compounds.

The U.S. Consulate General in Chiang Mai opened in 1950 and is the oldest foreign consular post in northern Thailand. After 75 years operating out of a group of historic homes near the Ping River, the consulate has now moved into dedicated modern office space. As the United States celebrates its 250th anniversary and moves into its third century of partnership with Thailand, the new U.S. Consulate General building ensures that the “perpetual peace” established in the 1833 Treaty of Amity and Commerce between America and Thailand will continue to flourish for generations to come. 

For more information about the new U.S. Consulate General building in Chiang Mai, please see the U.S. Mission website: https://th.usembassy.gov/new-consulate-general-building/

To download images from the dedication ceremony, please click here.

Press Statement

Thomas “Tommy” Pigott, Principal Deputy Spokesperson

The United States welcomes the resolute efforts of the Cambodian and Thai governments to uphold the December 27 ceasefire agreement.  This demonstrates both countries’ commitments to lasting peace by implementing the provisions of the Kuala Lumpur Peace Accords.  We welcome Thailand’s release of the 18 Cambodian soldiers as a positive step towards rebuilding neighborly relations and trust.  The United States stands ready to support the Cambodian and Thai governments as they resume the critical implementation measures agreed to in the October 26 Joint Declaration.

Press Statement

Marco Rubio, Secretary of State

The United States welcomes the announcement from Cambodia and Thailand on reaching a ceasefire that halts hostilities along their border following the General Border Committee meeting. We urge Cambodia and Thailand to immediately honor this commitment and fully implement the terms of the Kuala Lumpur Peace Accords

Press Statement

Thomas “Tommy” Pigott, Principal Deputy Spokesperson

The United States continues to call on Cambodia and Thailand to end hostilities, withdraw heavy weapons, cease emplacement of landmines, and fully implement the Kuala Lumpur Peace Accords, which include mechanisms to accelerate humanitarian demining and address border issues.  We welcome ASEAN leaders coming together this week to support Cambodia and Thailand fully honoring their commitments to end this conflict.

 

Announcement for 2026 Study of the U.S. Institutes for Secondary Educators 

U.S. Embassy Bangkok invites interested secondary school educators to apply to the Summer 2026 Study of the U.S. Institutes for Secondary School Educators. The program will take place over the course of five weeks beginning between late-May and early-June 2026; exact dates for each Institute will be communicated in spring 2026.  Each Institute will take place at a U.S. academic institution.

HOW TO APPLY: 

Applicants can download an application form on the U.S. Embassy Bangkok website via this link: Application form. Applications must be sent to BangkokPD@state.gov, stating “Application to 2026 SUSI for Secondary Educators_(Your Full Name)” by 12.00 a.m. of Wednesday, December 31, 2025. Applicants will be selected for interview based on the criteria mentioned above. Interviews will take place at the Media and Cultural Section of the U.S. Embassy Bangkok or Zoom in January 2026. Candidates will be notified regarding selection and non-selection by April 2026. All communications and questions regarding the SUSIs for Secondary Educators should be sent to BangkokPD@state.gov.

PROGRAM OVERVIEW: 

Study of the U.S. Institutes (SUSIs) for Secondary Educators are intensive post-graduate level academic programs for 60 foreign secondary school educators and administrators.  The overall program goals are to strengthen curricula; provide educators and administrators with resources to teach about the United States in secondary schools and other academic institutions upon their return home; and ensure that the United States is the preferred partner for educational exchanges and training opportunities.

Study of the U.S. Institutes for Secondary Educators will take place at various academic institutions throughout the United States over the course of five weeks in summer 2026 with rigorous, dedicated America250 program content promoting American excellence and innovation.  Each Institute will include a one-week integrated academic field experience in the United States.

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION: 

The Study of the U.S. Institutes for Secondary Educators (SUSIs) will provide three multinational groups of 20 experienced secondary school educators (including secondary school teachers, administrators, teacher trainers, curriculum developers, textbook writers, Ministry of Education officials, and others) with a deeper understanding of U.S. society and institutions, U.S. history, and American excellence, informing and enhancing teaching about the United States.  The Institutes focus on providing content and materials for participants to develop curricula about the United States, including key readings on American historical documents and visiting U.S. historical and natural landmarks celebrating America’s great legacies.  Two of the Institutes are tailored for secondary school teachers.  The third Institute is tailored for experienced administrators, including teacher trainers, curriculum developers, textbook writers, Ministry of Education officials, and others.

Please note that the SUSIs for Secondary Educators focus on content and materials about the United States, rather than teaching methods and pedagogy

Through a combination of traditional, multi-disciplinary, and interdisciplinary approaches, Institutes will examine rigorous, dedicated America250 program content promoting American excellence and innovation.  The four-week academic residencies will take place at U.S. educational institutions and will consist of a series of lectures, panels, seminar discussions, readings, workshops, site visits, meetings with practitioners in the field, and cultural activities.  The academic field experience will complement the residency and take participants to a different region of the United States.  The program provides secondary educators with resources to teach American history upon their return home, promoting a deeper understanding of America’s founding principles, history, and achievements that celebrate America250 themes.  Participants will learn from content related to patriotic education; key readings such as the Gettysburg Address and the American Constitution; and visiting U.S. historical and natural landmarks celebrating America’s great legacies.  The program will offer multiple opportunities for follow-on engagement.

The University of Montana (UM) in Missoula, Montana, will oversee three SUSIs for Secondary Educators Institutes, including two Institutes for teachers and one Institute for administrators. UM will administer one of the Institutes for teachers.  An additional Institute for teachers will be held at The Institute for Training and Development (ITD) in Amherst, Massachusetts.  California State University, Chico, will conduct the Institute for administrators.

OTHER ESSENTIAL PROGRAM INFORMATION: 

Program Funding: Through an award given to the University of Montana (UM), the Department of State will cover all participant costs, including program administration; travel allowances, domestic travel, and ground transportation; book, cultural, mailing and incidental allowances; and housing and subsistence; as well as arrange and pay for participants’ international and visa travel costs and travel allowances within set limits and in coordination with posts and Fulbright commissions.

Program Requirements and Restrictions: Candidates should be made aware that they are applying for an intensive and rigorous academic Institute and are expected to fully participate in all aspects of the program.  The Institute is not a research program.  Participants must attend all lectures, engage in all required organized activities, and complete all assignments.  Due to the intensive nature of the program, participants should not expect to fulfill professional or academic obligations, including remote work for jobs while in the United States.  Family members and/or friends may not accompany participants on any part of the program.  Note that Institute curriculum will not formally address teaching methodology and instructional strategies.  Institutes focus on U.S. studies, with only a brief focus on the U.S. education system itself.

Housing and Meal Arrangements: When possible, each participant will have a private room with a shared bathroom during the residency portion (four weeks) of the Institute.  However, private room accommodations are not guaranteed.  During the academic field experience (one week), participants will likely share a hotel room with another participant of the same sex.  During the residency, housing will typically be in college or university owned housing or nearby hotels.  Most meals will be provided at campus facilities, though participants may have access to a kitchen to cook some meals on their own.  Please explain the above possible housing arrangements to your nominees to ensure that they are comfortable with such arrangements, particularly sharing a room with another participant during the academic field experience.  All participants will be expected to respectfully share communal spaces and any necessary duties, including individual responsibility for dishes and meal preparations.

Special Accommodations: Care will be taken to ensure that any special requirements regarding diet, daily worship, housing, and medical care are satisfied.  Special accommodations will be made available to the greatest extent possible.  Should a participant need accommodations due to health and safety concerns, the Institute will follow Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the Institute guidelines.

Travel Arrangements: The University of Montana (UM) will arrange and pay for international and visa travel for all Institutes.  The Institute will provide each participant with a small travel allowance.  Fulbright commissions who are funding their nominees’ participation in the Institute will be responsible for arranging and paying for their participants’ international travel and visa travel related expenses, as well as providing their participant with a travel allowance.  The Institutes will arrange and cover the cost of any travel within the United States.

Health Benefits: All participants will receive the Department of State’s Accident and Sickness Program for Exchanges (ASPE) health benefit, which provides coverage of up to $100,000 with a $25 co-pay per medical visit and a $75 co-pay per emergency room visit, for the duration of the program.  Pre-existing conditions may be covered up to $100,000, subject to policy exclusions and limitations.  Information on the health benefit program may be found online at https://www.sevencorners.com/gov/usdos.

Grounds for Program Dismissal: Violations of program rules, the Institute rules, or local, state, or federal laws can be grounds for immediate dismissal from the program.

CANDIDATE DESCRIPTION AND QUALIFICATIONS: 

Study of the U.S. Institutes for Secondary Educators are merit-based and highly competitive.  Priority will be given to candidates who have firm plans to enhance, update, or develop courses and/or educational materials with a U.S. studies focus or component; who have limited or no prior experience in the United States; and who have a special interest in the program subject areas as demonstrated through past scholarship, accomplishments, and professional duties.

Candidates should be mid-career, typically between the ages of 30-50, highly motivated, and experienced secondary school teachers and administrators whose students are approximately 14-18 years of age.

Ideal candidates come from home institutions seeking to introduce aspects of U.S. studies into their curricula, develop new courses in the Institute subject, enhance and update existing courses on the United States, or offer specialized seminars/workshops for professionals in U.S. studies areas related to the program theme.  While the nominees’ scholarly and professional credentials are an important consideration, the potential impact and multiplier effect from their participation in the Institute is equally important.  Ideal candidates will seek to learn about U.S. studies, with an understanding that pedagogy/teaching methods is not the focus of the program.

As noted above, candidates must demonstrate English language fluency.  Institutes are rigorous and demanding academic programs conducted entirely in English.  Participants will be expected to read and comprehend substantial written materials and assignments in English and to fully and actively participate in all seminar and panel discussions.  English fluency is vital to a successful experience in the Institute and fosters a cohesive and interactive group.

Candidates should be willing and able to fully take part in an intensive post-graduate level academic program.

U.S. citizens and permanent residents (green card holders) are not eligible for these programs.

Relatives of U.S. Embassy or Fulbright commission employees are not eligible for SUSIs.

Candidates must be willing to respectfully engage with fellow participants representing different backgrounds and different points of view.

Press Statement

Marco Rubio, Secretary of State

The United States is concerned by continued fighting and casualties in multiple locations along the Cambodia-Thailand border.

We strongly urge the immediate cessation of hostilities, the protection of civilians, and for both sides to return to the de-escalatory measures outlined in the October 26 Kuala Lumpur Peace Accords signed by the Prime Ministers of Cambodia and Thailand and witnessed by President Trump and Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.

On behalf of the United States of America and all Americans in Thailand, I offer heartfelt and deepest condolences on the passing of Her Majesty Queen Sirikit The Queen Mother to His Majesty The King, all members of the Royal Family, and the people of the Kingdom of Thailand.

Her Majesty Queen Sirikit The Queen Mother lived a long and remarkable life, with a profound appreciation for Thailand’s people, culture, and natural beauty. Under Her Majesty’s visionary leadership and royal projects, such as the SUPPORT Foundation, she improved the lives of Thai people throughout the Kingdom. Her Majesty’s recognition of Thailand’s unique natural beauty inspired action to protect the country’s rich biodiversity. Her Majesty’s efforts are not only recognized in Thailand, but also internationally, as she received over twenty honorific titles, including those from U.S. institutions: Honorary Degree of Doctor of Humane Letters (L.H.D.) from Johns Hopkins University (1995), Georgetown University (1993), Concord College (1987) and Tufts University (1981); 1991 International Humanitarian Award from the Friends of the Capital Children’s Museum of Washington, D.C.; and Woman of the Year Award 1993 from Stanford University.

Her Majesty was a compelling communicator of the uniqueness of Thai culture and travelled many times to the United States to champion Thai industries and culture. I remember Her Majesty as a true companion, walking tirelessly alongside His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej The Great on Their Majesties’ state visits to the United States. Her Majesty travelled outside of Washington, D.C. as well to represent Thailand across the United States. I also remember her grace as she elevated and shared Thai silk with the world. Her Majesty was a true cultural bridge between our two great nations and peoples.

Her Majesty’s significance as The Queen Mother, and the establishment of Thai Mother’s Day on her birthday is representative of the joy and respect Her Majesty inspired in her family and her country. Her Majesty’s devotion to Thailand and legacy of compassion will be remembered forever. We are all touched today by a great and profound loss. I and my fellow citizens mourn with our friends, the people of the Kingdom of Thailand, at this somber time.

For Immediate Release

Office of Public Affairs

Tuesday, October 14, 2025

Department of Justice Files Largest Ever Forfeiture Action Against Approximately $15B in Bitcoin Currently in U.S. Custody

An indictment was unsealed today in federal court in Brooklyn, New York, charging UK and Cambodian national Chen Zhi, also known as Vincent, 37, the founder and chairman of Prince Holding Group (Prince Group), a multinational business conglomerate based in Cambodia, with wire fraud conspiracy and money laundering conspiracy for directing Prince Group’s operation of forced-labor scam compounds across Cambodia. Individuals held against their will in the compounds engaged in cryptocurrency investment fraud schemes, known as “pig butchering” scams, that stole billions of dollars from victims in the United States and around the world. The defendant is at large.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York and the Justice Department’s National Security Division also filed today a civil forfeiture complaint against approximately 127,271 Bitcoin, currently worth approximately $15 billion, that are proceeds and instrumentalities of the defendant’s fraud and money laundering schemes, and were previously stored in unhosted cryptocurrency wallets whose private keys the defendant had in his possession. Those funds (the Defendant Cryptocurrency) are presently in the custody of the U.S. government. The complaint is the largest forfeiture action in the history of the Department of Justice.

As alleged in the indictment and forfeiture complaint, since approximately 2015, the defendant has been the founder and chairman of Prince Group, a Cambodian corporate conglomerate that operates dozens of business entities in more than 30 countries. Prince Group is ostensibly focused on real estate development, financial services, and consumer services. However, in secret, the defendant and his top executives grew Prince Group into one of Asia’s largest transnational criminal organizations. Under the defendant’s direction, Prince Group made enormous profits operating scam compounds across Cambodia that perpetrated fraudulent cryptocurrency investment schemes.

Please see the full release on the Department of Justice’s website.