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US embassy releases viral Songkran celebration clip


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US embassy releases viral Songkran celebration clip

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BANGKOK, 11 April 2014 (NNT) – The US embassy in Bangkok has made a video clip to celebrate the Thai New Year, which is also known as the Songkran Festival.

Like the previous year, the US embassy in Bangkok released a 1:34 minute long video clip dedicated for the Songkran Festival. The clip started with US ambassador to Thailand Kristie Kenney greeting the viewers and starting to lip-sync a Thai song called “Suk Kan Thoe Rao”. The video also showed scenes of the embassy staff splashing water and dancing to the song.

The clip went viral on the internet, receiving over 30,000 hits on the video-sharing website Youtube in just a day.

The clip was also made to commemorate 180 years of diplomatic relations between Thailand and USA.

The video can be viewed on Youtube. Simply type in “Sook Sun Wan Songkran from U.S. Embassy Bangkok” and enjoy the clip.

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180 years relations between Thailand and the US??? Are they on drugs or am I missing something here?

Siam.

I also believe, that the US was just a few loosely knit states, back then not the singular version of it, it is today. Did they actually have diplomats in Siam/Thailand since then? That would really surprise me. (not saying they didn't.. Just asking ;-) )

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Perhaps the UK-embassy might record another version, with all the men wearing pinstripe-suits & bowler-hats, defending themselves from the water-throwers with their umbrellas ?

To the tune of 'Rule Britannia' ? laugh.png

Where's John Steed when you need him or would Archie Leach be better suited for the job?

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180 years relations between Thailand and the US??? Are they on drugs or am I missing something here?

Siam.

I also believe, that the US was just a few loosely knit states, back then not the singular version of it, it is today. Did they actually have diplomats in Siam/Thailand since then? That would really surprise me. (not saying they didn't.. Just asking ;-) )

Yes, surprisingly, 'relations' do go back that far.

Amusing also to compare the Siamese-American treaties of 1833 and 1856 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siamese%E2%80%93American_Treaty_of_Amity_and_Commerce) with the Siamese-British treaties of 1826 and 1855 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bowring_Treaty).

Note that the Americans demanded improved terms in 1856 after the British got carte blanche in 1855 to do essentially whatever they wanted within Siam under threat of Britain's 'gunboat diplomacy'.

Americans may be interested in the 1966 treaty (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Treaty_of_Amity_and_Economic_Relations_%28Thailand%E2%80%93United_States%29) - although not as one-sided as the 1856 agreement it is still better than what most other foreigners got in the Thai 1999 Foreign Business Act.

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Perhaps the UK-embassy might record another version, with all the men wearing pinstripe-suits & bowler-hats, defending themselves from the water-throwers with their umbrellas ?

To the tune of 'Rule Britannia' ? laugh.png

Where's John Steed when you need him or would Archie Leach be better suited for the job?

I suspect a UK version would be closer to the BBC Ambassadors series

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180 years relations between Thailand and the US??? Are they on drugs or am I missing something here?

Yes, you're missing a lot. It's only supposed to be some light hearted fun. Lighten up.

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180 years relations between Thailand and the US??? Are they on drugs or am I missing something here?

This will help you find some of what you are missing. You can share this at the next meeting of the Happy Hour History debate.

The start of official diplomacy between the United States of America and the Kingdom of Siam is marked by the signing of the Treaty of Amity and Commerce, which was finalized on Marcy 20, 1833 C.E. (2376 B.E.) between Siam’s Ministers of State, under his majesty Kim Rama III, Nangklao and American envoy, Edmund Roberts, whom was sent by President Andrew Jackson to negotiate the first treaty with an Asian nation.

Siam had previously established diplomatic and trade relations with several European nations–namely Portugal, France, and Great Britain, but Edmund Roberts negations marked the first time that Siam recognized USA as an equal trading partner with the ranks of its European counterparts. And so Thailand became the first Asian nation that USA entered into treaty relations with, even before Japan or China.

http://thailand-usa.com/history/history-diplomacy-relations-between-thailand-siam-united-states-of-america

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Edited by Suradit69
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I'm waiting for the Russian Songkran video to compare and contrast ...

The Russian Embassy just posted this playful pic:

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The Russians never quite get it do they! biggrin.png

I'll have the one on the far left tongue.png

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