On July 25, 2017, Ambassador Pisan Manawapat hosted a reception to congratulate six Thai-American youths on their completion of the Thai-American National Internship Program (TANIP) 2017, and to give special thanks to the organizations who generously support this year’s program.

The Royal Thai Embassy in partnership with US-Asia Institute initiated TANIP program in 2015 to give Thai-American students and young graduates, aged between 18-25 years old, a firsthand look at the US government and political system in Washington. The program seeks to inspire new generations of Thai-American youths to participate in civic engagements and become future leaders of their communities, and strengthen the voice of the Thai community in the U.S.   

Joining this year’s program were Balin Kird-in and Thawanrat Namchaithotsaphon from Florida, Mancharie La Mere from Colorado, Nattacha Munakata from Virginia, Peter Wongkrivet and Ada Yarungsee from New York. During the first week orientation, the interns had an opportunity to get an inside look at how government works and hear from policymakers and influencers in Washington. The interns were later paired up with congressional offices for four weeks and spent their final week at the Consular section, Royal Thai Embassy to gain a hands-on experience in serving Thai community abroad.

Held at the Royal Thai Embassy, the reception was joined by over 50 attendees including Mr. Glen Lau-Kee, the President of US-Asia Institute, Mr. Floyd Mori, the President and CEO of the Asian Pacific American Institute for Congressional Studies (APAICS), Team Thailand officers, and representatives from congressional offices and organizations who supported TANIP program. The highlight of the evening was the six Thai-American interns sharing their memorable experiences throughout the 8-week program with the guests.