On November 5, 2025, Ms. Somjai Taphaopong, Consul General of Thailand in New York, welcomed a delegation of 16 faculty members and representatives from Chiang Rai Rajabhat University, Udon Thani Rajabhat University, the Udon Thani Chamber of Commerce, and the Rotary Club of Udon Thani at the Royal Thai Consulate-General in New York. The group had participated in the Educational Administration and Leadership Program at Southwest Minnesota State University (SMSU) in Minnesota from October 19 to November 1, 2025.
On this occasion, Consul General Somjai, together with Consulate officials, gave a briefing on the Consulate’s key missions — including consular affairs, protection and assistance for Thai nationals, economic and cultural promotion, and overseas administrative management. She also emphasized the Consulate’s commitment to strengthening people-to-people relations between Thailand and the United States through education, language, and cultural exchange, as well as promoting Thai soft power and empowering Thais in various fields to reach the international stage.
The Consul General further shared insights and recommendations on how to provide accurate information to Thai students interested in the Work and Travel Program, encouraged registration in the Thai Nationals Abroad Database, and highlighted the benefits of using the Thai Consular mobile application developed by the Department of Consular Affairs. She also encouraged the universities to showcase their academic strengths — particularly in fields such as culinary arts and science, fashion, and local culture — as part of efforts to strengthen educational cooperation between institutions in Thailand and the United States.
The visiting delegation discussed and exchanged views on enhancing academic collaboration between Thailand’s Rajabhat University Network, which currently comprises 38 universities, and educational institutions in the United States and other countries, with the aim of developing and expanding future inter-institutional partnerships.
The delegation also paid their respects and signed the book of condolence in honor of Her Majesty Queen Sirikit The Queen Mother, expressing their heartfelt reverence and remembrance of Her Majesty’s boundless grace and benevolence.