Meetings in Pattaya

On May 27th, 2012, almost a dozen Americans from the Eastern Seaboard business and retired community met at the Markland Hotel in Pattaya to discuss a new path forward for our country. Paul Salvette, Communications Director for RA Thailand had the pleasure of being invited to this event.

The group agreed to meet every other Sunday evening for a friendly discussion and outreach planning. Some suggestions for outreach included telephone calls and online activism. The next meeting will be Sunday, June 10, at 5:00 pm in the Blue Sky Restaurant on the 27th floor of the Markland Hotel.

Walter Lohman Speaks to Republicans Abroad - Thailand

It was a great honor for Republicans Abroad Thailand to host Walter Lohman of the The Heritage Foundation on March 21st at The Royal Bangkok Sports Club Polo Club. He gave an excellent and insightful presentation entitled "The Future of U.S. - Burma Relations." Mr. Lohman previously served as an Asia policy advisor to Senator Jesse Helms and Senator John McCain, and he also worked many years for the U.S. - ASEAN Business Council.

The rapid developments in Burma, and the competition among China, India and the United States to influence future events, will alter the balance of power in the region in a way we should all understand. Few have had the range of experience and insight as Mr. Lohman. Thank you, Mr. Lohman, for taking the time to meet our group.

RA Thailand Gathering - 26 May - Pattaya

UPDATE: Please note the date change to the 27th.

A group of Republicans in Pattaya have decided to get together for an informal no-host cocktail hour at 5 pm on Saturday, May 26 Sunday, May 27 in the restaurant on the 27th floor of the Markland Hotel. Please pass the word on to all your Republican friends. Also, please RSVP with Ms. Pat Koester (pxkoester@earthlink.net) by Tuesday, May 22.
The Markland is located at Pattaya Beach Road Soi 1. Parking is available for guests. We look forward to seeing everyone there.

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Persepectives from the Frontlines of Business and Government - 26April2012

PERSPECTIVES FROM THE FRONTLINES OF BUSINESS & GOVERNMENT

Please join Republicans Abroad Thailand for a reception with the following distinguished guest:

Ambassador Curtis S. Chin

U.S. Executive Director, Asian Development Bank, 2007 – 2010

Thursday, 26 April 2012, 6:30 p.m., St Regis Bangkok, St. Regis Bar, 12/F, 159 Rajadamri Road
By BTS: Ratchadamri Skytrain Station, Exit 4
Food and beverages at menu prices.
RSVP: Albert Valentine - aas.thailand@gmail.com
Please note that Ambassador Chin's comments are strictly off the record.

Biography of Curtis S. Chin

Curtis S. Chin was nominated by President George W. Bush in September 2006 to be United States Executive Director to the Asian Development Bank, with the rank of ambassador. Following U.S. Senate confirmation in April 2007, he served as the United States' representative on the ADB Board of Directors in Manila, until October 2010. Ambassador Chin was a member of the U.S. Treasury senior International Affairs team under Secretaries Hank Paulson and Tim Geithner. The ADB board supervises the ADB's financial statements, approves its administrative budget, policy documents and loan, equity, and technical assistance operations.

Ambassador Chin previously worked with the international public affairs firm Burson-Marsteller in Beijing, Hong Kong, Tokyo, Washington D.C. and New York, where he counseled multi-national businesses and institutions on areas including codes of conduct, compliance and integrity programs, corporate governance, responsibility and transparency, stakeholder engagement and outreach, and public-private sector partnerships. He is a graduate of the Yale School of Management, concentrating in finance, and of Northwestern University.

At present, Ambassador Chin is a member of the Board of CFSI Community & Family Services International, an Asia-based humanitarian organization, and also advises a range of non-profit and for-profit start-ups on Board and other matters. As of March 2012, Ambassador Chin relocated to Bangkok as a senior fellow and inaugural executive-in-residence at the Asian Institute of Technology. He is also a managing director with advisory firm RiverPeak Group, LLC.

Getting Your Absentee Ballots

Every state has its own requirements, but you shouldn't wait until the day before the election in November to register for an absentee ballot. You can visit Federal Voting Assistance Program online to learn about making sure your vote counts.

Hope is Not a Strategy

Recently, President Obama stopped in Toledo, Ohio to speak to a crowd of Chrysler autoworkers, stumping for how his economic program maintained jobs. He neglected to mention that unemployment remains disastrously high and that the government was selling off their Chrysler shares to a foreign company (Fiat). Like most times when the government picks winners and losers in the economy, the DC-led takeover of large parts of the auto industry have been a disaster. It also ended up costing the taxpayers a lot of money.

The Obama administration has presided over the largest debt to GDP ratio since World War II as government agencies have continued to attempt manipulation of the economy to ensure their political allies reap the
benefits.

As Republican expats in Asia, we have the opportunity to observe how Asian leaders and economists perceive this looming fiscal catastrophe. Former Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew has chastised the easy money policy of the Fed, and the Chinese are saying that the US is "already defaulting".

Urgent change is needed in Washington to hold politicians more responsible to how they use our tax dollars. Please visit a list of the 2012 GOP Candidates who are focusing on a return to fiscal responsibility and sanity.

Welcome / Sawatdee Khrap

Welcome to the Republicans Abroad in Thailand website. The 2012 American election will soon be upon us, and we aim to help Republicans get elected to change the way business is being done in America. Republicans Abroad is a global network of American expats who support the GOP agenda.

We aim to provide a platform for Republicans in Thailand to achieve victory in 2012, as well as provide a healthy forum for debate. To foster a culture of democracy, comments from all parts of the political spectrum are most welcome. However, we please ask that all sides conduct themselves in a civil manner.