"Ladda Tammy Duckworth" meets Thai lawmakers

BANGKOK, August 30 (TNA) - Ladda Tammy Duckworth, the first disabled woman elected to the US House of Representatives and the first US Congress member born in Thailand, visited the Thai Parliament in Bangkok on Friday morning, during which she received a warm welcome from Thai MPs, including 46 female MPs of the ruling Pheu Thai Party. The visiting Democrat Thai-American Congresswoman expressed her gratitude, after being congratulated on her election as the US Congresswoman for Illinois, and acknowledged that her success started from Thailand and she is, thus, ready to support both countries. Lieutenant Colonel Duckworth then met the Thai House committee on foreign affairs, during which its chair, Sunai Julapongsathorn, told her that authorities are trying to work out national reconciliation, after past coups obstructed the country's democratization process. Duckworth suggested while Thai people have different opinions, they should realize that they are compatriots and disputes among Thai MPs in the Parliament reflect their freedom of opinions. The first Asian-American Congresswoman pointed out that in a democratic country, people listen to different opinions. The disabled US lawmaker acknowledged that democracy in the United States has continued for over 100 years but democracy in Thailand has not reached its centennial, calling on Thai people to be calm, as well as listen and cooperate with each other. According to the visiting Thai-American Congresswoman, who lost her both legs during previous US military actions in Iraq, each country's parliament is different and should not be compared, and that Thailand's Parliament has made progress and has chances to step forward. (TNA)