On behalf of President Obama and the American people, it is my sincere pleasure to send our warmest wishes to His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej on his 86th birthday, and to congratulate the people of Thailand on your National Day on December 5.

This is a special year for the relationship between the United States and Thailand, as we celebrate our 180th anniversary of treaty relations.

The Treaty of Amity and Commerce, signed in 1833, states that our “sincere friendship” will govern our relations “so long as heaven and earth shall endure.” This spirit of lasting friendship continues to this day to guide U.S.-Thai cooperation, which is broad, deep, and unshakable. As longstanding friends, we also strongly support the Thai nation and its people as they work through their current challenges.

We look forward to strengthening our partnership even further in the years and decades to come, on matters of trade and investment, human development, and security. The future of our relationship is as promising as our history is remarkable.

In this special year, and on this special day, I wish King Bhumibol and the people of Thailand a peaceful and prosperous year to come.