President John F. Kennedy Meets with Thanat Khoman, Foreign Minister of Thailand

3 October 1961

 

 

The objectives of the Foundation are to

• perpetuate the memory of the late President John F. Kennedy;
• promote education and social development;
• promote Thai-American friendship; and
• promote the ideals of Dr. Thanat Khoman, the founder. 

 

Beginning with only a modest operating fund, the Foundation has, over the years, received financial support through donations, bequests, endowments, dividends and interest, enabling it to support a broad base of activities in education, culture, and social development.

 

 

When news of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy on November 22, 1963 was announced, people throughout the world were shocked and saddened by the untimely and violent death of this U.S. President whose life had been dedicated to ideals of peace, justice and liberty. In Thailand, as in other places, people who shared the sense of personal loss experienced by grief-stricken Americans sought ways to make the ideals of Kennedy live on.

 

As a a memorial to the principles promoted by the slain President his lifetime His Excellency Dr.Thanat Khoman, then Thai during Minister of Foreign Affairs using his own private funds, established Thailand. Dr. Thanat's efforts later the John F. Kennedy Foundation of received support and encouragement from the Thai government and from the American government, represented by His Excellency Leonard Unger, then U.S Ambassador to Thailand. Officially founded on December 2, 1963, the organization's title was amended on August 30, 1984 to

"The John F. Kennedy Foundation of Thailand for Thai. American Friendship."

In addition to serving as a memorial to the late President, who had actively encouraged the educational and cultural development of youth worldwide, the Foundation's primary objective is the expression of friendship between Thailand and the United States, two countries which support similar ideals and principles and which have enjoyed a long history of close cooperation

 

The Foundation is approved by and its charter registered with the Ministry of Education. It is nonpolitical and has an all volunteer board. H.E. Dr. Thanat Khoman and H.E. Ambassador Leonard Unger were the first chairman and deputy chairman, respectively. The position of honorary secretary has been held by an official of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs since the Foundation's inception

 

Beginning with only a modest operating fund the organization- which receives financial support through donations, bequests, en- downments, and interest I has increased its principal to support an expanding base of activities and over the years has accomplished much within the educational and cultural fields.