Your Excellency, Deputy Prime Minister Sunat Liptapanlop;
Your Excellency, Ambassador Asha Dvitiyananda;
Papal Nuncio Antonio Franco, Dean of the Diplomatic Corps;
Excellencies of the Diplomatic Corps;
Ladies and gentlemen:

On behalf of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and the Filipino people, I extend my warmest felicitations to the government and people of the Kingdom of Thailand on the occasion of the 78th birth anniversary of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej.

I am happy to join the Thai people in giving tribute to King Bhumibol, who has devoted his life for their benefit.  With His Majesty as a source of unity and strength, Thailand has shown steady and remarkable progress toward genuine development in global responsibility over the years.

Parallel to this, the empathy between our leaders and the fraternal ties between our peoples have resulted in growing friendship and cooperation between our two countries. Beyond our bilateral collaboration in such areas as trade and investment, defense and security, agriculture, tourism and culture, we have also firmed up our partnership in regional and international fora.

On this note, may I now invite your Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, to join me in a toast to the continuing good health and well-being of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej, to the lasting peace and prosperity of Thailand and its people, and to the enduring ties of friendship between the Philippines and Thailand.

Mabuhay!