US rejects ‘Secret Base’ claims over $273m Chiang Mai Consulate

2026-01-28 - 09:01

CHIANG MAI — The United States on 23 January officially dedicated its new U.S. Consulate General building in Chiang Mai, reaffirming its long-standing commitment to serving American citizens in northern Thailand and strengthening cooperation with Thailand. The dedication ceremony was attended by Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources Michael J. Rigas, U.S. Ambassador to Thailand Sean K. O’Neill, and Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs Vijavat Isarabhakdi, along with American and Thai dignitaries from across the North. The United States has maintained a consulate in Chiang Mai for more than 75 years. Officials said the new building stands as a visible and lasting symbol of the friendship between Thailand and the United States. (Photo: U.S. Consulate General Chiang Mai, Thailand) According to the U.S. Consulate General Chiang Mai, the new facility features state-of-the-art infrastructure and reflects both American innovation and Thai cultural elements. “We have a proud past and a bright future, and the best is yet to come,” the consulate wrote on its Facebook page. (Photo: U.S. Consulate General Chiang Mai, Thailand) During the opening, Consul General Kelia Cummins welcomed members of the media and provided details of the project. The new consulate, built at a cost of US$273 million, sits on 16.5 rai (26400 sq. m.) of land along the Chiang Mai–Lampang Super Highway in Nong Pa Khrang subdistrict, Mueang district, Chiang Mai. Cummins said the building is more than a physical structure, describing it as a symbol of close friendship and cooperation between Thailand and the United States. She said its core mission is to serve and protect more than 21,000 American citizens living in northern Thailand, while also providing services to Thai nationals and advancing cooperation between the United States and northern Thailand. (Photo: U.S. Consulate General Chiang Mai, Thailand) She added that the building was intentionally designed to blend American innovation with Lanna architectural elements, and was constructed by local experts, reflecting diplomacy rooted in the community and designed with a long-term future in mind. Addressing speculation circulating online, Cummins firmly denied claims that the new consulate would be used as a secret US military base. She said the United States has no military bases or secret operations in Thailand, and stressed that the Chiang Mai consulate, established in 1950, is the country’s only US consulate, operating in a similar manner to Thai consulates in the United States. “The goal of the U.S. Consulate General Chiang Mai is to serve American citizens and to promote cooperation and shared prosperity between Thailand and the United States in a sustainable way,” she said.