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Posted: Monday, June 14th, 2010 11:53 PM HST

Djou is first Thai-American in Congress

By Associated Press

HONOLULU (AP) — U.S. Rep. Charles Djou is the first Thai-American to serve in Congress. Djou's spokesman, Daniel Son, says the White House historian's office confirmed that the Hawaii Republican is the first person of Thai ancestry to become a U.S. congressman. Djou won a special election last month to become the first Republican from Hawaii elected to Congress in 20 years. Djou's mother is from Bangkok, and his father is a Chinese immigrant from Hong Kong. Djou's mother, Suchitra "Sue" Djou, is a naturalized U.S. citizen who was born and raised in Bangkok. Djou says she stood tearfully next to him as he took his oath of office. In the last census, there were 1,259 people of Thai ancestry and 2,284 of part-Thai ancestry in Hawaii. (Copyright 2010 Associated Press. All rights reserved)