President Obama's Asia tour

U.S. President Barack Obama and Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra attend a joint press conference in Government House on Nov. 18, 2012 in Bangkok, Thailand. President Obama spoke of Thailand's support of democracy in Burma, and defended his decision to go to the once-isolated country also known as Myanmar.

"This is not an endorsement of the Burmese government," Mr. Obama said. "This is an acknowledgement that there is a process under way inside that country that even a year and a half, two years ago, nobody foresaw."

Credit: Jack Kurtz/Getty Images