Since Thailand and Australia began diplomatic relations 65 years ago, the composition of the Australian population has been transformed.
Each year nearly 200,000 people from all over the world move to Australia. There are around 65,000 Australians of Thai origin.
I am here as assistant minister for social services and multicultural affairs to, among other things, visit the Mae Sot Resettlement Processing Centre in Tak Province to learn about the programme that humanitarian entrants undertake before they leave for Australia.
Australia has welcomed more than 7.5 million people as migrants, including more than 840,000 under our humanitarian programme since 1945.
This has had a significant impact on our population, which has now grown to 24 million.
We have gone from a country with one of the oldest traditional cultures in the world, to one of the most socially diverse nations on earth.
Today, Australians identify with some 300 different ancestries, including indigenous ancestries, and 47% of us were either born overseas or have a parent who was.
Our prime minister likes to say we are as old as the oldest culture on earth and as young as the baby in the arms of her newly arrived mother who could have come from any nation, any faith, any race.
Last month, we affirmed our commitment to diversity and integration in a landmark public statement called "Multicultural Australia: united, strong, successful" which, for the first time, lists the freedoms fundamental to Australian values -- freedom of thought, speech, religion, enterprise and association.
Modern Australia will continue to be defined by a liberal, democratic and multicultural character.
We have been remarkably successful in maintaining harmony as we have grown a society accommodating nearly every culture on earth.
We do have a strong emphasis on learning the national language, English.
This is a critical tool for education and employment and to help newcomers participate socially and economically.
At the same time, having a multilingual workforce boosts our competitive edge in an increasingly globalised economy and we nurture that too.
Australians are proud of our strong and successful multicultural society, and this is no accident.
Successive governments have set out a vision for our society that embraces diversity while emphasising our unique national identity and the importance of being an integrated and united people.
The new statement highlights the central place of the rule of law and civic responsibility in Australian life and makes clear that building mutual obligations between government, the community and the individual is vital.
Recent terrorist attacks around the world have justifiably caused concern in the Australian community, as they have in many nations. The government continues to respond by investing in counter terrorism, strong borders and strong national security.
Thailand is one of several nations with whom we work closely on the international front.
Domestically, we believe that addressing our differences with mutual respect best reinforces community safety.
Surveys show that an overwhelming majority of Australians agree that the multicultural diversity has been good for our society, feel a great sense of belonging to Australia and express pride in the Australian way of life.
We will continue our long and proud tradition of resettling refugees and vulnerable people in humanitarian need.
We are consistently ranked as one of the top three countries for permanent resettlement of refugees referred by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
Australia has accepted refugees from the Thai-Myanmar border for over a decade.
This week I have experienced first hand our Australian Cultural Orientation sessions that help refugees to learn more about Australian culture, laws and way of life before they embark to settle in their new home.
Our cultural diversity is one of our greatest strengths, one that equips us to build a future where everyone belongs and has a chance to live a great life.
Newcomers from all over the world have brought new talents and perspectives, and expanded the way we in our island continent see and engage with the world.
Zed Seselja is Australia's Assistant Minister for Social Services and Multicultural Affairs.