US President Barack Obama on Monday began his trip to Myanmar after meeting with Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Sinawatra as part of his tour of Southeast Asia.

Obama’s visit to Myanmar is considered a historic journey aiming to boost bilateral ties as Obama said he made the first visit by a serving US president.

President Obama is expected to announce a 170 million USD aid in the next 2 years to encourage the Myanmar government to continue its democratic reform and defuse sectarian violence in western Rakhine state. Obama will meet with Myanmar president Thein Sein who has exerted great effort for economic and political reforms since he took office last March.