On March 16, Ambassador and Mrs. Eric G. John hosted a reception at their residence in honor of the celebrated American artist, Harry Connick, Jr. The reception was attended by many distinguished guests and celebrities, including Ms. Mai Charoenpura, a popular singer and actress. Besides highlighting his accomplishments in music and film, Ambassador praised Harry Connick, Jr.'s humanitarian work, especially his activism in assisting the people of New Orleans who were displaced by the Hurricane Katrina tragedy in 2005. Harry Connick, Jr. comes from New Orleans and is in Bangkok for his first live performance in Thailand on March 17, 2008 at the new Bangkok Convention Center, as part of his My New Orleans Asia Tour 2008.