Prayut finalising plans ahead of Trump meeting

By The Nation

 

Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha

 

BANGKOK: -- Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha on Wednesday held a meeting in preparation for his visit to the White House early next month at the invitation of United States President Donald Trump.

 

An informed source speaking on condition of anonymity said Prayut ordered the Foreign Ministry to finish assembling detailed information by next week ready for his discussion with the president.

 

He and Trump are expected to discuss security, trade, intellectual property rights, industrial investment in Thailand’s Eastern Economic Corridor and the issue of illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, the source said.

 

Wednesday’s meeting had in attendance Deputy Prime Minister Somkid Jatusripitak and the ministers overseeing the economy and foreign and security affairs.

 

Prayut will be accompanied to Washington by a large delegation.

 

His economy team alone will consist of Somkid, Industry Minister Uttama Savanayana, Commerce Minister Apiradi Tantraporn, Science and Technology Minister Atchaka Sibunruang, Digital Economy and Society Minister Pichet Durongkaveroj and Board of Investment secretary general Hirunya Suchinai.

 

Deputy Government Spokesperson Lt-General Werachon Sukondhapatipak said Prayut should be able to visit the United States by early next month.

 

Prayut was invited to make the visit during a phone call with Trump in April.

 

The riming of the visit would have to work around the royal ceremonies scheduled for late next month, Werachon said.

 

The Foreign Ministry was working to confirm a schedule for the visit, which Thailand expects to include discussions on the economy, security and natural disasters, the deputy spokesperson said.

 

While the US might take some to settle the arrangements, Werachon stressed that the visit “will surely take place”.

 

America’s call for Asean countries to press North Korea on its nuclear weapons tests may also be on the agenda for any talks.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/breakingnews/30327291

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2017-09-21

3 hours ago, webfact said:

Prayut finalising plans ahead of Trump meeting

Holiday shopping list I guess

How many days?

How many people ?

Chatered Plane ?

How many meetings arranged for all those people in a tight time-frame ?

Total cost to Thai tax payer ?

I hope Gen Prayut will remind trump how he became Prime Minister. I think refusing trump back into the USA would be the best option.

4 minutes ago, eliotness said:

How many days?

How many people ?

Chatered Plane ?

How many meetings arranged for all those people in a tight time-frame ?

Total cost to Thai tax payer ?

Only one plane?

4 hours ago, webfact said:

While the US might take some to settle the arrangements, Werachon stressed that the visit “will surely take place”.

Well, if it surely will happen, Forrest Trump will surely be waiting on the edge of his seat. 

The riming of the visit would have to work around the royal ceremonies scheduled for late next month, Werachon said.

 

Whose doing  the  riming?

Does his Frog know about this visit?

Christmas shopping on the agenda No wonder the country is broke Hangers on everywhere

 

 

6 minutes ago, maxcorrigan said:

Does his Frog know about this visit?

Well he is going to meet a big toad in Trump

Bad things always happen when PM is away.Better for him to pack extra just in case. 

Why is he not in New York right now like most of the other world leaders? Won't he be addressing the United Nations? Seems like a missed opportunity.

1 hour ago, eliotness said:

How many days?

How many people ?

Chatered Plane ?

How many meetings arranged for all those people in a tight time-frame ?

Total cost to Thai tax payer ?

Why such concern? 

Nothing unusual in these arrangements for any government.

Most governmental delegations have  a multitude of people involved and I can't see this being any different, particularly as it is a meeting between two heads of state.

There will be side meetings quite apart from the meeting between Trump and Prayut involving other ministers and their staff and Trumps sidekicks and their staff.

I doubt that they are going to give out the exact details of every minute of every day they are there to anyone - least of all a TVF poster.

15 minutes ago, DukSiam1 said:

Why is he not in New York right now like most of the other world leaders? Won't he be addressing the United Nations? Seems like a missed opportunity.

He is busy going over the many check lists

 

It seems to me that the Thai Government is placing much more importance on this (pending) visit than the USA is.  They are determined not to let Trump forget that, in a possibly unguarded moment back in April, on the telephone, he probably casually said that "we must get together sometime", as we all do to acquaintances at some time or other in our lives.

 

It is no doubt more to do with the assumed status arising from such a visit that is the most important element for the PM, than any expected positive outcome.  We look forward to all the pics and the PM's usual unbiased report on how it all  went, if in fact it ever takes place.

Taxpayers are forced to finance expensive foreign trips for the members of the government.
- If they hadn't kept coming back I wouldn't complain.

I bet the US tax payer is picking up the tab for this visit, not the Thai's.

This meeting should be interesting. Thailand has strayed from the US policy of its puppet regimes encircling China and in fact has been getting a little to friendly with them to boot. There are those US manufacturing plants here that could offer some leverage, as well of course as the tried and proven sudden unexpected incursion of ISIS mercenaries into the region to create havoc.

 

Expect Thailand will try to long proven balancing act between the major powers, would expect though the US wanting something tangible. Even Australia had to finally relent and allow marines stationed on its territory.

I think this visit will definitely happen. Trump needs to be seen meeting a leader where he can claim the moral high ground. 

19 hours ago, maxcorrigan said:

Does his Frog know about this visit?

Yes the Frog is in the loop and looking forward to Prayut's farewell kiss then it's back to the lilypad to wait for his master's triumphant return.

21 hours ago, RichardColeman said:

Holiday shopping list I guess

 

19 hours ago, DukSiam1 said:

Why is he not in New York right now like most of the other world leaders? Won't he be addressing the United Nations? Seems like a missed opportunity.

More like an avoidance of embarrassment addressing a near empty UN General Assembly. Who would bother turning up to listen to a military dictator?