Premier’s US itinerary confirmed amid human-rights concerns affecting Thailand

[Ossy]

3 hours ago, yellowboat said:

They will pressure the good general to do more to stifle North Korean business in Thailand.  If he does not agree, the US will threaten trade sanctions.  The problem with being the all powerful leader is that Trump can ask him to do things knowing the Prayut needs not to worry about a parliament or the Thai opinion.  His desperation for recognition will be used against him.   He is going to get worked over. 

I'm rubbing my hands at the prospect!

[Ossy]

2 hours ago, Maggusoil said:

Sanctions are nearly as good as warfare. The only people who suffer are the poor. Who get less than the little they already have. These people, heads of state, that is, need to get together to discuss how they keep the status quo, even if the style of government is different. Take a look around South East Asia and their systems of government. They vary on the surface only. All regimes, supposedly democratic or not are backed by close ties to the military. If the shit hits the fan, out will come the big guns. 

Lets not kid ourselves, with raving lunatics like Kim Jong-il around, almost any reasonable relationship with anybody else is a good thing. 

So the diplomatic thing to do in interpersonal relationships, as well as politics, is to talk. I strongly disagree with the Human Rights Watch wishing that Trump would indignantly stamp his foot and say I'm not talking to you. Its ridiculous and immature. 

Whatever these so called leaders do has to become more transparent with time. As long as we keep up the pressure on them.

For my experience the Thai people have an above average understanding of politics. Far better for instance than my native Australians and British. 

This is profoundly frustrating because in my countries, we have laws enabling power to the people. Through Magna Carta we can even change laws. Do people know that? Bloody right they don't. 

 

Come Saturday, this'll get my vote for post of the week. Whilst not agreeing to the leaders meeting, under the present junta status quo, everything else gets my thumbs up.

[Krataiboy]

2 hours ago, ChrisY1 said:

I would doubt that human rights issues will be raised.....both Trump and Prayuth could care less about HR....it's a nonsense to them.

Agreed. There are two likely reasons why the on-off trip is suddenly on again: 1 - The threat of another Korean war. 2 -  The way Thailand, which in the Thaksin era was in danger of morphing into a US client state - has begun cuddling up to China with arms deals and investment projects.

 

Thai diplomats historically have a reputation for playing both ends against the middle - a highly-successful strategy which has helped the country avoid colonisation by successive waves of Western imperialists who left their dirty footprints all over South-east Asia.

 

The replacement of Wall Street proxy Thaksin Shinawatra - and subsequently, his puppet sibling Yingluck - with an military-dominated nationalistic government of the elite was a blow not only to the Shinawatras' buddies in Wall Street but also to US foreign policy strategists seeking to expand US influence in the region.

 

Trump is clearly hoping to ensure that if the balloon goes up in North Korea, anti-Communist Thailand - which helped the US lay waste to three of the Kingdom's nearest neighbours during the 12-year Vietnam war - can once more be relied upon to back the "right" side.

[Ossy]

2 hours ago, joebrown said:

"continuous diplomatic relations"... notwithstanding a declaration of war on 25th January 1942 and subsequent aerial bombing by USA up to 1945.

'Friendly Fire', they probably called it, at the time.

[Ossy]

2 hours ago, wvavin said:

Does this meeting make any difference? The expenses of such could have been used as a small donation to the locals and probably this is more meaningful.

Yes . . . provided they bought food with the cash, not whisky.

[Ossy]

1 hour ago, lvr181 said:

Ummm.............. two 'hot air' balloons meeting.

Let's hope they go BANG!

[Raymonddiaz]

1 hour ago, Ossy said:

Better if the 'work' was done behind closed doors, by the many ministers involved. Prayut could and should stay at home, during Thailand's month of mourning.

But he really wants to go to america.....He has waited for so long time....

[JimGant]

Quote

“Doubtless Trump fails to realise that this propaganda victory for Prayut and the junta will come at the expense of the people of Thailand, who will pay for it in the form of intensified repression and human rights abuses when the general gets home,” said HRW Asia director Brad Adams.

Oh, Brad, repression and human rights abuses are so horrible now in Thailand -- how could they possibly get worse?

[wayned]

Interesting schedule, next Monday - Wednesday.  Trump is supposed to be in Porto Rico and the US Virgin Islands on Tuesday to view the hurricane damage!  Wonder who he is going to talk to.

[Grumpy Duck]

3 hours ago, Knocker33 said:

These two will really hit it off.

Both like spoilt brats throwing their toys out of the pram if they don't get their own way.

One difference though the American brat was voted in 

Technically incorrect, he was appointed by a gerrymandered electoral college. Clinton actually had almost 3 million more popular votes. 

So perhaps they will be a lil more equal. 

[Grumpy Duck]

I am curious what this meeting will do for the weak dollar/baht exchange rate or how it may affect US duty rates. 

 

Isn't October supposed to be a month of mourning pending the final result of the late king? (Sorry, at this moment I cannot think of the proper term, funeral does not sound appropriate to me)

[maxcorrigan]

2 hours ago, Ossy said:

You're bang on the money, there. One news outlet reported

 

President Donald Trump says he'll visit hurricane-ravaged Puerto Rico next Tuesday.

 

But, as we now know, Trump, like Prayut, has the power to do pretty well anything he chooses.

Not sure about the power to do anything, I would like to see the reaction in the US if Trump gave himself a blanket amnesty past present and future making himself untouchable by anyone at any time!

[heybuz]

5 hours ago, Maggusoil said:

Through magna carta we can change laws.

sorry mate but you would be laughed out of court if you tried to use magna carta as a base for a court action or claim. my favourite clause in the magna carta is where your house or dwelling cant be conficated or sold for a debt.try using that in court against a bank. i do although patrtly agree with your sentiments.

[JRUSA]

7 hours ago, Thechook said:

I'm sure the Thai delegation will be enormous.  The deputy P.M took a delegation of 50 to Hawai 

Are the traveling in the submarine or the Hindenburgish balloon..???

[Maggusoil]

1 hour ago, heybuz said:

sorry mate but you would be laughed out of court if you tried to use magna carta as a base for a court action or claim. my favourite clause in the magna carta is where your house or dwelling cant be conficated or sold for a debt.try using that in court against a bank. i do although patrtly agree with your sentiments.

Try asking Dr. John Wilson.

http://rightsandwrong.com.au/

 

I have been in court with him. We have run a grand jury together and indicted the judge that sent John Bauskis (76) to jail for wearing a "Democracy is juries in court" tee shirt in a court room. I have challenged the jurisdiction of the court. In court. Believe me when you have the guts this man has and take a lend of them and use some and a bit of knowledge and you get in court and start saying the RIGHT things, they do not laugh. They mumble a lot amongst themselves and hand it up to a higher court.

 

For those with the strength of character and patience to get to the Supreme Court it normally gets thrown out. The State Debt Recovery Office is fairly easy meat. But you're right to an extent. A direct attack on the banks is very hard to pull off. Who owns our courts? Don't think about that too much or we'll have a revolution on our hands, let alone in Thailand. That's why they took our guns. So we can't. 

That's why the military in Thailand at least have a modicum of respect for the Thai people. Because they can and they will use their guns. Besides which they're family. Something we don't have in England and Australia. Family.

In Thailand. They're all Thais, pretty well. So you're really fighting family. Not so in the West.

 

However I assure you they, the court aristocracy in Australia are not laughing. At least not in court. 

 

John has been fighting the banks over this for 15 years. IN COURT. Using Magna Carta Law. He can be contacted in Sydney. 

 

Some of his escapades are nicely recorded at the following website.

 

http://loveforlife.com.au/content/09/08/04/dr-john-wilson-jail-under-new-law-mental-health-act-16th-july-2009-john-political-p

[Jingthing]

11 hours ago, JLCrab said:

The US and Thailand have held continuous diplomatic relations since 1818 (then Siam) and they should continue despite the two leaders currently in charge.

Yeah, and the U.S. "leader" at the current time is certainly no gift to humanity! 

[thailand49]

7 hours ago, uffe123 said:

Dont understand, they invited General PM Prayut only, why not the little rocket man?

Rocket man too short to get on a rocket?

[Muggi1968]

9 minutes ago, thailand49 said:

Rocket man too short to get on a rocket?

No No ... He want to find out why Thailand bought Chinese submarines and not Americans....

Edited September 27, 2017 by Muggi1968
Misspelling