Prayut can’t get us the deal we need from Trump

[webfact]

EDITORIAL

Prayut can’t get us the deal we need from Trump

By The Nation

 

What Thailand wants in exchange for accommodating US business interests – condemnation of military rule – is not on the table
 

It’s to be hoped that Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha goes to Washington next week for his chat with United States President Donald Trump keeping in mind that, while good international relations boil down to give and take, a sweet deal for Thailand could be the crown in his career. Surely that dawned on Prayut and his advisers during the lengthy delay between receiving the invitation and scheduling the trip.

 

Prayut will be the third Southeast Asian leader to pay an official visit to Washington since Trump took office in January. Prime ministers Nguyen Xuan Phuc of Vietnam and Najib Razak of Malaysia preceded him in May and mid-September, respectively. Trump is seeking to strengthen relations with America’s allies in this region to counter China’s rapid progress. The get-togethers come amid continuing territorial disputes in the South China Sea and the very real threat of a military confrontation with North Korea.

 

Unlike Barack Obama, his predecessor, Trump is prepared to set democratic values aside both in governance and foreign affairs. He is equally comfortable engaging with “friendly dictators” and dismissing fully democratic leaders. General Prayut would have been more than happy to accept the invitation to the White House, since it indicates acceptance of his 2014 coup by the West’s predominant power. Obama offered no such balm to Thailand’s military-run government.

 

Within his first 100 days in office, Trump also invited to Washington Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte and Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. Neither one was thrilled with the call. Neither one feels the need for Washington’s approval. But the Thai junta wants that “recognition”, seeing it as a nod to legitimacy in the absence of an electoral mandate. Obama’s open disdain for Prayut’s coup soured relations between our countries and forced the generals to lean heavily on China.

 

Now, with a president in the Oval Office who cares little about democracy and human rights, Thailand has much to gain beyond the illusion of legitimacy in the eyes of the world.

 

The chief concerns for the Trump administration in its dealings with Southeast Asia are countering the rise of China – politically, economically and militarily – and accruing benefit for American businesses. 

 

Vietnam’s Phuc came back from Washington having witnessed 13 transactions signed with the US Commerce Department worth a combined $8 billion (Bt266 billion). Vietnam agreed to import $3 billion worth of American goods, a deal that would support 23,000 American jobs. Malaysia’s Najib arrived at the White House facing a chancy re-election bid next year amid the 1MBD scandal, which the US Justice Department is looking into. He promised Trump that Malaysia Airlines would buy 25 Boeing 737 jets and eight 787 Dreamliners and probably would want another 25 737s in the near future. That high-flying swathe of pre-orders could be worth $10 billion within five years.

 

Prayut heads to “the Land of the Free” with no indication of what sort of business arrangements might be made. Washington has hinted that it wants to balance bilateral trade with Thailand by boosting exports. It wants Thailand to buy more US military hardware instead of always shopping in China. And of course Trump wants Prayut to shut down North Korean front companies in Thailand. 

 

In exchange, the president is willing to ignore the suppression of democratic rights here. It’s hardly a fair deal for the Thai people.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/opinion/30327872

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2017-09-28

[piersbeckett]

I have heard it said and personally agree, that you don't have to like someone to do business with them but you do have to like yourself to be happy.

[Samui Bodoh]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

It’s hardly a fair deal for the Thai people.

 

The opinion writer assumes that Prayut wants a deal that is fair to the Thai people.

 

I think Prayut simply wants a deal that is good for him personally.

 

VERY different things...

 

Edited September 27, 2017 by Samui Bodoh

[seminomadic]

38 minutes ago, Samui Bodoh said:

 

The opinion writer assumes that Prayut wants a deal that is fair to the Thai people.

 

I think Prayut simply wants a deal that is good for him personally.

 

VERY different things...

 

Agreed.

 

The writer takes a strongly self-righteous stance. Dollars to donuts the writer who complains of the current president "who cares little about democracy and human rights"  also got pissy about the previous one whose opposite stance about a military in junta being in power here with comments like "not my father" and "doesn't understand Thai political culture."

 

 

[tonray]

Just rename Siam Paragon to "Trump Paragon" and pay a few million a year in licensing fees and Donnie will give you what you want.

[halloween]

2 hours ago, Samui Bodoh said:

 

The opinion writer assumes that Prayut wants a deal that is fair to the Thai people.

 

I think Prayut simply wants a deal that is good for him personally.

 

VERY different things...

 

That would never happen with an elected PM whose family owns a multi-billion business empire.

[uffe123]

Dont understand how trump can invite Prayut and not the rocket man. 

[Eric Loh]

45 minutes ago, halloween said:

That would never happen with an elected PM whose family owns a multi-billion business empire.

Those were the days of opposition parties in Parliament, media and corruption agencies seizing on those personal deals. Those distance memory replaced by a rubber stamping NLA, intimidated media and crony corruption agencies. 

[Media1]

Who ever wrote this article is full of shit. Knows sweet FA about Trump and Prayut will get only the the basics..Trump.has no interest in coup leaders. This meeting is Nth Korea agenda.

Prayut and his PR team will soon learn who the bull is.

[halloween]

19 minutes ago, Eric Loh said:

Those were the days of opposition parties in Parliament, media and corruption agencies seizing on those personal deals. Those distance memory replaced by a rubber stamping NLA, intimidated media and crony corruption agencies. 

Yes Eric, I remember those days well. Up to the day the Myanmar telecommunication loan was announced, I was politically neutral. The moral outrage that such blatant corruption caused still runs hot, and the Yingluk era certainly did nothing to dampen it.

Those 'crony' corruption agencies are working well, I can only assume their funding was restored, and I can certainly see how a Shin supporter would see them as an enemy. Revealing Shin crimes surely arouses antagonism.

[Eric Loh]

21 minutes ago, halloween said:

Yes Eric, I remember those days well. Up to the day the Myanmar telecommunication loan was announced, I was politically neutral. The moral outrage that such blatant corruption caused still runs hot, and the Yingluk era certainly did nothing to dampen it.

Those 'crony' corruption agencies are working well, I can only assume their funding was restored, and I can certainly see how a Shin supporter would see them as an enemy. Revealing Shin crimes surely arouses antagonism.

You are such positive guy thinking that blatant corruption has stop running now and crony corruption agencies are working well with less than 1 out of 10 conviction and mostly against a selected political target. Keep it up old chap. 

[funandsuninbangkok]

Trump wants to end trade deficits. US has a huge one with Thailand. 

 

Meanwhile Thais can operate any type of business in US and buy land there. Not so for Americans in Thailand. Expect weapon sales and not much more. 

[NCC1701A]

" Now, with a president in the Oval Office who cares little about democracy and human rights, Thailand has much to gain beyond the illusion of legitimacy in the eyes of the world."

 

more incredibly insulting anti-American garbage from the Nation and Thai Visa.

 

 

[JGV]

The trip will suit both as they will be able to praise each other about how well liked they are and Prayut will buy some military hardware in exchange for favourable gifts

[halloween]

2 hours ago, Eric Loh said:

You are such positive guy thinking that blatant corruption has stop running now and crony corruption agencies are working well with less than 1 out of 10 conviction and mostly against a selected political target. Keep it up old chap. 

If it is so blatant, where are the examples? you do know the meaning of "blatant"?

[Ossy]

11 hours ago, webfact said:

 . . . . . . . .Malaysia’s Najib arrived at the White House facing a chancy re-election bid next year amid the 1MBD scandal, which the US Justice Department is looking into. He promised Trump that Malaysia Airlines would buy 25 Boeing 737 jets and eight 787 Dreamliners and probably would want another 25 737s in the near future. That high-flying swathe of pre-orders could be worth $10 billion within five years.

 

Prayut heads to “the Land of the Free” with no indication of what sort of business arrangements might be made.

'No indication' probably means no idea. . . an ideal precursor to trade talks . . . a PM with no idea about what would be of most value to Thailand. On the bright side, however, and with Tourism's cunning plan about to bring in more traffic, I reckon Prayuth will take a quick look at Najib's big jet purchases and tell Trump to order the same all round . . . plus 10%, just as a 'thank-you' for greasing his ego.

[Reigntax]

7 hours ago, uffe123 said:

Dont understand how trump can invite Prayut and not the rocket man. 

 

Arent they brothers?

[DrTuner]

I wonder if Trump even knows where Taiwan is.

[halloween]

3 hours ago, Ossy said:

'No indication' probably means no idea. . . an ideal precursor to trade talks . . . a PM with no idea about what would be of most value to Thailand. On the bright side, however, and with Tourism's cunning plan about to bring in more traffic, I reckon Prayuth will take a quick look at Najib's big jet purchases and tell Trump to order the same all round . . . plus 10%, just as a 'thank-you' for greasing his ego.

The 'no idea' belongs to the author, not the PM. There is no logical link between a journalist not knowing what the PM is seeking and the PM having the same lack of knowledge.

Edited September 28, 2017 by halloween