Thailand under ‘no pressure from US on North Korean issue’

By The Nation

 

Deputy Foreign Minister Veerasak Futrakul

 

THE UNITED STATES special envoy for North Korea, Joseph Yun, will land in Thailand today to discuss with Thai officials the nuclear crisis in the Korean peninsula.

 

A diplomatic source said the envoy wanted to make a low-key visit to update Thailand as a treaty ally on the situation after the latest North Korean missile test and the US reaction without putting more pressure on Bangkok.

 

Yun will reportedly meet with Deputy Foreign Minister Veerasak Futrakul tomorrow but was unlikely to meet Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, according to the source.

 

However, there has been some confusion about his schedule after South Korea’s Yonhap news reported on Tuesday that he would be in Thailand today and tomorrow for a meeting of the Council for Security Cooperation in the Asia Pacific in Chiang Mai.

 

Four officials from North Korea were expected to attend the same conference in the Thai northern province, Yonhap said.

 

However, the US Embassy in Bangkok denied the report, saying Yun did not plan to attend the Chiang Mai meeting. 

 

“He will meet with a variety of Thai government stakeholders in Bangkok on December 14-15,” said US Embassy spokesperson Jillian Bonnardeaux.

 

The Thai Foreign Ministry has yet to clarify the agenda and has cancelled a weekly press briefing normally held every Thursday.

 

The US State Department said last week that Yun would visit Japan and Thailand this week to discuss the North Korea issue with officials in the two countries, but did not provide any details of his plans.

 

Thailand has stated clearly it will comply with United Nations resolutions on the issue, but take no further action. 

 

Bangkok so far has suspended permits for Air Koryo flights to Thailand, prohibited North Korean coal imports and inspected “suspicious” ships.

 

Trade between Thailand and North Korea has dropped substantially. During the first nine months of 2017, it amounted to US$1.61 million (Bt52 million), a 94-per-cent drop from the same period in 2016, and a tiny 0.0004 per cent of Thailand’s total trade. Thai companies no longer have investments in North Korea.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/asean-plus/30333883

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2017-12-14

5 hours ago, webfact said:

without putting more pressure on Bangkok.

Enough pressure already !

7 hours ago, webfact said:

Thailand under ‘no pressure from US on North Korean issue’

 

7 hours ago, webfact said:

a 94-per-cent drop from the same period in 2016, and a tiny 0.0004 per cent of Thailand’s total trade. Thai companies no longer have investments in North Korea.

Looks like the pressure was already applied.