SPECIAL REPORT: Junta plays economic card in EU trip

By WASAMON AUDJARINT 
THE NATION

 

PRIME MINISTER Prayut Chan-o-cha

 

PM Prayut heads to Europe on highprofile trip with business deals high on agenda.
 

PRIME MINISTER Prayut Chan-o-cha wants to use his planned trip to Europe next month to raise his international profile as the junta inner circle has seen a softening in the stance of western countries on democratisation to enhance economic engagement with Thailand.

 

 

Prayut is planning a high-profile visit to France, Germany and the United Kingdom, diplomatic sources told The Nation. The mission has become possible since last December when the EU decided to resume political engagement with Thailand at all levels, after distancing itself from the junta government following the 2014 coup.

 

The EU is desperate to improve its relations with military-ruled Thailand, as it is losing economic opportunities to other competitors such as China, which never makes ideological choices, a senior diplomat said on condition of anonymity.

 

The EU trip, packed with business deals, would be a strong confidence boost for the PM amid the changing international political landscape.

 

Though it maintains its crucial role at the regional level, the Thai government is starting to have more visibility in the international arena through its commitment to modern values, security issues and economic partnerships.

 

The junta has maintained its out-reach programme, occasionally inviting ambassadors in Bangkok to witness key events of the national agenda – from human rights to the Thailand 4.0 initiative – mainly focusing on the role of modern technologies in driving the economy.

 

The ideas have also been sold during Prayut’s overseas trips since he took the premiership in 2014.

 

From 2015 to 2017, to soften his reputation for shackling democracy, Prayut made at least three promises to different international figures on the so-called road map to democracy.

 

 

The promise, each time, has been different. While the uncertainty over the return of democracy remains a concern for human rights organisations, the promises have helped buy time and legitimacy in the eyes of the international community.

 

The EU softened its stance when Prayut last year promised to hold elections by this November, a promise he has gone back on.

The ambassador of the European Union to Thailand, Pirkka Tapiola, said he would not speculate whether the election organised under the junta government would lead to a democratic outcome for Thailand.

 

“I will be sticking to [the road map] and would not predict too far,” Tapiola said in a recent group interview. “Pointing fingers [at other countries] would be just arrogant. Lecturing others is not EU style.”

 

With Thailand set to chair Asean next year, internal preparations have already started.

 

While Thailand is not a party to prominent regional security issues like the Korean Peninsula or the South China Sea, it has chosen to stay neutral and adhere to international consensus. Thailand has also been silent on the Rohingya issue in Myanmar, a country that has a long border with Thailand. Though Thailand has participated in humanitarian assistance to troubled areas in Myanmar, it has not directly attributed the root cause of the problem to Myanmar’s ruling authorities in its own interests.

 

The tough previous US stance against the Thai junta changed when billionaire businessman Donald Trump took office in 2017.

 

After a hundred days in the White House, Trump made direct phone calls to several leaders, including Prayut. With less focus on traditional Western-style values, Trump invited Prayut for bilateral talks, a rare chance for the Thai premier to enter the Oval Office.

 

The talks ended with initial trade agreements with the US, which had earlier singled out Thailand among others as countries with whom the US has a large trade deficit.

 

Security cooperation between Thailand and the US also seem to be going smoothly as far as military deals go. 

 

Deputy PM and Defence Minister General Prawit Wognsuwan recently visited the US Department of Defence. Democratisation was not on the agenda. Secretary James Mattis expressed confidence that the future for the Thai people would be positive as they regain their democratic footing.

 

The Brexit referendum that took place in 2016, reflecting a growing trend of protectionism, was also viewed as a global phenomenon that could influence Thailand’s referendum on the junta-written charter draft. The charter secured majority support in a referendum held two months later.

 

Since the coup, Thailand has been seen as tilting towards China – from making controversial submarine deals to economic reliance, notably for development of the Eastern Economic Corridor. China is among the few countries that have refrained from commenting on Thailand’s domestic political developments, joined in recent months by many other western countries.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/politics/30346388

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-05-28

29 minutes ago, webfact said:

The EU softened its stance when Prayut last year promised to hold elections by this November, a promise he has gone back on.

The ambassador of the European Union to Thailand, Pirkka Tapiola, said he would not speculate whether the election organised under the junta government would lead to a democratic outcome for Thailand.

 

“I will be sticking to [the road map] and would not predict too far,” Tapiola said in a recent group interview. “Pointing fingers [at other countries] would be just arrogant. Lecturing others is not EU style.”

"...Lecturing others is not the EU style..."

 

Er... Ahem.... Yes, it is.

 

And, it is not always a bad thing; in this age of Trump, I have no problem if then EU wants to lecture a bit on the concept of Human Rights. I would like some people to be doing that as some people need to hear it.

 

This article seems to be dictated by an official from the Junta;

"...Though it maintains its crucial role at the regional level, the Thai government is starting to have more visibility in the international arena through its commitment to modern values, security issues and economic partnerships..."

as even I do not believe an independent person would be gushing at such a level; the author sounds like a fourteen year old girl.

 

It will be interesting to see what kind of reaction is generated by his trip.

 

1 hour ago, webfact said:

PRIME MINISTER Prayut Chan-o-cha wants to use his planned trip to Europe next month to raise his international profile

to the big boys, thailand , especially headed by an arrogant military general, is a third world country that talks a lot

There´s only 52 cards in a deck. They used them all up, and just stand alone as jokers nobody need to have a good game going.

Edited May 27, 20188 yr by Get Real

Let him go! Change the locks while he's gone.

Bad things always happen when the leaders of countries are away.

Another expensive junket funded by the taxpayer with the sole intention of raising his own profile amongst possible voters. 

4 hours ago, webfact said:

PRIME MINISTER Prayut Chan-o-cha

Reminds me, I must take my toddler to the monkey sanctuary this coming weekend !

2 minutes ago, RichardColeman said:

4 hours ago, webfact said:

PRIME MINISTER Prayut Chan-o-cha

Reminds me, I must take my toddler to the monkey sanctuary this coming weekend !

I was think more of Max Bygraves: "I wanna tell you a story...."

 

5 hours ago, webfact said:

Prayut is planning a high-profile visit to France, Germany and the United Kingdom, diplomatic sources told The Nation

There's no mention of the persons he's going to meet during this brilliant trip. Macron? Merkel? May? ?

9 minutes ago, candide said:

There's no mention of the persons he's going to meet during this brilliant trip. Macron? Merkel? May? ?

The 'Scorpions'! Asking for consultation about song writing, and how to become popular in Thailand.

So we can be sure he will return with a fist full of MOU's on all sorts of pie in the sky deals that will likely never see the light of day. 

I bet many promise no signature.

Not good for Europe people

7 hours ago, webfact said:

The junta has maintained its out-reach programme, occasionally inviting ambassadors in Bangkok to witness key events of the national agenda – from human rights to the Thailand 4.0 initiative

8 hours ago, YetAnother said:

to the big boys, thailand , especially headed by an arrogant military general, is a third world country that talks a lot

Europe is the one that is shitting bricks. Macron, Merkel all running to Russia and China now. And yes they will be open to talks with Thailand.

Prayut is planning a high-profile visit to France, Germany and the United Kingdom. . .

 

After what the British INjustice system has just done to Tommy Robinson, the UK should feel just like home.