PM under pressure in Paris

By SUPALAK GANJANAKHUNDEE 
THE NATION

 

As Prayut pushes economic ties, dissidents tell macron ‘he is not legitimate leader’
 

IN A MEETING with French President Emmanuel Macron today, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha would highlight economic relations, offering opportunities for entrepreneurs from France to use Thailand as their regional hub for trade and investment, but the junta chief was also ready to discuss democratisation, diplomatic sources said.

 

President Macron was expected to raise the issue of democratisation and human rights but Prayut would reaffirm his stance on following the road map towards election early next year, said diplomats close to the preparations for the meeting.

 

A group of exiled dissidents in France, meanwhile, plan to gather and show their disapproval of Prayut’s visit while urging Macron to pressure the junta chief on suppression of democracy and human rights abuses. Prayut, however, might not be seeing the dissidents, as the French authorities are likely to keep them away from the meeting venue.

 

“The relations with France these days are driven by economic factors notably the role of the private sector in trade and investment in aviation and the high technology sector,” said a diplomat on condition of anonymity.

 

Prayut arrived in France from London on Friday and witnessed the signing of an agreement between Airbus Commercial Aircraft and Thai Airways International in Toulouse to set up a multi-billion-baht maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) project for jetliners at the U-tapao airport.The MRO would be a giant leap towards making Thailand a genuine aviation hub in the region, said the diplomat and added the country would be a major supply chain for the industry.

 

Dubbed as the largest MRO hub of its kind planned for Asia Pacific, the U-tapao facility will have an annual capacity to service up to 4,800 wide-bodied aircraft such as A350 and A380 over the next two decades.

 

Many leading French companies such as VINCI Construction have also expressed their interest in doing business in Thailand, notably in the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC). Their investments would support Thailand’s 4.0 vision and human resource development, he said. 

 

Prayut’s visit to Europe became possible only after the European Union softened its stance on resuming political engagement at all levels with the Thai military government late last year. 

 

Paris might have realised that enhancing economic ties had to go along with strong political relations with the Thai government, the diplomat said, adding, “engaging is better than no engagement”.

 

Macron, who champions the causes of reform, multilateralism and climate change, is expected to broach these subjects with Prayut, especially as Thailand would be taking the leadership reins of Asean next year. The EU is a dialogue partner of Asean and France also regards the regional grouping as the centre of security architecture in the Indo-Pacific, the diplomat said. In this context, regional issues such as the Rohingya crisis in Myanmar would be raised and Prayut was prepared to discuss Thailand’s role, he said. 

 

Saran Chuichai is fixing posters in protest of Prayut's visit to Paris--[pictured by Junya Yimprasert]

 

Meanwhile, activists Junya Yimprasert, Saran Chuichai – better known as Aum Neko – Jaran Ditapichai and other well-known dissidents said they had organised a series of protests since late last week when Prayut landed in France. The group has distributed hundreds of posters and stickers slamming Prayut as a dictator in Paris yesterday. Posters entitled “Dictateur de Thailande” were seen in public in Paris, according to Junya’s Facebook.

 

Jaran Ditapichai, left, is in protest on business deal between Airbus and Thai Airways sealed when Prayut arrived in France on Friday [pictured by Junya Yimprasert]

 

The demonstrations would reach a climax today when the group takes its protests to the French Presidential Palace, although local police would keep the group 150 metres away from the palace. 

 

“There would be a surprise for the Thai dictator,” Junya told The Nation, “we have a clear message for the French leader – not to have any agreement with Prayut since he is not the legitimate leader of Thailand.”

 

Prayut staged a military coup in 2014 to topple the elected civilian government led by Yingluck Shinawatra, who is now in self-exile abroad and showed up in London when Prayut was there last week.

 

“We want President Macron to press him to return democracy to the Thai people soon,” Junya said. 

 

The group also submitted a protest letter to Airbus when the giant aircraft manufacturer signed a pact with Thai Airways last week. 

 

Yesterday, the group gathered at a park, distributed posters and leaflets as well as discussed the future of Thai democracy on the occasion of 86th anniversary of the 1932 Revolution that turned Thailand from an absolute monarchy to a constitutional monarchy. 

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/politics/30348516

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-06-25

Britain and now France kow towing in the name of profit.

 

Off with their heads!

1 hour ago, webfact said:

Prayut’s visit to Europe became possible only after the European Union softened its stance on resuming political engagement at all levels with the Thai military government late last year.

that means they gave up on hopes that thailand would ever be anything more than a military government

It does seem that every overseas trip brings a bilion baht  bag of goodies to sweeten the trip. 

It does my heart good to see those signs in French, saying: 'DICTATOR OF THAILAND'.

 

Bring it on!

Couldn't find anything in the French media. But why is Macron wasting his time? He's got so much on his plate otherwise.

2 hours ago, YetAnother said:

that means they gave up on hopes that thailand would ever be anything more than a military government

 

it also means they realize that pushing Thailand's military government simply drives them into the willing arms of China. Just like Cambodia are doing. And China doesn't give two hoots about democracy, human rights or anyone else's opinion so doesn't pretend to like some Western countries.

 

EU, soon to be less the UK, and possibly with other big splits looming, needs to increase it's influence.

1 hour ago, KiChakayan said:

Couldn't find anything in the French media. But why is Macron wasting his time? He's got so much on his plate otherwise.

 

Perhaps because his actual priorities are different to what you think they might be.

2 hours ago, KiChakayan said:

Couldn't find anything in the French media. But why is Macron wasting his time? He's got so much on his plate otherwise.

Couldn't find anything in the British media about his London trip either. No photo op pics outside no 10. Nada.

Nobody is interested.

3 hours ago, Thailand said:

Britain and now France kow towing in the name of profit.

 

Off with their heads!

Trade=money=jobs=votes. Government leaders are as interested in human rights as they are in a rusty bicycle falling over in China, what does an unemployed man in Liverpool or Paris care about Prayut, of whom they've never heard of, or Thai people wanting an election, government leaders have to be pragmatic.

3 hours ago, Thailand said:

Britain and now France kow towing in the name of profit.

 

Off with their heads!

 

 

Very true, and very disappointing. When money is more important than standing by your principles, humanity loses something important.

Why are the UK and France tolerating this upstart?

Answer is easy both countries are big arms exporters, and are only interested because they think that by kao towing to little p there could be future arms sales.

5 hours ago, webfact said:

Prayut . . . is not the legitimate leader of Thailand

And Trump is not the legitimate leader of the U.S.  Tough.  We are stuck with them.

Edited June 25, 20188 yr by zaphod reborn

5 hours ago, webfact said:

As Prayut pushes economic ties, dissidents tell macron ‘he is not legitimate leader’

And THERE it is - "The emperor has no clothes!"

11 minutes ago, zaphod reborn said:

And Trump is not the legitimate leader of the U.S.  Tough.  We are stuck with them.

What?  Trump was elected or had you not noticed?  stop deflecting this is not about TRUMP it is about the UNELECTED leader of a Military Junta.

50 minutes ago, colinneil said:

Why are the UK and France tolerating this upstart?

Answer is easy both countries are big arms exporters, and are only interested because they think that by kao towing to little p there could be future arms sales.

I think that's exactly what he's there for.....promising buying arms and munitions.

Dealers in weapons have no ethics!

7 minutes ago, ChrisY1 said:

I think that's exactly what he's there for.....promising buying arms and munitions.

Dealers in weapons have no ethics!

spot on .

5 hours ago, Thailand said:

Britain and now France kow towing in the name of profit.

 

Off with their heads!

Isn't anyone seeing that good connections with other countries are beneficial for Thailand and the Thai people?

Isn't it rather stupid to kill off connections with Thailand because that will NOT result in more democracy, but the downgrading of democracy?

Those silly protests are meaningless, don't help democracy at all.

Yes, the military took over, and that is wrong, very wrong.

But was there a real alternative to stop the slow slide to civil war?

And there are "junta's" and there are JUNTAS, South America style.

Yes, definitely, democracy, for what it is worth, must return to Thailand.

But one can only hope the military will not be exchanged for usurpers that can only get and stay in power by rewarding followers, voters and intimidation of others.

 

No extravagant wrist or neck shots in focus and please keep your hands under the table nice clock. 

6 hours ago, Thailand said:

Britain and now France kow towing in the name of profit.

 

Off with their heads!

Not really.  The City of London and the Atlanticists ala Macron are simply giving the junta it's economic marching orders.  They of course will pay lip service to democracy, as they must, but at the end of the day if there is profit to be made then the UK and France will support any form of government as long as there are promises of democratic change sometime in the future.  Whether it happens or not is irrelevant if the economic hooks have been set and wealth and resources are siphoned off out of the country.

2 hours ago, colinneil said:

Why are the UK and France tolerating this upstart?

Answer is easy both countries are big arms exporters, and are only interested because they think that by kao towing to little p there could be future arms sales.

Love hearing an objective well informed view on how international diplomacy and policy is expedited .

Thanks

2 hours ago, BobBKK said:

What?  Trump was elected or had you not noticed?  stop deflecting this is not about TRUMP it is about the UNELECTED leader of a Military Junta.

Exactly. I can't stand The Great Cheeto, but he was elected. It's like science - you don't have to believe it, but it's still true.

2 hours ago, BobBKK said:

What?  Trump was elected or had you not noticed?  stop deflecting this is not about TRUMP it is about the UNELECTED leader of a Military Junta.

James Clapper, former CIA director:  “To me, it just exceeds logic and credulity that they didn’t affect the election, and it’s my belief they actually turned it.”

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/russia-turned-election-for-trump-clapper-believes 

Edited June 25, 20188 yr by zaphod reborn

I shudder to think that Thailand wants to become 'a genuine aviation hub'.

 

Scary thought ?

As Prayut pushes economic ties, dissidents tell macron ‘he is not legitimate leader’

and his family involved in huge corruption. Number two spent millions for watches from tax payer's money and nobody says something?  

Here's what was really being said......

2 hours ago, hansnl said:

Isn't it rather stupid to kill off connections with Thailand because that will NOT result in more democracy, but the downgrading of democracy?

When democracy in Thailand can't be downgraded any further than it is (Democracy Index shows Thailand is not even a flawed democracy), maybe the UK and EU reason that with trade there is hopefully some influence for an upside?

Why an elected president would talk with a corrupt idiot who stole the power ?

 

 

'... the diplomat said ... “engaging is better than no engagement ...'

 

For Thailand, undoubtedly. For France, neither here nor there. 

Surely he is accustom to the rest of the world looking down on him for the way he has handled the non-election? 

A bit like that movie 'Field of Dreams', how much do we pay for us to come.

 

The smoke screen is human rights. Imagine the French lecturing another country on human rights. Ask New Zealand. What happen to Gadhafi when he wanted to change the frank currency in Africa.