Thai ambassador to US Virachai dies at 58

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Thai ambassador to US Virachai dies at 58

By The Nation

 

Virachai Plasai

 

Thailand's ambassador to Washington, Virachai Plasai, passed away in the United States at the age of 58, according to the Foreign Ministry on Saturday.

 

The career diplomat and legal expert had been suffering from Myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) and had been admitted to the Johns Hopkins Hospital in Maryland early this month.

 

He passed away at the hospital on Saturday at 0.43am local time in the US.

 

Prior to his current appointment, Virachai was the permanent representative to the United Nations since March 2015.

Among his achievements while serving at the United Nations was his successful leadership of the Group of 77, the largest grouping of countries at the UN, as chairperson of the G-77 in 2016.

 

Virachai was the key official in the International Court of Justice (ICJ) for the contentious case on the Preah Vihear temple between Thailand and Cambodia in 2011-13 when he was the Ambassador of Thailand to the Netherlands, after serving his country in a variety of international economic, legal and diplomatic capacities.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30365932

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2019-03-17

[toenail]

Sounds like a great lost to Thailand and to the diplomatic world. Virachai certainly had the best for his healthcare at John Hopkins Hospital. RIP

[AlexRich]

Poor man, far too young at 58. RIP.

[MisterPenguin]

40 minutes ago, Father Fintan Stack said:

I believe Thailand lost that case.

 

In what way was it contentious?

 

Seemed pretty clear cut to me that the temple has always belonged to Cambodia.

 

Seems that way to most folk, except a handful of Thais, and they only got support because it was politically expedient - a chance for Thais to do what Thais do best...