US assistant secretary of state pleased with return to civilian rule

[snoop1130]

US assistant secretary of state pleased with return to civilian rule

By The Nation

 

 

Visiting US Assistant Secretary of State David Stilwell on Friday expressed happiness with Thailand’s return to civilian rule and said the United States is keen to work with the government and help promote the investment climate in Southeast Asia.

 

Stilwell was speaking to reporters after he held talks with the Prime Minister’s Secretary-General, Disthat Hotrakit, for half an hour.

 

Stilwell said he was glad to have a chance to return to Thailand after visiting the Kingdom in 1973 when he was 11.

 

He said 2019 was an auspicious year for Thailand because the country became the chair of Asean and there was the coronation of His Majesty the King, so he would like to congratulate the Thai people for both events.

 

He said he believes Thailand would perform its duty as the chair of Asean with efficiency and he was happy to see that the Kingdom was now ruled by a civilian government again.

 

Stilwell said he discussed the issue of civilian government with Disthat and informed him that the US government looked forward to working with the new Thai administration.

 

He added that he is happy that Thailand has a chance to hold the Indo-Pacific Business Forum in November and the US would take the event as an opportunity to introduce American companies to potential Asean partners.

 

Stilwell said he was glad to see that US-Thai relations are moving in the same direction.

 

He said the US regards Thailand as a strategic partner and he expressed the belief that the bilateral ties of over 200 years – covering security and economic matters - would help the two countries prosper. This in turn would benefit the region.

 

Stilwell said that he sees the Asean region as a priority target for investment and the US has investments in Asean nations worth more than US$1 trillion.

 

Asked whether he expected to see any progress from a planned meeting between officials of the US Secretary of State and North Korea’s Foreign Ministry in Thailand later this month, Stilwell said he could not predict the meeting’s results.

 

Asked whether the US has any concerns regarding the March election in Thailand, Stilwell replied that Washington was happy to have seen the election proceed and that the US is waiting to see whether Thailand will transition to full democracy again.

 

Source: https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30373265

 

-- © Copyright The Nation Thailand  2019-07-19

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[billd766]

Did I miss something?

 

When did Thailand come under civilian rule.

 

The PM is the same, the "election" was rigged, small parties who couldn't even fill a telephone box with their supporters got a seat in Parliament (but only if they supported the PPRP and the PM, the senators were hand picked for their "loyalty" to the PM.

 

Did the US Assistant Secretary of State David Stilwell leave his guide dog back in the USA?

[sitanonchai]

He doesn't give a sh.t, just pleasing the Thai. Hypocrisy at its best.

[Emdog]

Who says diplomats don't have a sense of humor and/or use irony?

[yellowboat]

This guy knows nothing, or he is just trying to sell more US mined coal.

Edited July 20, 2019 by yellowboat

[Lungstib]

13 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

United States is keen to work with the government and help promote the investment climate in Southeast Asia.

Recent US policy is quite simple; you can kill a man in an embassy, have an outrageous human rights record and conduct public executions, but as long as you spend a small fortune on US goods you will not be criticised. Its only about business and money, your politics will affect the relationship.

[Eligius]

It is because of the existence, words and activities of creeps such as this that Thanathorn says the Thais cannot expect help from outside.

He is right.

It is very sad.

[AhFarangJa]

14 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

He said he believes Thailand would perform its duty as the chair of Asean with efficiency and he was happy to see that the Kingdom was now ruled by a civilian government again.

He must be on another planet surely. I guess these diplomats must have an honours degree in spouting horses*** to appease potential trade partners.

[dcnx]

Just swallow the junta load already and stop the groveling and nonsense. 

[Somtamnication]

Return to civilian what???

[thaiguzzi]

14 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

Visiting US Assistant Secretary of State David Stilwell

250 Bootlickers. +1.

Currently 251 and counting...

[mlmcleod]

Ah, yes!  Civilian rule with the entire senate dominated by the military!  I am sure that Trump would love this form of "civilian" rule.

 

[Chrisswe]

14 hours ago, sitanonchai said:

He doesn't give a sh.t, just pleasing the Thai. Hypocrisy at its best.

Only for military proposes !!!!

[Sonhia]

These people with our lives in their hands are obviously not intouch with reality or acting ignorant ?

 

An individual changes the consitution under thier dictatorship rule to personally benifit and is then elected priminister!

 

Come on!

[iamariva1957]

All a good laugh! What we here want to see as Americans is our State department do something about the rules regarding Visa and the financial requirements.. as if any AVERAGE individual has the ability to maintain $12k in a thai account... with zero interest... for a year. 

[Srikcir]

17 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

the US is waiting to see whether Thailand will transition to full democracy again.

Americans are also waiting for the U.S. to transition to full democracy.

According to the 2018 edition of The Economist Intelligence Unit's Democracy Index, the U.S. doesn't even make the list of top 20—its demonstrably "flawed democracy" notching it the 25th spot.

But far below the U.S. ranking, Thailand remains classified as a “hybrid regime,” a slim 0.63 points away from the dread “authoritarian” label. Not quite a full-fledged “authoritarian regime."

https://coconuts.co/bangkok/news/low-bar-thailand-stable-not-particularly-good-condition-latest-democracy-index-photos/

 

[oldrunner]

Schzaam...you are now a Diplomat and fully understand the crooked operations of Thailand. Same names, same rank, same money, same beautiful homes, same old bejeweled wives, same many jeweled mia nois....he knows all about Thailand.

Edited July 20, 2019 by oldrunner
misspelled word

[tore stenberg]

Bull shit

[OneMoreFarang]

That reminds me of Gandhi when he was asked: “What Do You Think of Western Civilization?”

His reply: “I Think It Would Be a Good Idea”

 

Wouldn't it be great if someone would explain the orange one how to behave like a civilized person?

[connda]

19 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

He added that he is happy that Thailand has a chance to hold the Indo-Pacific Business Forum in November and the US would take the event as an opportunity to introduce American companies to potential Asean partners.

Translated: Indo-Pacific is the new and improved Asian pivot and as such is the US's version of China's BRI implemented specifically to counter BRI (instead of joining BRI becoming a trading partner).
First: Get Thailand dependent on US business and monetary stimulus injections in the forms of easy loans and capital investments.  Up next: Threaten Thailand and any other Asian country doing business with China with sanctions in the name of Freedom of Commerce.  That's how it's done ppls!  

The next 10 to 20 years will be a very interesting time imho.  We'll eventually see who is playing the long-game and who is not. 

[connda]

6 hours ago, yellowboat said:

This guy knows nothing, or he is just trying to sell more US mined coal.

And LPG.

[BobBKK]

When I was a child I thought like a child and came to Thailand at 11. I came back again when a man and still thought like I was still 11.

[zydeco]

Stilwell is a retired general. Of course, he thinks it's normal for generals in other countries to have near absolute control. It's what he dreams of.  Utterly shameful.

[FarFlungFalang]

21 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

Asked whether the US has any concerns regarding the March election in Thailand, Stilwell replied that Washington was happy to have seen the election proceed and that the US is waiting to see whether Thailand will transition to full democracy again.

I think this is the key sentence and seems to suggest the US is not really taken in by the civilian rule crap.They are fully aware of what's taken place and are in wait and see mode and can use the promise of future investment as a bargaining chip if they are so inclined.