US ambassador to Thailand resigns

[webfact]

US ambassador to Thailand resigns

 

Picture: US Embassy

 

Michael George DeSombre, the United States' Ambassador to Thailand, has resigned from his post with immediate effect.

 

The resignation came following Joe Biden being sworn in as US president on Wednesday.

 

Mr DeSombre was appointed as ambassador by President Trump in 2019, the first political appointment of its kind in more than 40 years. 

 

Taking to the ambassador's Twitter account, Mr DeSombre said: "It has been a privilege serving as the United States Ambassador to the Kingdom of Thailand.

 

"I am exceedingly proud of all we have done to strengthen the US-Thai relationship.

 

"I am signing off now from this account and leaving it in the good hands of our Embassy staff. MGD".

 

Only on Tuesday, Mr DeSombre met with Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha to inform him of the US’ commitment to Thailand.

 

Charge d'Affaires Michael Heath, and Sean K O'Neill, Consul-General for Chiang Mai, will now be the United States representatives in Thailand until a permanent replacement is named. 

 

 

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[ThailandRyan]

It will only be a matter of time before all of the appointee's made by the prior Administration will be replaced, or as many have done already resigning with a new career diplomat being put in place to assist with Bidens Agendas and wishes.  I was at the US Embassy yesterday for a few notarizations on some documents.  Did not see a Photo of the President or of the Ambassador up in a location where most Government offices would place them, might have been a tell tell sign I guess of the changes occurring.

[tonray]

1 minute ago, ThailandRyan said:

It will only be a matter of time before all of the appointee's made by the prior Administration will be replaced, or as many have done already resigning with a new career diplomat being put in place to assist with Bidens Agendas and wishes.  I was at the US Embassy yesterday for a few notarizations on some documents.  Did not see a Photo of the President or of the Ambassador up in a location where most Government offices would place them, might have been a tell tell sign I guess of the changes occurring.

It's a ritual every 4 or 8 years...nothing different

[ezzra]

Changing of the guards, out with the old, in with the new, Thailand post is not as important as other hot spots counties where the change of administration means a lot...

[Silurian]

Thank God. I personally met the man and he's a little bit of a jerk. The Thai people that I talk to said that he's comes across as arrogant.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[mtls2005]

I would expect that the next Ambassador will come from the Foreign Service within the Department of State.

 

Ambassador DeSombre did a good job as far as I am aware. He is, as they say, an old Asian hand. I do not remember any incidents, minor or major.

 

I think that only the biggies: Court of St. James for example, get political appointments?

 

I suspect there will be ore 'friction' going foward, as it pertains to human rights, trafficking and politcal protests.

 

 

[bkk6060]

Hillary Clinton would be a good choice.

Bill would also love it here.  ????

[webfact]

Thai PM sends best wishes to departing Trump

 

Picture: The Bangkok Insight

 

Thai prime minister Prayuth Chan-ocha received a courtesy visit from departing US ambassador Michael DeSombre at Government House. 

 

Prayuth sent his best wishes to former president Donald Trump wishing the now departed leader's family his regards. 

 

The Thai PM and the ambassador exchange diplomatic pleasantries. 

 

Payuth thanked him for the spirit of cooperation between the nations and the improvement in trade and investment after several trade delegation visits to Thailand, said The Bangkok Insight..

 

The ambassador called Thailand an important partner and friend in the region. 

 

DeSombre took up the post in 2019 and leaves in accordance with usual protocol in the change of a US administration, reported TNN.

 

They also said that the outgoing ambassador bid farewell on Twitter, an account he was now leaving. 

 

Joe Biden was sworn in as the 46th President of the United States on Wednesday. 

 

Source: The Bangkok Insight | TNN

 

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2021-01-22

 

- Whatever you're going through, the Samaritans are here for you

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[Schlepenstein]

If he's a Trump guy, good riddance.

[Susco]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

Only on Tuesday, Mr DeSombre met with Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha to inform him of the US’ commitment to Thailand.

 

 

Looks as if he still had expectations that the inauguration the next day would not happen LOL

[gzu88bv]

 

1 hour ago, ThailandRyan said:

......  Did not see a Photo of the President or of the Ambassador up in a location where most Government offices would place them, might have been a tell tell sign I guess of the changes occurring.

 

Yes indeed big changes coming....

 

Good observation ThailandRyan and this confirmed by a Swiss who loves the US of America.

[JP canada]

2 hours ago, tonray said:

It's a ritual every 4 or 8 years...nothing different

Except maybe these posts will be filled more frequently with career diplomats instead of political appointees.

[John Drake]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

Charge d'Affaires Michael Heath, and Sean K O'Neill, Consul-General for Chiang Mai, will now be the United States representatives in Thailand until a permanent replacement is named. 

 

The ambassador wasn't even here long enough to buy a suit that fits. But this line above? Does this mean the head of the mission now resides in Chiang Mai? Might as well, for the all the good he does for American citizens. Especially loved that nasty little note the embassy sent out a few days telling us no Covid vaccine for you from us. You follow Thai rules, which apparently, at this stage, at least, excludes us from getting the vaccine. Embassy to American citizens: go to h*** and die.

[John Drake]

59 minutes ago, gzu88bv said:

Yes indeed big changes coming....

 

If the former Obama people are restaffing the State Department's political appointments, then that should mean a return to pre-2017 policies for Thailand and maybe some new twists due to the recent wave of arrests and convictions in Thailand. That probably isn't good for the current Thai government. 

[Walker88]

The article is deceptive.  ALL Ambassadors, even career FS officers in small countries, submit their resignations upon a change in government.

 

POTUS then either accepts or rejects their resignation. Some stay on, though generally all political appointees are gone.

 

It should also be noted why important allies or economies get political appointees as Ambassadors. It isn't just a reward for support, it's all about money and out of pocket expenses.

 

The US Ambassador to the Court of St James, otherwise known as the UK, is usually out of pocket $5-10 million per year hosting galas for which he or she is not reimbursed.  That's why Ambassadors to the UK are often billionaires. Similar numbers would also be absorbed by Ambassadors to France, Germany, Japan, China and a few others. Even junior officers at embassies are often out of pocket a lot of cash, as they are often expected to entertain folks from State, Commerce, CIA, etc. When I served at a certain embassy I was out about $20K per year in non-reimbursed costs.

 

Big name countries get lots of CODEL visitors (Congressional delegations), and those people demand parties held in their honor plus getting their spouses or paramours carted around to all the local shopping venues. Diplomats serving in embassies generally hate CODELs, because the congress people are arrogant, demanding and entitled.

[judokrab]

2 hours ago, Silurian said:

Thank God. I personally met the man and he's a little bit of a jerk. The Thai people that I talk to said that he's comes across as arrogant.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sean O'Neill (US Consul-General for Chiang Mai) is a really nice bloke. 
P.S. I'm an Aussie.

[Jingthing]

3 hours ago, ThailandRyan said:

It will only be a matter of time before all of the appointee's made by the prior Administration will be replaced, or as many have done already resigning with a new career diplomat being put in place to assist with Bidens Agendas and wishes.  I was at the US Embassy yesterday for a few notarizations on some documents.  Did not see a Photo of the President or of the Ambassador up in a location where most Government offices would place them, might have been a tell tell sign I guess of the changes occurring.

Too early for them to have the photos of President Biden and VP Harris. Good work there to remove the photos of the disgraced previous administration right away.

[Jingthing]

2 hours ago, Schlepenstein said:

If he's a Trump guy, good riddance.

He is 

In fact he's been the head of Republicans abroad internationally. 

A pure political appointee by disgraced ex President trump.

I certainly hope President Biden  accepts his resignation and replaces him with a career diplomat. Thailand is important enough to deserve that.

[gzu88bv]

1 hour ago, Jingthing said:

Too early for them to have the photos of President Biden and VP Harris. Good work there to remove the photos of the disgraced previous administration right away.

 

Don't be so harsh, better check into why photos of Biden and Harris are not yet up on the board.

[Salerno]

1 hour ago, Jingthing said:

Too early for them to have the photos of President Biden and VP Harris.

 

They weren't born yesterday nor elected yesterday. Pics should have been swapped out at the same time the oath was taken.

[RJRS1301]

1 hour ago, Jingthing said:

He is 

In fact he's been the head of Republicans abroad internationally. 

A pure political appointee by disgraced ex President trump.

I certainly hope President Biden  accepts his resignation and replaces him with a career diplomat. Thailand is important enough to deserve that.

The resignations are all completed and held on file, awaiting a date to be added.

I would have expected that framed photographs of Biden and Harris would have been sent out at least on 6th Jan ready to be displayed in all overseas posts.

 

[metisdead]

Off topic posts and the off topic replies have been removed. 

 

Some troll posts and the replies have been removed. 

[Jingthing]

37 minutes ago, gzu88bv said:

 

Don't be so harsh, better check into why photos of Biden and Harris are not yet up on the board.

Huh?!? What are you on about?

I never said the new portraits should be up already!

I assume they haven't even been taken yet!

[Jingthing]

28 minutes ago, RJRS1301 said:

The resignations are all completed and held on file, awaiting a date to be added.

I would have expected that framed photographs of Biden and Harris would have been sent out at least on 6th Jan ready to be displayed in all overseas posts.

 

 

37 minutes ago, Salerno said:

 

They weren't born yesterday nor elected yesterday. Pics should have been swapped out at the same time the oath was taken.

I don't think it's usually that quick.

In any case the more important thing is that the trump photo was immediately taken down.

Let the de-trumpification of America and the world begin!

[Susco]

5 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

 

I don't think it's usually that quick.

In any case the more important thing is that the trump photo was immediately taken down.

Let the de-trumpification of America and the world begin!

 

As a Trump appointee, he might have the same habits, and packed already everything that wasn't too hot or too heavy

[kingstonkid]

The thing to remember is all the issues that TRUMP has deserved or not wer with people left over from Obama  After working in government and in the military i can tellyou that not having the President and VP pics is a gaffe.  Those should have been sent out long ago by the state department.  It is the practice if possible to get the photos up the same day there is a change.  Obviously you can not do it the day after an election but they have had lots of time.

[onebir]

1 hour ago, Salerno said:

 

They weren't born yesterday nor elected yesterday. Pics should have been swapped out at the same time the oath was taken.

It's possible the incumbents weren't particularly cooperative...

[Salerno]

56 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

I don't think it's usually that quick.

 

It should be. There is no practical reason why not; especially in the case of the USA given the delay between voting and inauguration. Not doing so could be interpreted as a snub to the incoming incumbent (regardless of who that person may be, and the country in question).

[Poet]

14 minutes ago, kingstonkid said:

After working in government and in the military i can tellyou that not having the President and VP pics is a gaffe.  Those should have been sent out long ago by the state department. 

There might have been some confusion over whether the election was valid.

 

[Jingthing]

7 minutes ago, Salerno said:

 

It should be. There is no practical reason why not; especially in the case of the USA given the delay between voting and inauguration. Not doing so could be interpreted as a snub to the incoming incumbent (regardless of who that person may be, and the country in question).

I don’t think you're correct. I assume the portraits aren't even created before inauguration. Of course they could be but that doesn't mean that they are. I could be wrong. Let's not make a Federal case out of it.