US ambassador to Thailand resigns

[Ventenio]

wow, really big news.  this changes my life forever.  

 

of course i have no idea who this guy is....even as i type this

 

probably made the equivalent of 500,000 baht a month....  

 

so i won't worry anymore about this

 

 

[Walker88]

1 hour 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.

 

It's sometimes months before pictures are replaced. 45 didn't get his up in most embassies until summer of 2017....not that anyone was in a hurry.

 

Such things are sent via the diplomatic pouch, and that is on a fairly irregular schedule. It's not at all unusual for pictures to arrive well after Inauguration.

[new2here]

7 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.

i agree... and to a large degree, o think this is the right process... only because he is/was a *political* appointee abs not a career FSO. 

 

Career FSOs i would think are covered differently and i’d expect a slightly different process - but even with FSOs, they too largely serve in the role at the pleasure of the executive office holder... and as noted official photos don’t go up right away as the official photo must be taken and approved, then produced and distributed across all the various channels... it’s time consuming.

[Bangkok Basha]

4 hours ago, John Drake said:

 

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.

The Acting Chief of Mission is now the Charge d'Affaires, and resides in Bangkok. The Consul General in Chiang Mai reports to him. Both are career Foreign Service Officers. No U.S. embassy anywhere in the world can or will provide vaccinations for U.S. citizens, so spare your outrage over that. The legal liability issues alone would prevent it, and that's not the embassy's fault. As Americans we come from one of the most litigious societies in the world. We can and do file suit at the drop of a hat. Can you imagine if an AmCit developed a serious illness from a vaccination administered at an embassy? Or God forbid, dropped dead? We will have the option of going to a first-class Thai private hospital and paying for it, which I am happy to do.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

6 hours ago, webfact said:

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

 

I guess they share a common bond in attempted and realized coups....

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

7 hours ago, webfact said:

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

 

If memory serves, his main "qualifications" were being a Republican Party fundraiser and corporate/business deals attorney in the private sector.

 

Perhaps it would be good for Thailand to actually have a U.S. ambassador who has some knowledge of or experience in foreign service/diplomacy.

 

[Benmart]

7 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.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I base my impressions of people when I meet, hear or speak to them. I've learned that second hand reports are sometimes...

[Ireland32]

8 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.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Just like his Cult Leader 

[Ireland32]

1 hour ago, Ventenio said:

wow, really big news.  this changes my life forever.  

 

of course i have no idea who this guy is....even as i type this

 

probably made the equivalent of 500,000 baht a month....  

 

so i won't worry anymore about this

 

 

Go back to sleep so we can progress

[apetryxx]

8 hours ago, ezzra said:

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...

Not true. It’s one of the largest and most important embassies in the region.

[hotchilli]

7 hours ago, bkk6060 said:

Hillary Clinton would be a good choice.

Bill would also love it here.  ????

If they move in I'll be on the first available flight out.

[RJRS1301]

10 minutes ago, hotchilli said:

If they move in I'll be on the first available flight out.

They said we will not accept until hotchili leaves

 

[hotchilli]

13 minutes ago, RJRS1301 said:

They said we will not accept until hotchili leaves

 

Fine, I'll unpack....

[Caldera]

Another useless Trump appointee gone. Good riddance.

 

[vandeventer]

President Trump will remember your kindness and when he returns in 4 years I am sure your kindness  will be rewarded.

[CraigInBangkok]

9 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.

 

 

 

 

 

 

He looks like he has little man syndrome ... puffing his chest out in all the photos i've seen

[Redline]

9 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.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Apparently that was a criteria of the last administration~America alone~you can kiss our ***

[Rhys]

.. I suppose the ladies on the sois will miss his late night appointments....

[lopburi3]

1 hour ago, apetryxx said:

Not true. It’s one of the largest and most important embassies in the region.

In the late 70's it was the largest US Embassy for staff in the world with about 600 working there.  Today they officially say:

Quote

The U.S. Embassy in Bangkok is one of the largest in the world and is comprised of several dozen sections and agencies.

 

[wwest5829]

Usual practice for all political appointees to resign when an incoming administration of the other political party comes into office. Something to consider is that the bureaucracy of career diplomats continues with the career diplomats and others continuing to serve the USA.

[John Drake]

2 hours ago, Bangkok Basha said:

The Acting Chief of Mission is now the Charge d'Affaires, and resides in Bangkok. The Consul General in Chiang Mai reports to him. Both are career Foreign Service Officers. No U.S. embassy anywhere in the world can or will provide vaccinations for U.S. citizens, so spare your outrage over that. The legal liability issues alone would prevent it, and that's not the embassy's fault. As Americans we come from one of the most litigious societies in the world. We can and do file suit at the drop of a hat. Can you imagine if an AmCit developed a serious illness from a vaccination administered at an embassy? Or God forbid, dropped dead? We will have the option of going to a first-class Thai private hospital and paying for it, which I am happy to do.

 

As I mentioned, why not conduct the vaccination off the embassy grounds. The embassy holds meetings and consultations with expats at various locales away from the embassy. There are plenty of places that could be used as a vaccination center. As for that Thai hospital, again, when?  Two months from now, four months, five, six, a year? This is a worldwide medical emergency, and expats could waive their legal right to file suit. Or do you need NVA tanks threatening to crash through the embassy compound before the American government worries about the welfare of its citizens abroad?

[wwest5829]

7 hours ago, John Drake said:

 

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.

Hmmm, this American does not share your view ...

[wwest5829]

3 minutes ago, John Drake said:

 

As I mentioned, why not conduct the vaccination off the embassy grounds. The embassy holds meetings and consultations with expats at various locales away from the embassy. There are plenty of places that could be used as a vaccination center. As for that Thai hospital, again, when?  Two months from now, four months, five, six, a year? This is a worldwide medical emergency, and expats could waive their legal right to file suit. Or do you need NVA tanks threatening to crash through the embassy compound before the American government worries about the welfare of its citizens abroad?

I assume you voted for and will promote earned US Medicare coverage being extended globally on the same basis as the earned military retirement healthcare is extended for global coverage.

[wwest5829]

5 hours ago, gzu88bv said:

 

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

Pretty low priority when the transition was delayed ...

[John Drake]

1 minute ago, wwest5829 said:

I assume you voted for and will promote earned US Medicare coverage being extended globally on the same basis as the earned military retirement healthcare is extended for global coverage.

 

Of course, I support that idea. I've already indicated so in other topics. I don't know how long you've been in Thailand, but I don't think you see how things have changed with embassy support, here. When I first got here, there was none of this online appointment business with a fifteen minute window to get in to do your business. You could just drop in when the embassy was open. Forget something? You could easily go get what you needed and come back the same morning, afternoon, or day. The hostility that emanates from that place today is palpable. They limit days, hours, and times of service to a minimum. They managed to wiggle out of doing the income affadavits. The don't even like to answer the phone. Now, we have a medical emergency in a world where travel between countries is becoming even stricter than it was a few months ago. And the message from the embassy is: your problem, deal with it. Would I like Medicare coverage, here. You bet I would. 

[Burma Bill]

11 hours ago, webfact said:

United States' Ambassador to Thailand, has resigned from his post

 Well and truly "trumped" - good riddance!!

[tonray]

The real question is how long it will take to get Trump family portraits up in US Post Office 'Most Wanted ' displays. 

[Deli]

He is more than right. Working with Biden and his 2nd would make me leave as well.

[Jingthing]

3 hours ago, vandeventer said:

President Trump will remember your kindness and when he returns in 4 years I am sure your kindness  will be rewarded.

He will never return. He's totally disgraced. 

 

[Caldera]

4 hours ago, vandeventer said:

President Trump will remember your kindness and when he returns in 4 years I am sure your kindness  will be rewarded.

 

Keeping in mind that The Donald is a Big Mac munching 74 y.o. fatso, chances are that he will already be dead in 4 years. Otherwise still in prison, would be my guess.