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US Secretary of State cancels visit to Thailand over COVID-19 concerns


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Posted
1 hour ago, webfact said:

US Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken has cut his Southeast Asian tour short and cancelled appointments in Thailand tomorrow (Thursday), over COVID-19 concerns

Sorry, but this really sends a bad message for American tourists if even the bosses are too scared. 

 

 

 

 

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Posted
5 hours ago, webfact said:

Thailand’s Prime Minister Office has also announced a cancellation of the meeting between Blinken and Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha at Government House tomorrow at 12.40 pm.

Nothing lost...

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Posted
2 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

Seems like more silly and inane over reaction to Covid. They would be all masked up anyway. What exactly was his issue, anyway? 

 

This coming from a representative of the nation with the highest number of cases per day. 

He has his Covid shots up to date, right?  So - what does he have to worry about?

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Posted
2 hours ago, khunjeff said:

The concern wasn't about Covid in Thailand, it was about a member of the traveling press testing positive - meaning many other people in the party, who generally all travel on the same plane, were also exposed. The report isn't clear, but it would seem that either the US side, the Thais, or both, didn't want to risk bringing potentially Covid-positive officials to high level meetings in Thailand.

Agreed ...

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Posted
4 hours ago, MasterBaker said:

this heading doesn't make any sense as US cases are 1000 times higher, unless they know something we don't

Having been invited at the lunch hour, maybe he's afraid of eating chili, and Covid is just an excuse.

Posted
2 hours ago, connda said:

He has his Covid shots up to date, right?  So - what does he have to worry about?

He should have canceled the whole trip and waited for a few weeks after the booster, or taken a Learjet with close staff only. Until we know more about Omicron, wouldn't it be better to avoid long flights?

Posted
7 hours ago, MasterBaker said:

this heading doesn't make any sense as US cases are 1000 times higher, unless they know something we don't

One of the team of US journalists that travel with these guys has COVID, isn't that clear?

 

What might not be clear is that when people like this guy travel - they bring the US press with them - sometimes on the same plane and other times (like when the President travels) they come on a separate plane if they need heavy media coverage.

 

Bringing COVID into Thailand from another country is what this is about, COVID rates in the US are not relevant to what's happening here.

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Posted
9 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

Seems like more silly and inane over reaction to Covid. They would be all masked up anyway. What exactly was his issue, anyway? 

 

This coming from a representative of the nation with the highest number of cases per day. 

Deeply twisted irony is lost on many, I'm sure....

Don't know which culture is more fanciful in scope than the other. 

'Tis all a bit charade, anyway.

Posted

(Twitter from) Secretary Antony Blinken:

 

I spoke today with Thai DPM Don Pramudwinai to express my regret at not being able to visit Bangkok this week. I invited DPM Don to Washington at the earliest opportunity and noted that I would re-schedule my visit to Thailand, as we continue to build the U.S.-Thai Alliance.

10:23 PM · Dec 15, 2021

https://www.voanews.com/a/blinken-postpones-thailand-trip-after-member-of-us-traveling-press-tests-positive-for-covid-19/6355892.html

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Posted

Even though this is not a good look for the U.S. (what else is new?) it was much better to cancel than risk being among the Patient Zeros for importing Omicron to Thailand. 

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