Lloyd J. Austin III

Secretary of Defense

 

Transcript

 

SECRETARY OF DEFENSE LLOYD J. AUSTIN III:  Well, Mr. Prime Minister, thank you for taking the time to visit the Pentagon today. It is especially good to have you here because Thailand is our oldest friend and Ally in the Indo-Pacific. For decades, our Alliance has bolstered security in this critical region. So I am delighted to announce today that I'll be making my first visit to Thailand as Secretary of Defense next month. This will be my fourth trip as Secretary of Defense to the Indo-Pacific, and Mr. Prime Minister, I look forward to seeing you again in just a few weeks.

 

Now the close cooperation between our countries reflects a friendship that stretches back more than 200 years. We faced challenges together as Allies, including the pandemic, where we've cooperated on response efforts and medical research. We also deeply appreciate your continued support for our military operations and exercises. We're grateful for the access that Thailand has provided to Utapao Naval Airfield and other key sites, which has supported critical operations in the region. And despite the pandemic, Exercise Cobra Gold went forward successfully this year. And we’re planning to be back to full scale in 2023.

 

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Today I look forward to discussing our access and presence initiatives and further opportunities for joint training and other issues of common concern, including border security. And we will talk about ways to strengthen our Alliance for years to come.

 

Full transcript: https://www.defense.gov/News/Transcripts/Transcript/Article/3030241/secretary-of-defense-lloyd-j-austin-iii-remarks-welcoming-thailand-prime-minist/

 

-- © Copyright  U.S. Department of Defense 2022-05-14

Fancy meeting Thailands version of  dumb and dumber, it must have been a great coversation.

Well, well, the US is aware of the fact, that they sit on lousy card at the Indochina poker. 

The US' oldest friend in the region - yes - but this friendship was bought after WW2 to put a military supply foot into Indochina in the early 60s of last century. The US alliance was never called for; Kennedy should have taken the North Vietnamese infiltration of the (neutral) Kingdom of Laos to New York and address the United Nations (like what should be done now with Russia and Ukraine).

Their so-called "alliance" brought trillions of dollars to Thailand; some of it went into military infrastructure like highway grids and all the airport in Northeastern Thailand. The rest went to line pockets of the men in uniform; unlike other places of conflict, where the US had put its nose in, they could not put the bill onto any Vietnamese desk for payment (unlike Irak paying in oil and Brussels is footing the war mongering in Ukraine).

In their failed foreign policy arrogance since 1945, the US has not realized that it had lost the grip on Asia in general, except some spots and tens of thousands of American troops in  South Korea,  Japanese, the Philippines and Taiwan. The Chinese were and still are of the arguably understandable opinion, that the US had plenty of other higher priorities to attend. In diplomatic terms the US' involvement everywhere was and still is "c'est malvue" and, despite his fourth attempt in visiting the region, this part of the world tilts towards China - for countless reasons. 

Anyhow, the official doctrine anywhere outside Thailand is, that Prayut and his cronies are meanwhile lame ducks in the departure lounge of power but, as protocol commands, the Americans in this case show them the way out ???? 

8 hours ago, webfact said:

Now the close cooperation between our countries reflects a friendship that stretches back more than 200 years. We faced challenges together as Allies, including the pandemic, where we've cooperated on response efforts and medical research.

Thailand is not a friend. It shouldn't be considered an ally at any level. Any bilateral agreements maintaining that should be scrapped.

"It is especially good to have you here because Thailand is our oldest friend and Ally in the Indo-Pacific."

 

so the Philippines history is just fake news.........

U-Tapao was built by the United States to accommodate B-52 bombers for missions in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia during the Vietnam War. (wiki)

 

"We're grateful for the access that Thailand has provided to Utapao Naval Airfield and other key sites, which has supported critical operations in the region."

Standard political rhetoric. 

But thailand, who has no real experience on the international stage will take this at face value and trumpet it as America loves us so much more than anyone else.

On 5/14/2022 at 3:57 AM, webfact said:

Now the close cooperation between our countries reflects a friendship that stretches back more than 200 years. We faced challenges together as Allies,

Err, except that time when Thailand was part of the Japanese Empire during WWII and fought on the side of the Axis powers under the fascist Phiibun. 

3 hours ago, mahtin said:

U-Tapao was built by the United States to accommodate B-52 bombers for missions in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia during the Vietnam War. (wiki)

 

"We're grateful for the access that Thailand has provided to Utapao Naval Airfield and other key sites, which has supported critical operations in the region."

That bombing contributed to the Communist cause in particular the Khmer Rouge which grew in popularity as a result of American bombing and the detested US puppet regime under Lon Nol.

 

How can we forget Thailand and the US backing the Khmer Rouge as the legitimate government of Cambodia even after the Vietnamese invasion and the genocide was discovered and the protection that was offered to Saloth Sar aka Pol Pot in Thailand during the 80's. 

 

Special allies indeed.

Much talk on both sides of military partnership, and need to address security threats.That may be true of the United States but Thailand has no security threats or even potential enemies. Thailand will always kowtow to China and as to its traditional enemy Myanmar, the military rulers of both countries are as thick as thieves. Theoretically Thailand could eliminate its armed forces altogether on the lines of Costa Rica but more realistically a minimum force needs to be in place - internal security, border patrols, modest army, ceremonial and assorted marching around activity. etc. Total spend by the Thai armed forces is approximately US$ 7 billion p.a.This could easily be reduced by about 75%.

 

 

20 hours ago, mahtin said:

U-Tapao was built by the United States to accommodate B-52 bombers for missions in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia during the Vietnam War. (wiki)

 

"We're grateful for the access that Thailand has provided to Utapao Naval Airfield and other key sites, which has supported critical operations in the region."

This practice is known in the US as buttocks polishing, to put it nicely.  The "strong man" types are suckers for it.