US Names New Thailand Ambassador

[webfact]

US names new Thailand envoy

WASHINGTON (AFP) -- President Barack Obama on Thursday named veteran diplomat Kristie Kenney as the US ambassador to Thailand, where political tensions are running high after deadly street protests.

Kenney most recently served as ambassador to the other key US ally in Southeast Asia, the Philippines, where she helped smooth out relations through a series of incidents including rape allegations against a US Marine.

The nomination as ambassador to Thailand requires Senate approval. She would replace Eric John, who is completing three years in his post.

If confirmed, Kenney would have to tread carefully in Thailand's complicated politics. Thailand in May summoned John after a senior US envoy met with "Red Shirt" protesters, who have sought a US mediatory role.

The Red Shirts' two-month protest in central Bangkok descended into several outbreaks of violence that left 90 people dead and nearly 1,900 injured, ending in a bloody army crackdown.

Kenney, who has also served as US ambassador to Ecuador, was known in the Philippines for her public diplomacy including taking to blogs and Facebook to reach out to Filipinos.

-- (c) Copyright AFP 2010-07-16

[Arkady]

Seems like a good call by the State Dept to replace John. It was thoroughly inappropriate for him to set up a meeting for Dep Sec of State Kurt Campbell with red shirt leaders when the latter were in open insurrection against the state and clearly sheltering armed terrorists. It was strongly rumoured that the meeting came about as a result of intense local lobbying emanating from Khunying Potjaman. I was also surprised at Campbell's lack of judgment in allowing himself to be set up like that.

[Jingthing]

Welcome new Ambassador Kenney!

However, you know, you will never live down that Papaya dance and the Moonwalk dance.

Now, what we really want to see from you in Thailand is your version of the ...

DURIAN DANCE

Edited July 16, 2010 by Jingthing

[ding]

Seems like a good call by the State Dept to replace John. It was thoroughly inappropriate for him to set up a meeting for Dep Sec of State Kurt Campbell with red shirt leaders when the latter were in open insurrection against the state and clearly sheltering armed terrorists. It was strongly rumoured that the meeting came about as a result of intense local lobbying emanating from Khunying Potjaman. I was also surprised at Campbell's lack of judgment in allowing himself to be set up like that.

I pretty much agree. Obama seems to be paying attention and doing his homework, or is it Hillary Clinton?

After watching her moonwalk, I can say I'm a fan. She even has rhythm.

Edited July 16, 2010 by ding

[Jingthing]

Seems like a good call by the State Dept to replace John. It was thoroughly inappropriate for him to set up a meeting for Dep Sec of State Kurt Campbell with red shirt leaders when the latter were in open insurrection against the state and clearly sheltering armed terrorists. It was strongly rumoured that the meeting came about as a result of intense local lobbying emanating from Khunying Potjaman. I was also surprised at Campbell's lack of judgment in allowing himself to be set up like that.

I pretty much agree. Obama seems to be paying attention and doing his homework, or is it Hillary Clinton?

Most likely Hillary (and maybe even Bill) had input about this as Hillary is Secretary of State.

[SomTumTiger]

I bet FM Kasit has a phone call with Hilary as well, regarding the issue. Funny, my boss told me a month ago he was on his way out lol. This was a long time coming aparantly. To bad - Johns was a trombone player...lol

[robanywhere]

<P>welcome Ambassador Kinney....</P>

<P>Mr. John's daughter just graduated from ISB, so that might have something to do with it too...</P>

[Buchholz]

welcome Ambassador Kinney....

Mr. John's daughter just graduated from ISB, so that might have something to do with it too.

Nicole John (middle), with her father and father

Nicole John, daughter of US ambassador to Thailand Eric John, dies after falling at high-rise party

Nicole John, the 17-year-old daughter of the U.S. Ambassador to Thailand, accidentally fell to her death from a midtown high-rise early Friday morning after partying at a posh Manhattan nightclub, police said. John plunged from the 25th story window of the Herald Square Towers on W. 34th St. about 4:15 a.m., landing on the building's third-floor overhang, police said.

The teen, whose father Eric John was appointed U.S. Ambassador to the Kingdom of Thailand in 2007, had been carousing at Tenjune on Little West 12th St. before heading to the apartment about 2:15 a.m. for a nightcap, police said. "They'd been drinking," said Robert Pena, the building engineer at the Herald Square Towers, who saw the pack of party-goers walking through the building's lobby just before 4 a.m. "They'd invited some other people back from a club," Pena said.

Continues:

http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2010/08/27/2010-08-27_nicole_john_daughter_of_us_ambassador_to_thailand_plunges_to_death_from_highrise.html

New York Daily News - August 27, 2010

----------------------------------

* Note: Obviously by this thread's title, the newspaper erroneously refers to Mr. John as the ambassador to Thailand, when more accurately he is the former ambassador to Thailand.

Condolences to him and wife on their loss.

Edited August 28, 2010 by webfact
reduced to "fair use"

[Scott]

My condolences and deepest sympathies to the family and friends of the family and the victim. A horrible loss of a young life.

[whybother]

Thread going in General Topics:

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/393863-nicole-john-daughter-of-us-ambassador-to-thailand-plunges-to-death-from-high-rise-party/

[Buchholz]

Upon further looking into it, it appears that Mr. John IS still the current ambassador to Thailand (as per the USA Embassy website information).

It would seem that, for whatever reason, the subject of this thread never came to pass in terms of Kristie Kenney actually taking over the position of Ambassador. It remains as Mr. John.

I apologize for my error and again send my condolences to the Ambassador and his family.

Edited August 28, 2010 by webfact

[redwood13]

Kenney's appointment is awaiting confirmation by the US Senate.

-redwood

[Jingthing]

Kenney's appointment is awaiting confirmation by the US Senate.

-redwood

In other words, she will be confirmed, why wouldn't she be?

[faranginexile]

Kenney's appointment is awaiting confirmation by the US Senate.

-redwood

In other words, she will be confirmed, why wouldn't she be?

Republicans in the U.S. Senate have been obstructing Obama's appointments in the judiciary and all agencies. It's what they do.

[Jingthing]

Balderdash. There will be no opposition. Next ...

[moe666]

The young girls death is beinging investigated for possible foul play evidently she had been drinking heavily with her friends. This is news on all of the morning shows and cnn interviewed a private investigator for his expert opionion.

[EnSvenskTiger]

The young girls death is beinging investigated for possible foul play evidently she had been drinking heavily with her friends. This is news on all of the morning shows and cnn interviewed a private investigator for his expert opionion.

Oh dear! An expert on cases such as this! What is happening in the US?

People jump of buildings all the time?

Tiger

[IMA_FARANG]

The young girls death is beinging investigated for possible foul play evidently she had been drinking heavily with her friends. This is news on all of the morning shows and cnn interviewed a private investigator for his expert opionion.

Regarding the death of his daughter:

The police in New York are required to investigate and determine the circumstances of any accident such as this.

According to what has been reported she and a group of friends had been at a club drinking. The entire group went to the apartment of someone they knew who lived on the 25th floor penthouse apartment of the building she fell from. She had been taking photos from the open window, leaning out of the window to get a good view of the New York skyline. As far as they have determined she simply slipped and fell. Probably Alchohol was involved in the fall. The owner of the apartment has been detained...but only because she was underage, and he was serving Alchohol to all the guests in the group. Therefore he is being charged with serving Alchohol to a minor. So far, it simply appears to be an unfortunate accident, with her drinking being a contributing factor.

Just for the record, the law mandates that police in New York must investigate any accident of this type to determine whether or not there are any criminal charges involved. The fact that the owner of the apartment is being questioned about giving Alchohol to a minor does not imply anything. He may not have even known she was a minor. He simply had drinks available for everyone in the group that came to the apartment.

The case is still very much in the investigation stage, and no one knows if there will be any charges involved at this time. It's still too early to assume anything.

The above info comes from my reading of the various newpaper reports of the incident.

[Buchholz]

Kenney's appointment is awaiting confirmation by the US Senate.

-redwood

Kristie Anne Kenney has now been confirmed by the US Senate.

She was confirmed by the US Senate on Wednesday, September 29, 2010, to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Kingdom of Thailand.

http://thecable.foreignpolicy.com/posts/2010/09/30/munter_confirmed_for_islamabad_post

Additionally,

Wikipedia biography:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kristie_Kenney

[Mario2008]

2 posts discussing US politics deleted as off-topic.

[VegasVic]

Kenney's appointment is awaiting confirmation by the US Senate.

-redwood

In other words, she will be confirmed, why wouldn't she be?

Republicans in the U.S. Senate have been obstructing Obama's appointments in the judiciary and all agencies. It's what they do.

Faranginexile, You get the pinhead of the year award for this FOS post of yours

[Johpa]

She was confirmed by the US Senate on Wednesday, September 29, 2010, to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Kingdom of Thailand.....

Wikipedia biography:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kristie_Kenney

I daresay she has some detractors and critics that might give one pause if she had indeed plenipotentiary powers, which implies the ability to unilaterally sign off on treaties. I didn't think the US State Department gave such powers to ambassadors.

[whybother]

Will Kristie Kenney be doing any advertising for the new Krispy Kreme Doughnuts store?

[Buchholz]

She was confirmed by the US Senate on Wednesday, September 29, 2010, to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Kingdom of Thailand.....

Wikipedia biography:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kristie_Kenney

I daresay she has some detractors and critics that might give one pause if she had indeed plenipotentiary powers, which implies the ability to unilaterally sign off on treaties. I didn't think the US State Department gave such powers to ambassadors.

wiki:

The word plenipotentiary (from the Latin, plenus + potens, full + power) has two meanings.

As a noun, it refers to a person who has "full powers." In particular, the term commonly refers to a diplomat fully authorized to represent his government as a prerogative (e.g., ambassador).

As an adjective, plenipotentiary refers to that which confers "full powers."

-------------------------

seems a lot of countries use the term:

Since 1889, United Kingdom's appointed its first ambassador to the United States, with the title Her Britannic Majesty's Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the United States.

This is a list of Canadian envoys to the United States, formally titled as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the United States of America for Her Majesty's Government in Canada.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Canadian_ambassadors_to_the_United_States

[Buchholz]

Will Kristie Kenney be doing any advertising for the new Krispy Kreme Doughnuts store?

Better her than a representative from a different American entity, the KKK

[SanukMahk]

Seems like a good call by the State Dept to replace John. It was thoroughly inappropriate for him to set up a meeting for Dep Sec of State Kurt Campbell with red shirt leaders when the latter were in open insurrection against the state and clearly sheltering armed terrorists. It was strongly rumoured that the meeting came about as a result of intense local lobbying emanating from Khunying Potjaman. I was also surprised at Campbell's lack of judgment in allowing himself to be set up like that.

I gather you know him well, first name basis... Madame Shinawatra and all

[Buchholz]

Kenney's appointment is awaiting confirmation by the US Senate.

-redwood

Kristie Anne Kenney has now been confirmed by the US Senate.

She was confirmed by the US Senate on Wednesday, September 29, 2010, to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Kingdom of Thailand.

http://thecable.foreignpolicy.com/posts/2010/09/30/munter_confirmed_for_islamabad_post

Additionally,

Wikipedia biography:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kristie_Kenney

New US ambassador to Thailand officially in office

topic runs already here:

New US ambassador to Thailand officially in office

Edited January 21, 2011 by webfact
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