NASA U-Tapao Deal: Thai Parliament Ok 'Not Needed'

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NASA U-TAPAO DEAL

Parliament ok 'not needed'

Nanthida Phuangthong

The Nation

Operation doesn't involve Thai sovereignty, ministry says

BANGKOK: -- The government's decision to permit an experiment by the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (Nasa) at U-Tapao naval airbase in Chon Buri did not require parliamentary scrutiny or approval, so the move did not violate Article 190 of the Constitution, the Foreign Ministry said yesterday.

"The Foreign Ministry has concluded that the Nasa operation does not involve any issue of Thai sovereignty, which would require a parliamentary scrutiny and approval under Article 190," spokesman Thani Thongphakdi said yesterday.

"Cabinet approval, which is an executive directive, granting Nasa's request is valid and legally binding, with immediate effect."

He said the US space agency made a request in March to use U-Tapao airbase and facilities to carry out meteorological work involving studies of clouds relating to climate analysis.

Nasa had a similar project permitted in Hong Kong and Japan, whose governments both agreed to this and worked closely on it, he said.

The project would last only two months - August and September - and relevant Thai agencies and personnel would benefit from the experiments. All useful data and information would be handed to Thai authorities when the work was done.

The signing of a memorandum of understanding between Thailand and the US on the Nasa project would be needed and undertaken, he added.

Asked whether China would "feel uneasy" towards the Thai government giving permission to a Nasa project in Thailand, Thani said China had given permission to a number of similar projects on its soil, so both permission and the project would not affect relations with China.

He said the Nasa project in U-Tapao would require assistance and aviation cooperation from Cambodia and Singapore, both of which had agreed to cooperate.

Thavorn Senniam, a deputy leader of the opposition Democrat Party, said he doubted whether Thaksin Shinawatra's known ambition for long-term energy and oil projects with a neighbouring country had been behind the government's push for US involvement in the region in the guise of the Nasa experiment.

He said the Nasa project would involve surveys of Thai geography and should therefore relate to Thai national security, a key condition on whether the issue comes under Article 190, which would require the opposition's scrutiny into the matter and a mandatory parliamentary approval.

Thavorn said the establishment of a US agency in Thailand could potentially cause a worry to neighbouring countries, as well as to China. While Thailand and the US were long-time allies, the Kingdom had also been a strategic partner with China.

-- The Nation 2012-06-12

[kerryk]

Outside of tour busses to Pattaya what strategic partnership does Thailand have with China?

[Woodcaulk]

Outside of tour busses to Pattaya what strategic partnership does Thailand have with China?

Education...you know, tablets for the school chillun's....

[kerryk]

Outside of tour busses to Pattaya what strategic partnership does Thailand have with China?

Education...you know, tablets for the school chillun's....

That is not a strategic partnership.

[h90]

Outside of tour busses to Pattaya what strategic partnership does Thailand have with China?

Education...you know, tablets for the school chillun's....

That is not a strategic partnership.

A constant flow of tea money is a strategic partnership

[kerryk]

Outside of tour busses to Pattaya what strategic partnership does Thailand have with China?

Education...you know, tablets for the school chillun's....

That is not a strategic partnership.

A constant flow of tea money is a strategic partnership

And you know this ???? Supporting documentation or edit your post please.

[Jayman]

Education...you know, tablets for the school chillun's....

That is not a strategic partnership.

A constant flow of tea money is a strategic partnership

And you know this ???? Supporting documentation or edit your post please.

How many times does he need to roll around on the floor laughing for you to understand he is NOT being serious but rather taking the piss.

[kerryk]

He is making fun of the tablet deal. He is saying that buying tablets from China is a strategic partnership. I said it is not. (It is simply buying and selling a commodity.) Another poster then said because of tea money (supposed to be funny) that it rises to the level of a strategic partnership.

You missed the point. Both posters were making fun of Thailand's computer tablet deal with China.

If they were taking a piss, it would mean that Thailand had a good deal with China for buying computer tablets. Re read the posts. Taking a piss in this context would mean the opposite of what they had posted and both posters did not mean that at all. The only purpose of the smiley faces was to mock the tablet deal.

[Jayman]

He is making fun of the tablet deal. He is saying that buying tablets from China is a strategic partnership. I said it is not. (It is simply buying and selling a commodity.) Another poster then said because of tea money (supposed to be funny) that it rises to the level of a strategic partnership.

You missed the point. Both posters were making fun of Thailand's computer tablet deal with China.

If they were taking a piss, it would mean that Thailand had a good deal with China for buying computer tablets. Re read the posts. Taking a piss in this context would mean the opposite of what they had posted and both posters did not mean that at all. The only purpose of the smiley faces was to mock the tablet deal.

I think you're getting a bit too emotional over this mate. Maybe you need to go out for some sun.

[folium]

Outside of tour busses to Pattaya what strategic partnership does Thailand have with China?

Depending on your definition of strategic:

Both members of ASEAN-China Free Trade Area (ACFTA).

2nd biggest trading partner for Thailand

Major trading centre being built outside Bangkok to get round tariffs etc

http://www2.irrawaddy.org/article.php?art_id=20489&Submit=Submit

High speed rail networks have a strategic/economic edge.

Been mates since they both supported the Khmer Rouge against the Vietnamese-backed regime in Phnom Penh, and major arms supplier to RTA & RTN (albeit the RTA have been pretty unimpressed with some of the gear, hence the Chinese tanks now starring as an artificial reef in the Gulf of Siam!

Good piece from AToL on this:

http://www.atimes.com/atimes/China/JG11Ad01.html

Note how links with China saw huge upgrade under Thaksin,

[kerryk]

He is making fun of the tablet deal. He is saying that buying tablets from China is a strategic partnership. I said it is not. (It is simply buying and selling a commodity.) Another poster then said because of tea money (supposed to be funny) that it rises to the level of a strategic partnership.

You missed the point. Both posters were making fun of Thailand's computer tablet deal with China.

If they were taking a piss, it would mean that Thailand had a good deal with China for buying computer tablets. Re read the posts. Taking a piss in this context would mean the opposite of what they had posted and both posters did not mean that at all. The only purpose of the smiley faces was to mock the tablet deal.

I think you're getting a bit too emotional over this mate. Maybe you need to go out for some sun.

Ad Hominem mate. But I am going out for dinner shortly.

[gand]

So NASA is a go then?

[folium]

So NASA is a go then?

Or even lift off. Ses that Thai Foreign Minister is in DC to do the deal and pick up the cheque .

[noitom]

The last two paragraphs of this news story completely contradict the premise that it is not an issue of Thai sovereignty and parliament"s OK would not be needed. The first of the last two paragraphs states that surveys of Thai geography would be taken and therefore are a "national security issue." The last paragraph states that the establishment of a US agency could "cause a worry" about China's reaction and the Thai relationship. It would be difficult to imagine two more "sovereign" issues than those raised in the last two paragraphs. Therefore, the article , as written, is preposterous.

[toenail]

Does this mean the airport section of U-Tapao would be shut down? or part of the grounds would be used by NASA? If the airport isn't used by commercial flights then there goes Pattaya's economy since most of the Russian tourists fly cheap chartered flights to U-Tapao then vacation in "beautiful" Pattaya.

[kerryk]

Does this mean the airport section of U-Tapao would be shut down? or part of the grounds would be used by NASA? If the airport isn't used by commercial flights then there goes Pattaya's economy since most of the Russian tourists fly cheap chartered flights to U-Tapao then vacation in "beautiful" Pattaya.

How many flights go from Russia to U-Tapao daily and how much do they cost?