United States Offers Technical Assistance To Thailand

[webfact]

US offers technical assistance to Thailand

BANGKOK, July 20 -- The United States is ready to provide technical assistance including training for Thai army personnel, according to a top US Army officer.

US Army Chief of Staff Gen Raymond T. Odierno made the offer while meeting with Thai Army Chief Gen Prayuth Chan-ocha. He also praised the Thai military’s vision for closely monitoring border security and tackling the unrest in the country’s southern border region.

Gen Odierno offered to provide technical assistance by sending a team to train Thai military personnel on analytical skill improvement and approach in handling security threat in particular circumstances.

Meanwhile, Gen Prayuth clarified to the US officer Thailand’s foreign policy and stance on relations between Thailand and its neighbours, according to Col Weerachon Sukhonthapatipak, deputy army spokesman for foreign affairs.

Gen Prayuth pointed out that the ongoing disturbances in the Thailand’s three southernmost provinces of Yala, Pattani and Narathiwat were domestic problems and not linked to any groups of foreign terrorists. He stood firm that Thailand was able to deal with the problems by itself.

Apart from the border and southern region issues, Gen Prayuth and Gen Odierno also discussed the longstanding relations between the Royal Thai Army and the US Army as well as further bilateral co-operation and exchanges including training on education, medicine and defence technology development.

Gen Odierno, as a guest of the Royal Thai Army, inspected a guard of honour on Friday morning during a reception at the Royal Thai Army Headquarters in the capital and laid a wreath at the King Rama V monument to pay homage to the late monarch. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2012-07-20

[toenail]

Shouldn't the Thai government gets China's permission first before accepting technical assistance from the USA?

[MEL1]

Shouldn't the Thai government gets China's permission first before accepting technical assistance from the USA?

Why? Technical assistance might be about how to build skyscrapers that don't fall down under aircraft impact, or how to know the SAS are infiltrating...... even the super Chinese don't have that know how yet..

There's only so much you can copy, without knowing what is really going on.

-mel.

[sunshine51]

It's nice that Gen Raymond T. Odierno laid a wreath...however since the NASA

deal fell through I reckon other motives are high on the agenda. One may be

to "contain" China...somehow...

[ratcatcher]

Shouldn't the Thai government gets China's permission first before accepting technical assistance from the USA?

I admire your tongue in cheek humor. However one is tempted to think that it may actually be true.

[Unkomoncents]

He stood firm that Thailand was able to deal with the problems by itself.

I was waiting for this little kernel of gold. With the advent of any foreign effort at aiding Thailand, Thais feel immediately compelled to make the case that they need no help. This kind of thing happens ad infinitum. Admitting otherwise would compromise the locally held belief that Thailand and the Thai way are better than all other countries and their respective approaches to dealing with problems of all varieties.

[givenall]

Shouldn't the Thai government gets China's permission first before accepting technical assistance from the USA?

I admire your tongue in cheek humor. However one is tempted to think that it may actually be true.

What do you mean Tempted to be true. The only reason US is doing so it to undermine China’s influence

Edited July 20, 2012 by givenall

[Lifer]

Also by refusing any technical assistance it will prevent anyone from seeing how poorly prepared they are to handle anything.

[55Jay]

"Gen Odierno offered to provide technical assistance by sending a team to train Thai military personnel on analytical skill improvement and approach in handling security threat in particular circumstances."

If I were a sensitive Asian, I would take the offer as an insult.

Mixed reviews on the 'successes' Iraq and Afghanistan so IMO, the offer should be like a fart in church.

The LAST thing Americans need is to start meddling in the Southern Thailand issue or even giving the appearance of it. Fresh on the heels of the NASA rejection cum stall job no less.

I'm glad Gen Prayuth responded as he did, at least as per the article, sorta sounds like a "Thanks, Ray, but no thanks" to me.

Must pretty humbling for the US envoys pitching their wares and being snubbed by the Thais who won't even accept "free" stuff. Twice.

[h90]

"Gen Odierno offered to provide technical assistance by sending a team to train Thai military personnel on analytical skill improvement and approach in handling security threat in particular circumstances."

If I were a sensitive Asian, I would take the offer as an insult.

Mixed reviews on the 'successes' Iraq and Afghanistan so IMO, the offer should be like a fart in church.

The LAST thing Americans need is to start meddling in the Southern Thailand issue or even giving the appearance of it. Fresh on the heels of the NASA rejection cum stall job no less.

I'm glad Gen Prayuth responded as he did, at least as per the article, sorta sounds like a "Thanks, Ray, but no thanks" to me.

Must pretty humbling for the US envoys pitching their wares and being snubbed by the Thais who won't even accept "free" stuff. Twice.

Well Iraq, Afghanistan, Libyan and currently Syria are a full success for the army.

If you count killed enemies against killed US soldiers and than it is a success like never before in history.

[IMA_FARANG]

Good Lord, Thaialnd has been getting "Technical Assistance" from the U.S. in many fields for over 50 years...a lot of Thai military personnel have been trained on the maintainance and use of U.S. equipment....to include the two Thai technicians I myself helped train in the then Saigon for a 3 month course in 1970 on the communications equipment the then Thai government had just recieved from the U.S. Army.

It's been going on that way for years...but the Thai goverments of those times simply wanted to keep that information from the average Thai citizen....then and now.

For those in power....they prefer their voters to be unaware of what's really going on. That way the average citizen doesn't question as much what the government hands out as "the truth".

Much more convienent for any "democratic" government in power at election time if the voters don't really know what's actually happening, you know.

Incidentally, that's also true for the U.S. and the U.K. also. An educated population asks to many inconvienent questions....that's why the government and the military have "public relations" specialists.

Edited July 20, 2012 by IMA_FARANG

[mamypoko]

Shouldn't the Thai government gets China's permission first before accepting technical assistance from the USA?

I admire your tongue in cheek humor. However one is tempted to think that it may actually be true.

What do you mean Tempted to be true. The only reason US is doing so it to undermine China’s influence

In this region that's always a consideration - but, 'the only' reason???

[Jimi007]

Good Lord, Thaialnd has been getting "Technical Assistance" from the U.S. in many fields for over 50 years...a lot of Thai military personnel have been trained on the maintainance and use of U.S. equipment....to include the two Thai technicians I myself helped train in the then Saigon for a 3 month course in 1970 on the communications equipment the then Thai government had just recieved from the U.S. Army.

It's been going on that way for years...but the Thai goverments of those times simply wanted to keep that information from the average Thai citizen....then and now.

For those in power....they prefer their voters to be unaware of what's really going on. That way the average citizen doesn't question as much what the government hands out as "the truth".

Much more convienent for any "democratic" government in power at election time if the voters don't really know what's actually happening, you know.

Incidentally, that's also true for the U.S. and the U.K. also. An educated population asks to many inconvienent questions....that's why the government and the military have "public relations" specialists.

Yes, and the US has been a long time "friend" of Thailand. Dating back to the 19th century...

[Scott]

An off-topic post has been deleted. Please stay on topic.

[kennedy]

Well its friday, I think I'll take walk over to my neighbor and good friend's house.He's a US educated thai army colonel. He will have a good laugh reading the majority of the posts on here.

[55Jay]

"Gen Odierno offered to provide technical assistance by sending a team to train Thai military personnel on analytical skill improvement and approach in handling security threat in particular circumstances."

If I were a sensitive Asian, I would take the offer as an insult.

Mixed reviews on the 'successes' Iraq and Afghanistan so IMO, the offer should be like a fart in church.

The LAST thing Americans need is to start meddling in the Southern Thailand issue or even giving the appearance of it. Fresh on the heels of the NASA rejection cum stall job no less.

I'm glad Gen Prayuth responded as he did, at least as per the article, sorta sounds like a "Thanks, Ray, but no thanks" to me.

Must pretty humbling for the US envoys pitching their wares and being snubbed by the Thais who won't even accept "free" stuff. Twice.

Well Iraq, Afghanistan, Libyan and currently Syria are a full success for the army.

If you count killed enemies against killed US soldiers and than it is a success like never before in history.

Thank you. Wasn't just referring to body counts, rather a broader view from a couple perspectives, which would inevitabely take this thread way off course.

J

[Lifer]

Well its friday, I think I'll take walk over to my neighbor and good friend's house.He's a US educated thai army colonel. He will have a good laugh reading the majority of the posts on here.

You don't have to be a retired Army Colonel to get a laugh reading TV. Many Thai Officers and technicians were trained at Lowry AFB, Colorado back in the 70's too. They didn't go to China, they came to the US.

[Pseudolus]

Do Thailand want to increase their friendly fire incident rate then?

[pisico]

Good Lord, Thaialnd has been getting "Technical Assistance" from the U.S. in many fields for over 50 years...a lot of Thai military personnel have been trained on the maintainance and use of U.S. equipment....to include the two Thai technicians I myself helped train in the then Saigon for a 3 month course in 1970 on the communications equipment the then Thai government had just recieved from the U.S. Army.

It's been going on that way for years...but the Thai goverments of those times simply wanted to keep that information from the average Thai citizen....then and now.

For those in power....they prefer their voters to be unaware of what's really going on. That way the average citizen doesn't question as much what the government hands out as "the truth".

Much more convienent for any "democratic" government in power at election time if the voters don't really know what's actually happening, you know.

Incidentally, that's also true for the U.S. and the U.K. also. An educated population asks to many inconvienent questions....that's why the government and the military have "public relations" specialists.

The general made it clear: Thailand does not need any help from the USA. They know how to make a bad situation into and even worse one. It's a domestic problem same as the price or eggs and rice.

[Judecalling]

Good Lord, Thaialnd has been getting "Technical Assistance" from the U.S. in many fields for over 50 years...a lot of Thai military personnel have been trained on the maintainance and use of U.S. equipment....to include the two Thai technicians I myself helped train in the then Saigon for a 3 month course in 1970 on the communications equipment the then Thai government had just recieved from the U.S. Army.

It's been going on that way for years...but the Thai goverments of those times simply wanted to keep that information from the average Thai citizen....then and now.

For those in power....they prefer their voters to be unaware of what's really going on. That way the average citizen doesn't question as much what the government hands out as "the truth".

Much more convienent for any "democratic" government in power at election time if the voters don't really know what's actually happening, you know.

Incidentally, that's also true for the U.S. and the U.K. also. An educated population asks to many inconvienent questions....that's why the government and the military have "public relations" specialists.

The general made it clear: Thailand does not need any help from the USA. They know how to make a bad situation into and even worse one. It's a domestic problem same as the price or eggs and rice.

Oh for goodness sake ... the 'kids' are revolting. ! Settle down for a minute. !

[KKvampire]

Advice from the USA on military matters? Perhaps hear what they have to say and then do the opposite.

Sent from my LG-P350 using Thaivisa Connect App

Edited July 21, 2012 by KKvampire

[lovetotravel]

The general made it clear: Thailand does not need any help from the USA. They know how to make a bad situation into and even worse one. It's a domestic problem same as the price or eggs and rice.

I think you're reading this wrong. The general said:

Gen Prayuth pointed out that the ongoing disturbances in the Thailand’s three southernmost provinces of Yala, Pattani and Narathiwat were domestic problems and not linked to any groups of foreign terrorists. He stood firm that Thailand was able to deal with the problems by itself.

Meaning, Thailand can handle the problems in the south as they are not linked to foreign terrorists. This was also stated:

Apart from the border and southern region issues, Gen Prayuth and Gen Odierno also discussed the longstanding relations between the Royal Thai Army and the US Army as well as further bilateral co-operation and exchanges including training on education, medicine and defence technology development.

Seems there has been a long history of working with the US military here and he is discussing "further bilateral co-operation and exchanges". No mention of not wanting any help on these items.

[h90]

I think we are barking up the very same tree just from different directions. Cheers, J.

I guess so. I always find it odd when people speak about what America, Germany, France or Thailand wants.

There is no Mr. America. There are some politicians who come to power by some dubious ways which they call democracy, but in fact it is much more driven by their networks, sponsors, media etc etc.

They than do what is in interest of their sponsors in a way that doesn't create to much resistance (and with the help of the mass media).

It has nothing to do with the interest of the country (=the interest of the population) and if a couple soldiers die but the money is OK, than it isn't a loose as they didn't cost much.

This nationalistic talk, or religions against each other or left wing against right wing is just a show to mobilize the people.

[rotary]

Gosh when I saw the title I thought the USA was going to give Thailand advice on financial matters which is a worry, but I see it is only miltary matters which will have to be approved by China anyway, so now I can rest better at night.

[SouthernMan3]

Thank you America !

[GiHadOrange]

Thank you America !

As previously pointed out, the Thai response is

"Thank you America, but no thanks."

[SouthernMan3]

Thank you America !

As previously pointed out, the Thai response is

"Thank you America, but no thanks."

Um, Thailand's army can use all the help it can get.

[arrowsdawdle]

He stood firm that Thailand was able to deal with the problems by itself.

I was waiting for this little kernel of gold. With the advent of any foreign effort at aiding Thailand, Thais feel immediately compelled to make the case that they need no help. This kind of thing happens ad infinitum. Admitting otherwise would compromise the locally held belief that Thailand and the Thai way are better than all other countries and their respective approaches to dealing with problems of all varieties.

So let them refuse by actons rather than words and stop taking all foreign aid.

[Unkomoncents]

He stood firm that Thailand was able to deal with the problems by itself.

I was waiting for this little kernel of gold. With the advent of any foreign effort at aiding Thailand, Thais feel immediately compelled to make the case that they need no help. This kind of thing happens ad infinitum. Admitting otherwise would compromise the locally held belief that Thailand and the Thai way are better than all other countries and their respective approaches to dealing with problems of all varieties.

So let them refuse by actons rather than words and stop taking all foreign aid.

Agreed. Cobra Gold is a joke anyways.

[GiHadOrange]

Um, Thailand's army can use all the help it can get.

There are hints in the OP:

"Meanwhile, Gen Prayuth clarified to the US officer Thailand's foreign policy ..."

" ... He stood firm that Thailand was able to deal with the problems by itself."