France's Hollande hails Thai PM's democracy 'commitments'

PARIS, July 21, 2012 (AFP) - French President Francois Hollande hailed Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra's "commitments in favour of democracy and freedom" as they met in Paris on Friday, his office said.

They agreed to "diversify economic relations" and discussed political, educational and cultural cooperation, a statement from Hollande's office said. They also vowed to boost military ties and said their defence ministries would sign a cooperation agreement.

Yingluck also met Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault, who hailed Thailand for "again finding the road to democracy and stability after a period of tensions," his office said.

The foreign ministry said Thailand is France's second-biggest trading partner in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), with trade worth about $3.14 billion (2.58 billion euros) in 2010, and is the third-largest importer of French products in the group.

In 2010 mass protests by fugitive former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra's "Red Shirt" supporters against the previous government descended into the kingdom's worst civil violence in decades, with more than 90 people killed in a military crackdown.

Yingluck, Thaksin's sister, became prime minister following a landslide election win by her brother's party last year.

-- (c) Copyright AFP 2012-07-21

Another western foreign politician who doesnt know what they are talking about in respect of thailand. Soon he will also discover his plan to spend more money france doesnt have will screw the french economy. Then we can see the result of his"democratic" commitments

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Edited July 21, 201213 yr by KKvampire

Does he know where Thailand is on a world map?

]French President Francois Hollande hailed Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra's "commitments in favour of democracy and freedom" as they met in Paris on Friday, his office said.[/b]

Hollande's aides should really have told him about Yingluck's red party committing serious breaches of UDHR laws on human-rights, when they allowed the home-addresses of dissenting judges to be distributed to angry street thugs. Maybe Hollande has a different definition of "democracy and freedom" than UDHR do. Maybe he thinks that government thugs making citizens afraid to live in their own homes, is a symbol of democracy and freedom.

Hollande started out working for Mitterrand who was a hapless communist, and whose far-left polices led to a huge economic disaster in France. Hollande is the same kind of champagne socialist as his communist mentor was. I'm not surprised at all that Yingluck is viewed so kindly by these freewheeling communists.

Edited July 21, 201213 yr by Yunla

They agreed to "diversify economic relations" and discussed political, educational and cultural cooperation, a statement from Hollande's office said.

I would like to have been a fly on the wall in that room during this "discussions"

They agreed to "diversify economic relations" and discussed political, educational and cultural cooperation, a statement from Hollande's office said.

I would like to have been a fly on the wall in that room during this "discussions"

Alright, as long as you stayed out of reach of the frog.

Methinks that it was the French idea of democracy that led to the sad and tragic sequence of events in Vietnam and indeed other sovereign states in the old French Indo China Region.

Such approval of Yingluck and her policies (?) from Hollande is indeed a trifle nauseating and worrisome..

One can only suppose in Hollande's case, '' Ignorance is bliss.''

Yeah well France is quickly going down the pan so Hollande needs to save his breath for the last flush!!

As for praising Yingluk just shows how much he knows about anything!!

Good luck France your gonna need it?

Avoir

Yeah well France is quickly going down the pan so Hollande needs to save his breath for the last flush!!

As for praising Yingluk just shows how much he knows about anything!!

Good luck France your gonna need it?

Avoir

I should imagine the appeal to the French is the reports recently about the endemic corruption in the government and civil service and thus they know it is still a safe and good place for them to do their particular type of business.

(sit's back and now waits for 5 posts from people saying Thaksin is bad although this has nothing to do with him).

Well done, François!

Don't listen the embittered farangs who are fully obsessed by Thaksin.

Just another case of Bullshitting Politicians patting each other on the back as they spend huge chunks of taxpayers money eating the finest food and drinking the finest wines at endless junkets around the globe. Nothing to do with 'reality' whatsoever.

They agreed to "diversify economic relations" and discussed political, educational and cultural cooperation, a statement from Hollande's office said.

I would like to have been a fly on the wall in that room during this "discussions"

Alright, as long as you stayed out of reach of the frog.

Do you mean the Great Green French Wall Frog? I´ll keep my eyes open.

Edited July 21, 201213 yr by Skywalker69

You just have to love how politicians piss in each others pockets. I have visions of Mr Hollander thinking to himself that "this broad is a no brainer " whilst whispering sweet nothings into her ear.

Well done, François!

Don't listen the embittered farangs who are fully obsessed by Thaksin.

Well done Francois? So you agree with him that Yingluck has committed herself to democracy and freedom?

I fully agree that many embittered farangs are overly obsessed by Thaksin, the Thai Mandela and savior of the poor.

Maybe he can nominate both brother and sister for a Nobel prize.

Not too many French guys hanging around in Bangkok. Does anyone know the numbers on French residents in Thailand?

]French President Francois Hollande hailed Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra's "commitments in favour of democracy and freedom" as they met in Paris on Friday, his office said.[/b]

Hollande's aides should really have told him about Yingluck's red party committing serious breaches of UDHR laws on human-rights, when they allowed the home-addresses of dissenting judges to be distributed to angry street thugs. Maybe Hollande has a different definition of "democracy and freedom" than UDHR do. Maybe he thinks that government thugs making citizens afraid to live in their own homes, is a symbol of democracy and freedom.

Hollande started out working for Mitterrand who was a hapless communist, and whose far-left polices led to a huge economic disaster in France. Hollande is the same kind of champagne socialist as his communist mentor was. I'm not surprised at all that Yingluck is viewed so kindly by these freewheeling communists.

"communists!"

I think you mean socialists.

Don't worry. Socialism is banned in Thailand. Phew!

I'm particularly peeved about Hollande's plan to introduce a 15.5% social tax to foreign property owners on top of the existing 19% capital gains tax when selling french property.

This is paid by french tax payers but who live in France and who enjoy all the benefits of the french social system.

I know someone who has lost his job as a director in a company (it went bust) and he will now receive 100% salary for 1 year and 60% salary for second year from french government.

This was under Sarkozy. The french tory.

Capital gains tax in Thailand on sale of properties is 2.5%.

Hope he asked why the Thai ridiculously high import taxation on French built cars compared to all Thai imports to France.

Between Yongluck and Hoollande I wonder whose English is worst ? 555, it must be funny to hear them talking...

Not too many French guys hanging around in Bangkok. Does anyone know the numbers on French residents in Thailand?

10,000 are officially registered with the French consulate.

]French President Francois Hollande hailed Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra's "commitments in favour of democracy and freedom" as they met in Paris on Friday, his office said.[/b]

Hollande's aides should really have told him about Yingluck's red party committing serious breaches of UDHR laws on human-rights, when they allowed the home-addresses of dissenting judges to be distributed to angry street thugs. Maybe Hollande has a different definition of "democracy and freedom" than UDHR do. Maybe he thinks that government thugs making citizens afraid to live in their own homes, is a symbol of democracy and freedom.

Hollande started out working for Mitterrand who was a hapless communist, and whose far-left polices led to a huge economic disaster in France. Hollande is the same kind of champagne socialist as his communist mentor was. I'm not surprised at all that Yingluck is viewed so kindly by these freewheeling communists.

Government thugs making citizens afraid to live in their homes?! Someone needs to get out more and watch less drama on TV. What are you on about Yunla?!

Do you have the slightest idea about communism or a socialism? You seem a tad confused... I would love to have just one thread on TV left as a real discussion and not a platform to spout Anti-red/ yellow BS. The continual mudslinging is childish and shows a distinct lack of critical thinking.

It doesn't matter how much nonsense you talk, foreign Governments make ties with the elected leaders of other Governments. Yingluck is the elected PM of Thailand. She's dealing with the train wreck that is Thailand's international image, a legacy left after Abhisit demonstrated to the world so well that the old school elitist's grip on power was failing as the country was brought to the brink of civil war.

The French and English had similar periods in their history, culminating in outright violence c.200 and C.350 years ago respectively, giving the current leaders of those countries a rather unique perspective on what issues Thailand is facing now... don't be surprised that foreign sympathies don't echo the writing of such neutral media outlets as "The Nation"...

The guy has been eating too many Freedom Fries.

Does he know where Thailand is on a world map?

Of course Monsieur, it ees ze beeg iland norse of de Philippines, off ze coast of Chine, non?

Ze capital I sink is Thaipay.

Does this cozyness mean soon we'll be able to buy French wine and cheese at an affordable price?

Does this cozyness mean soon we'll be able to buy French wine and cheese at an affordable price?

Let's hope so... That would surely mark Thailand's acceptance as a developed country!

Thailand not Taiwan

Another western foreign politician who doesnt know what they are talking about in respect of thailand. Soon he will also discover his plan to spend more money france doesnt have will screw the french economy. Then we can see the result of his"democratic" commitments

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Most probably Yingluck offers something so she is the hub of democracy.

Even Saudi Arabia is the hub of democracy if the oil is good.

And making huge debts? It is good for the economic in the short range. Why should he make a good budget, so next president has a good life in case he doesn't get reelected?

Better spend full speed and if the next election is lost than you can blame the collapse on the next president.

If you got reelected try to postpone the collapse with some new credits...

That way it worked since the 1970s....

Does this cozyness mean soon we'll be able to buy French wine and cheese at an affordable price?

Let's hope so... That would surely mark Thailand's acceptance as a developed country!

I'm not really sure there is that type of relation, French wine/cheese versus developed country. I have Spanish and Italian friends who would probably disagree

BTW with price levels in Europe as they are my mention of 'affordable' probably doesn't effect a larger part of the Thai population. Certainly 300B/day would be insufficient

Thailand not Taiwan

same same

Does this cozyness mean soon we'll be able to buy French wine and cheese at an affordable price?

Let's hope so... That would surely mark Thailand's acceptance as a developed country!

I'm not really sure there is that type of relation, French wine/cheese versus developed country. I have Spanish and Italian friends who would probably disagree

BTW with price levels in Europe as they are my mention of 'affordable' probably doesn't effect a larger part of the Thai population. Certainly 300B/day would be insufficient

I beg to differ, with the current strength of the baht, 300 bt a day would buy a decent bottle of French wine with change left over for some Brie and a baguette... and free and ready access to foreign imports, free trade agreements with major nations are both signs of a country stepping towards developed status, although my comment was obviously tongue in cheek.

I would have to agree with your Italian and Spanish friends however in that neither Italy or Spain are truly developed nations...