Thailand, Myanmar mull exchange of white elephant

[webfact]

Thailand, Myanmar mull exchange of white elephant
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Thailand plans to borrow a white elephant from Myanmar as a symbol to mark 65 years of bilateral ties between the countries, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Affairs Minister Surapong Towichukchaikul said yesterday.

Surapong said the Thai delegation discussed the idea with Myanmar's Foreign Minister U Wunna Maung Lwin during this week's Forum for East Asia-Latin America Cooperation meeting in Bali.

Diplomatic relations between the two countries will reach their 65th anniversary next year, and Surapong said an "auspicious" white elephant might play the symbolic role of a good-will ambassador, following in the footsteps of China's "panda ambassador" Lin Ping. The elephant could be displayed in Chiang Mai Zoo for six months to boost tourism, he said.

The Myanmar ambassador told Surapong that he would discuss the matter with the Nay Pyi Taw government.

Surapong also reported his discussion with U Wunna Maung Lwin on the European Union's wish for Thailand to aid some 2,000 Rohingya Muslims who have fled Myanmar for Thailand this year.

The Myanmar minister assured him that a working team, led by Myanmar's ambassador to Thailand, was set to begin the process of verifying the Rohingya's nationality next week.

Four months of the six-month period designated for Thailand to aid the Rohingya had already passed, so the identification process would aim for completion in two months, he said.

Surapong added that he had told EU representatives that Thailand had given what humanitarian aid it could to the Rohingya, but it was not a rich country. The EU should also help take in these immigrants, and not just leave them as Thailand's sole responsibility, he said.


-- The Nation 2013-06-14

[Robby nz]

Thought when I read the headline that they might have been going to swap rice for gas or something, but it seems not.

[A Member]

The government is borrowing money right, left and centre and now has to even borrow an elephant !

Oh sorry I forgot, Thailand is a poor country and that's official, a Deputy PM said it.

[ThaidDown]

** deleted **

Edited June 13, 2013 by ThaidDown

[bigbamboo]

Plenty of white elephants in Thailand. Did they have any particular one in mind?

Edited June 14, 2013 by bigbamboo

[RickBradford]

The high-speed railway is what comes to mind.

And Thailand can throw in a free Surapong or Plodprasop with every 100 kilometres.

[ratcatcher]

Plenty of white elephants in Thailand. Did they have any particular one in mind?

A small family of white elephants seen here grazing in the Don Muang district.

[madmitch]

Thailand: the hub of white elephants.

[sungod]

Yes, I was also confused, I thought the article was about the Dawei industrial/port project.

On a side note, please take white elephants off the endangered species list, there seems to be an abundance of them in Thailand

[rotary]

The government is borrowing money right, left and centre and now has to even borrow an elephant !

Oh sorry I forgot, Thailand is a poor country and that's official, a Deputy PM said it.

Maybe the Thai govt has taken advice from the US govt so they think the only solution is to borrow money

[Thai at Heart]

Is this their attempt to rebalance the 70% bad news:30% good news ratio?

What next on the PR trail? "Yingluck to host cooking program to reach out to female voters?". Here's hoping

Edited June 14, 2013 by Thai at Heart

[onflipflops]

Glad the government has time to talk about these kind of matters. It means there is nothing more serious going on in the country. We're all living in peace, and have nothing to complain about.

Did they finally find out that the 'white' elephant in Kaeng Krachan was not really a white elephant?

[ratcatcher]

Is this their attempt to rebalance the 70% bad news:30% good news ratio?

What next on the PR trail? "Yingluck to host cooking program to reach out to female voters?". Here's hoping

What makes you think the sweet thing can cook?

[bangon04]

Thought when I read the headline that they might have been going to swap rice for gas or something, but it seems not.

When I read the headline my first thought was that they were going to exchange a Deputy Prime Minister.....

[rubl]

I always thought exchange meant that one side gives something to the other and the other gives something the first.

So does Thailand just borrow a pink elephant or will they give something in return?

[Bagwan]

Surapong added that he had told EU representatives that Thailand had given what humanitarian aid it could to the Rohingya, but it was not a rich country.

Really? Then Khun Surapong how do you explain all these luxury cars that the CSI is chasing around? Are they all owned by aliens?