US ambassador Kristie Kenney declines to give comments on Thai politics

[webfact]

US ambassador declines to give comments on Thai politics

BANGKOK, 27 February 2014 (NNT) – The US ambassador to the Kingdom of Thailand has denied to give any comments on the ongoing political uncertainty in Thailand, while dismissing a rumor that she was being transferred to South Korea.

During her visit to Khao Yai National Park, US ambassador Kristie Kenney refused to give her thoughts on the current political situation in Thailand. She also disclaimed a report that said she was moving to South Korea, saying such rumor was false and she would be serving in Thailand until the end of 2014 after having been given a 1-year extension on the post.

Her visit to Khao Yai National Park was to celebrate the strong relationship between the Great Smoky Mountain National Park in Tennessee and Thailand's Khao Yai National Park.

Ambassador Kenny, the first female US ambassador to Thailand, has been serving since January 2011. She was selected by US President Barack Obama and was confirmed by the United States Senate.


-- NNT 2014-02-27

[15Peter20]

I bet she thought the waterfalls in Khao Yai were 'GREAT!!!!!!'.

[EyesWideOpen]

How odd not to give a comment, as her very existence is based upon the

relationship between Thailand and the United States. This relationship

could be radically affected by a change of governments here. Guess she

wants to sit on the fence and see who wins...... For me, no comment

is in effect a type of comment.

[Fookhaht]

How odd not to give a comment, as her very existence is based upon the

relationship between Thailand and the United States. This relationship

could be radically affected by a change of governments here. Guess she

wants to sit on the fence and see who wins...... For me, no comment

is in effect a type of comment.

Make a comment, and immediately alienate an entire political party and their supporters?

Get real!

[rijb]

She works for POTUS as an ambassador. She's not his press secretary.

[EyesWideOpen]

How odd not to give a comment, as her very existence is based upon the

relationship between Thailand and the United States. This relationship

could be radically affected by a change of governments here. Guess she

wants to sit on the fence and see who wins...... For me, no comment

is in effect a type of comment.

Make a comment, and immediately alienate an entire political party and their supporters?

Get real!

I said comment, not take sides....... In the past, the United States has been

more than happy to take sides with rebel fighters against a dictator, and give

aid as well. Just take a look at what happened in the middle east in countries like Libya. So clearly the situation here in Thailand is not quite so easy to see. But I am also sure that the United States has a favorite horse in the race, they are just not saying who it is........

[davejones23]

How odd not to give a comment, as her very existence is based upon the

relationship between Thailand and the United States. This relationship

could be radically affected by a change of governments here. Guess she

wants to sit on the fence and see who wins...... For me, no comment

is in effect a type of comment.

Make a comment, and immediately alienate an entire political party and their supporters?

Get real!

Surely she's intelligent enough to make a comment without alienating either side.

Do you always alienate people when they ask you a question?

[rijb]

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How odd not to give a comment, as her very existence is based upon the
relationship between Thailand and the United States. This relationship
could be radically affected by a change of governments here. Guess she
wants to sit on the fence and see who wins...... For me, no comment
is in effect a type of comment.

Make a comment, and immediately alienate an entire political party and their supporters?

Get real!

Surely she's intelligent enough to make a comment without alienating either side.

Do you always alienate people when they ask you a question?

I think you just did.

[davejones23]

How odd not to give a comment, as her very existence is based upon the

relationship between Thailand and the United States. This relationship

could be radically affected by a change of governments here. Guess she

wants to sit on the fence and see who wins...... For me, no comment

is in effect a type of comment.

Make a comment, and immediately alienate an entire political party and their supporters?

Get real!

I said comment, not take sides....... In the past, the United States has been

more than happy to take sides with rebel fighters against a dictator, and give

aid as well. Just take a look at what happened in the middle east in countries like Libya. So clearly the situation here in Thailand is not quite so easy to see. But I am also sure that the United States has a favorite horse in the race, they are just not saying who it is........

But well all know which side they favor. But they favorite is looking likely to lose, so they have opted to keep quiet while they work out out to change sides.

[smedly]

How odd not to give a comment, as her very existence is based upon the

relationship between Thailand and the United States. This relationship

could be radically affected by a change of governments here. Guess she

wants to sit on the fence and see who wins...... For me, no comment

is in effect a type of comment.

correct, as I've said before various statements in the past from all foreign governments have been generally neutral over the last few months despite PTP on occasion using out of context selective quotes to make it sound otherwise - no foreign government has actually endorsed either side which from the Thai governments position is a snub

[metisdead]

Off topic posts and nonsense posts and replies have been removed.

[Thait Spot]

I hear that the minister for education was quite smitten by Ms Kenney's cat

[chainarong]

It is not the place of an ambassador from any country to make a comment on the internal wrangling's of a country , the comments are sent each evening on the scrambled electronic system back to their elected head of state, in this case the President or foreign Affairs department, sure would be interesting to read some of the comments especially from the five spying eye's

[chainarong]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

I hear that the minister for education was quite smitten by Ms Kenney's cat

Meow

[Fat Haggis]

How odd not to give a comment, as her very existence is based upon the

relationship between Thailand and the United States. This relationship

could be radically affected by a change of governments here. Guess she

wants to sit on the fence and see who wins...... For me, no comment

is in effect a type of comment.

Make a comment, and immediately alienate an entire political party and their supporters?

Get real!

I said comment, not take sides....... In the past, the United States has been

more than happy to take sides with rebel fighters against a dictator, and give

aid as well. Just take a look at what happened in the middle east in countries like Libya. So clearly the situation here in Thailand is not quite so easy to see. But I am also sure that the United States has a favorite horse in the race, they are just not saying who it is........

That's not quite true, the Regimes of Both Syria and Libya at the time were considered part of the Axis of evil who had their fingers in pies by supporting Terrorism and Terrorist Organisations through the past 40+ years.

NATO took down the Libyan Regime using airpower and opposition elements on the ground, it wasn't a sole US venture, it was very much a joint effort, even the French played a significant part in the destruction of the former Libyan Regime.

Same in Syria, many countries advocated the removal of Bashar Al Asad and his Regime, however that hasn't quite worked out has it? Opposition received billions in aid from Western Countries, and a few others as well.

You cannot compare Thailand to either of those countries as there's no (open) armed conflict going on and Thailand doesn't have two groups hell bent in killing their opposition unlik Syria and Libya, I'm sure the TVF forum members will correct me on this one, bear in mind I have said "Two Groups"

If the Reds really wanted to, I'm sure they could repeat 2010 but it's not in their interest to do so (at this time).

The US Statement has always made it clear that it see the current Governement as an elected Democratic one, although again, I'm pretty sure many would refute that point, it's not just the US that see's this, I think you'll find that most countries with embassies within the Kingdom agree, I don't recall any National Country's Leadership call for the resignation or the removal of the current Government, and no country as far as I'm aware has recalled their Ambassadors in support of an "unelected peoples party"

[EyesWideOpen]

It is not the place of an ambassador from any country to make a comment on the internal wrangling's of a country , the comments are sent each evening on the scrambled electronic system back to their elected head of state, in this case the President or foreign Affairs department, sure would be interesting to read some of the comments especially from the five spying eye's

Ok so I guess we have to wait for Wikileaks to get the real story. I have

read those leaked comments from the previous ambassador a few years

ago, it certainly made for some amazing reading to say the least......

[starkey_rich]

Not like an American .

Not giving their opinion on anything.

[JRSoul]

That she spat on the ground before answering could be construed to have meaning.

[Briggsy]

The Ambassador knows that Thailand will remain a strategic ally of the US despite the see-saws of power between the political parties backed by the rural vote on one hand and the military - civil service nexus - business nexus on the other.

The Ambassador knows Thais do not react well to public criticism.

The Ambassador knows that Thais love to gossip behind closed doors.

The Ambassador wisely avoids public comment.

Well done, Ambassador.

[Gulfsailor]

How odd not to give a comment, as her very existence is based upon the

relationship between Thailand and the United States. This relationship

could be radically affected by a change of governments here. Guess she

wants to sit on the fence and see who wins...... For me, no comment

is in effect a type of comment.

Make a comment, and immediately alienate an entire political party and their supporters?

Get real!

I said comment, not take sides....... In the past, the United States has been

more than happy to take sides with rebel fighters against a dictator, and give

aid as well. Just take a look at what happened in the middle east in countries like Libya. So clearly the situation here in Thailand is not quite so easy to see. But I am also sure that the United States has a favorite horse in the race, they are just not saying who it is........

It's pretty easy to see which horse their favorite is. It's the horse allowing a US naval base in Thailand.

[Stan7444]

How odd not to give a comment, as her very existence is based upon the

relationship between Thailand and the United States. This relationship

could be radically affected by a change of governments here. Guess she

wants to sit on the fence and see who wins...... For me, no comment

is in effect a type of comment.

Quite frankly as a US citizen I believe she did the exact correct think and the US should keep their bloody noses out of different country's internal politics unless invited to the table. Her prior comments, although probably well intentioned, resulted in demonstrations in front of the US Embassy which is never a good thing to occur. Hope she keeps this "neutral" position in the future since comments from the Embassy officially represent the position of the US government. Let the UN or other "invited" parties work on a solution together.

[Fookhaht]

Not like an American .

Not giving their opinion on anything.

There you go.

Not just anyone can be an ambassador.

Especially those who may have a tendency to make snap judgements which are ethnocentric in nature.

[54321]

it should be about truth and nothing else. if an ambassador feels unable to commment they should not be in a position to comment

How odd not to give a comment, as her very existence is based upon the
relationship between Thailand and the United States. This relationship
could be radically affected by a change of governments here. Guess she
wants to sit on the fence and see who wins...... For me, no comment
is in effect a type of comment.

Make a comment, and immediately alienate an entire political party and their supporters?

Get real!

[bigbamboo]

How odd not to give a comment, as her very existence is based upon the

relationship between Thailand and the United States. This relationship

could be radically affected by a change of governments here. Guess she

wants to sit on the fence and see who wins...... For me, no comment

is in effect a type of comment.

Could be. The most obvious response would have been to trot out the usual American line about the rule of law, democracy etc., but she didn't. This could mean she's taking the traditional Swiss approach (wait and see who's winning before deciding who to support) or perhaps Michelle's had a word in hubby's presidential ear.

Or maybe she's just as fed up with the political kindergarten here as the rest of us.

[TVGerry]

Americans have read the tea leaves and they don't know whether the Shinawatras will make it through this mess or whether Thailand will see a new government. Whatever the case is, better keep quiet now then praise the clear winner later.

[Jingthing]

I don't think either side well represents the best ideals of American political values, so not indicating support to EITHER side is something I absolutely support! Thank you, Ambassador. Yes, the U.S. shows clear support to one side in internal conflicts SOMETIMES, but it's a case by case.

[LomSak27]

So the ambassador is supposed to make a comment everytime she goes to the bathroom, carpark or National Park ?!

all the comments have already been made.

[nong38]

Although difficult it always best not to get involved in local affairs, you show your hand and maybe to the wrong people.

[moonao]

Last time they made a political comment (in support of elections I believe) a yellow buffulo herd stampeded outside the embassy.

Can't really blame them for not commenting. If comments need to be made, do it through a different channel.

[Thait Spot]

Last time they made a political comment (in support of elections I believe) a yellow buffulo herd stampeded outside the embassy.

Can't really blame them for not commenting. If comments need to be made, do it through a different channel.

BlueSky is best

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