Foreigners urged to convey 'better understanding' of Thai politics

[webfact]

AFTER COUP
Foreigners urged to convey 'better understanding' of Thai politics
Erich Parpart
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The Foreign Ministry yesterday urged foreign business representatives to help give their respective governments a better understanding of the political developments in the Kingdom.

The ministry's permanent secretary, Sihasak Phuangketkeow, had a working lunch with representatives of foreign chambers of commerce to ensure them that the junta really cares about foreign trade and investment.

Many of them have been living and working in Thailand for a long time, so they understand the situation better than most and could help convey correct information to their countries, he said.

Foreign business representatives mostly are confident in the political stability brought by the military after the May 22 coup, he said.

"They certainly want Thailand to move forward to democracy but stability and consistent policy are much more important for doing business," he said.

The ruling National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) is adjusting many economic policies and is ready to listen to opinions and views from the foreign business community, he said.

Concern about outdated laws

But, some foreign business people had raised concerns about outdated laws and regulations that could cause difficulties for them, Sihasak said.

Business visas, work permits and the development of facilities and infrastructure were important for foreigners doing business in Thailand, he said.

Meanwhile, Stanley Kang, chairman of the Joint Foreign Chambers of Commerce in Thailand (JFCCT), said there was more stability in the country from the increased rule of law, which helped facilitate investment. The JFCCT is preparing proposals to be presented to the NCPO within the next two weeks, he said.

He added that he had been doing business in Thailand for a long time and now felt that the tangible increase in the enforcement of the law had provided the country with greater stability and should help facilitate the investment environment.

"The things that the private sector has been giving importance to are Thailand's readiness to enter the Asean Economic Community, because the country has the potential and ability to be one of the leaders in the region. What is needed is the increase of skilled workers that is needed for the expected increase of investment opportunities from the launching of the AEC," he said.

Kang said the private sector had a role to play in terms of creating skilled labour for the country via the promotion of education and vocational studies for workers who lack certain skills that are needed. The JFCCT also welcomed the NCPO policy to legally register unskilled migrant workers.

He said the private sector was experiencing problems in getting visas and work permits for migrant workers and wanted the process to be faster. The JFCCT also wants the NCPO to support the service industries and to aid recovery of the tourism industry, which has slowed because of the political upheaval early in the year.

Members of the JFCCT include chambers of commerce from Europe, North America and Asian countries.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/politics/Foreigners-urged-to-convey-better-understanding-of-30238599.html


-- The Nation 2014-07-16

[terryp]

i think they know already that the full political system in thailand is corrupt

[siampolee]

So who is going to be the expert mind reading clairvoyant in this campaign one must ask?

Thailand needs to realise this is 21st century and as such the Thai's need to understand that this country has to move wiith the rest of the world if it wishes to develop further.

Those protectionist business practices will throttle Thai business entities and the outdated antquated laws that sit on the statute book and have been reactivated are in the majority of cases detrimental to Thailand in the long term.I do not include the current visa matters in this matter though.

An updated education scheme which educates as opposed to indoctrinates along with the understanding of work ethics, that course of action will though be some time ere it bears fruit if ever.

With all due respect though, I would suggest that Stanley Kang takes a long hard look at the realities of conducting business in Thailand along perhaps with a break from his daily toil which indeed seems to have distorted his view on the realities of business activities in Thailand.

However the most amusing statement is that the Thai 's wish those ''foreigners'' who don't understand Thainess and in the Thai mind present a threat to the Thainess of the country to present the Thai case.

Edited July 15, 2014 by siampolee

[zaphod reborn]

I tried but the US government is as hopeless as the Thai political system.

Sent from my GT-N7100 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[angsta]

Democracy through dictatorship.

Am I missing something?

[ChrisY1]

Is this to be a free service of foreign business people to advise their respective governments of Thai politics.....surely an "incentive" would be apt.....after all...isn't that how things are usually run here?

[kurnell]

I'm doing my bit. I tell everyone down at the pub that the Thai junta is doing a good job.

[Somtamnication]

So they are relying on foreign business people to explain to their countrymen how Thai politics work? Thais cannot explain it to themselves, much less the rest of the world. What a joke.

[noitom]

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So they are relying on foreign business people to explain to their countrymen how Thai politics work? alt=w00t.gif> Thais cannot explain it to themselves, much less the rest of the world. What a joke. alt=coffee1.gif width=32 height=24>

Good one!

[chainarong]

What is there to understand , that Thai politician's are thin skinned , don't carry out risk assessments on projects , mouth off on subjects not in their portfolios , cannot stand criticism , corruption and underhanded dealings, generalise too much and talk out of school, vote buying and money seems to dictate who stands in parliament. Unfortunately more of the same to follow shortly. Siampolee sums up the rest .

[Songhua]

Trying not to imagine a meeting between Julie Bishop and an Australian bar owner.

[Payboy]

I'm saying nothing to my government until I'm given the full Rachada treatment.

[englishoak]

So who is going to be the expert mind reading clairvoyant in this campaign one must ask?

Thailand needs to realise this is 21st century and as such the Thai's need to understand that this country has to move wiith the rest of the world if it wishes to develop further.

Those protectionist business practices will throttle Thai business entities and the outdated antquated laws that sit on the statute book and have been reactivated are in the majority of cases detrimental to Thailand in the long term.I do not include the current visa matters in this matter though.

An updated education scheme which educates as opposed to indoctrinates along with the understanding of work ethics, that course of action will though be some time ere it bears fruit if ever.

With all due respect though, I would suggest that Stanley Kang takes a long hard look at the realities of conducting business in Thailand along perhaps with a break from his daily toil which indeed seems to have distorted his view on the realities of business activities in Thailand.

However the most amusing statement is that the Thai 's wish those ''foreigners'' who don't understand Thainess and in the Thai mind present a threat to the Thainess of the country to present the Thai case.

Very well summed up.

[chooka]

It is not up to foreign businesses to spread the propaganda. They are quite capable of forming their own opinions and to tell it as they really see it.

[jcisco]

I formulated a post of some length to reply to the OP, and decided to delete it. frack it....

How to explain to the world that thailand has a weak police force, that fails to protect the people and the peace and uphold the laws fo the nation, leading to an open door policy with the Army to step in..... It will happen again and again and again, so get used to, and understand its not a coup its a hostile takeover of upper management.

I wish everyone all the best in this hostile job market

[ezzra]

We the foreigners in this country are treated pretty much like a second class citizens,

so what different is what we "convey" and to whom and where? no Thai official listen

to us any way,

and beside, the day Thai people will understand what is REALLY going on in their own politics

than they can ask as the Mai Ru Liang class (don't understand) to "understand...

[HiSoLowSoNoSo]

Just hope they don't send those foreign business representatives to re-education camps, where they are told why the Thais can't govern themselves in a democratic way?

[willyumiii]

My country,U.S.A. only supports countries that are a democracy. Thailand is not currently a democracy.

The U.S.A does not support any country that permits slavery. Thailand permits slavery.

What's left to explain?

Oh yeah...come to Thailand and spend your money...but good luck getting a visa!!!!!!!!!!!!

[HiSoLowSoNoSo]

My country,U.S.A. only supports countries that are a democracy. Thailand is not currently a democracy.

The U.S.A does not support any country that permits slavery. Thailand permits slavery.

What's left to explain?

Oh yeah...come to Thailand and spend your money...but good luck getting a visa!!!!!!!!!!!!

They will sell them a visa but getting in at the border is another thing

[gemini81]

Some of us reverted to trying not to understand it; ignorance is bliss in this case, haha.

[taony]

They are encouraging businesses to talk about Thailand more - they don't realize it won't be good press, so they are just defeating themselves.

[JesseFrank]

I thought I saw a few news items earlier where was said that the US and EU together with all the others understood already

[toybits]

I believe those foreign business representatives already KNOW and have a good understanding of the situation in Thailand and are conveying their OPINION back to their respective home bases. What is probably missing is that the local AUTHORITIES are the ones who do not understand this and insist on putting square pegs into round holes. These Thai Authorities should realize that what is bad for Thailand is good for its neighbors. Myanmar (ha ha), Cambodia, Laos (ha ha), Vietnam, the Philippines. The longer they sit on their hands, the happier these other countries will be. Thailand's loss is their gain.

[Hawk]

A better understanding of corruption?

A better understanding of the fact that Thailand is no longer a democracy.

A better understanding of the fact that one can no longer speak one's thoughts openly.

[JohnBlake]

My country,U.S.A. only supports countries that are a democracy. Thailand is not currently a democracy.

The U.S.A does not support any country that permits slavery. Thailand permits slavery.

What's left to explain?

Oh yeah...come to Thailand and spend your money...but good luck getting a visa!!!!!!!!!!!!

thanks for explaining that

now i understand why things are the way they are in the good old democratic u.s.of a

btw...my money seems to last longer here

[jonclark]

An utterly impossible demand

Foreigners don't understand Thainess.

Isn't that right?

[JohnBlake]

My country,U.S.A. only supports countries that are a democracy. Thailand is not currently a democracy.

The U.S.A does not support any country that permits slavery. Thailand permits slavery.

What's left to explain?

Oh yeah...come to Thailand and spend your money...but good luck getting a visa!!!!!!!!!!!!

thanks for explaining it so simplely

now i understand why u.s.a. does not support itself

yeah...and my money seems to last longer here

[bushwacker]

"We urge you to convey a better understanding and help us, or else ....."

[soalbundy]

Explained in one word, MONEY.

[klauskunkel]

The Foreign Ministry yesterday urged foreign business representatives to help give their respective governments a better understanding of the political developments in the Kingdom.

So, what's the current rate for a government PR consultant?

Are we are supposed to do it for free, from the goodness of our pink hearts? You get what you pay for.