Thai PM faces protest on first outing on world stage
Milan, Italy | AFP |

MILAN: -- Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha is expected to be greeted by protests Thursday as he makes his first outing on the world stage since seizing power in a military coup in May.

The head of the junta is due in Milan for the ASEM summit of European and Asian leaders to the fury of democracy activists, who have urged the European Union to increase its pressure on the regime.

Several hundred protesters are expected to take part in a number of demonstrations in the northern Italian city, one of which will be addressed by exiled Thai academic and activist Junya Yimprasert.

"There is no sign that Prayut has any intention of allowing Thailand to return to the democratic process," Yimprasert told AFP on Wednesday.

"The EU should not have given him a visa to travel here and they should not be engaging with him. They should be telling him to restore democracy in Thailand immediately."

Prayut, 60, retired from the army at the end of last month and has said he plans to implement reforms and rid Thailand of corruption before organising elections.

The EU has been sharply critical of the military's latest intervention in Thai politics. The bloc suspended official visits to and from Thailand after the May coup and put a proposed new cooperation agreement with the Southeast Asian state on ice.

Despite the sanctions, EU governments agreed last month that there would be little point in preventing Prayut from attending the ASEM summit.


-- (c) Copyright AFP 2014-10-16

Wait 'till he travels to London one day!

He will enjoy himself in Italy, lots of like minded people around, particularly in Sicily I hear. It would be poetic justice if the good general was made an offer that he couldn't refuse. He would then learn the soul destroying feeling of sheer impotence in the face of an undeserving superior power. Mind you, should that happen he would have to quickly fire his "no mafia on tao" police chief and get to work restoring Thailand's credibility.

Maybe Q no 1 should be.

So if your not going to have a constitution until 2016 does that mean no elections in 2015 as originally stated .............. ?

He wouldn't be welcome in London.

Rid Thailand of corruption, what a joke. He just rewarded the Koh Tao police for thier activities. He is a huge supporter of corruption and getting what he wants by any means.

Rid Thailand of corruption, what a joke. He just rewarded the Koh Tao police for thier activities. He is a huge supporter of corruption and getting what he wants by any means.

I gotta eat crow on this one. I really thought this guy would bring change. It's like Obama all over again. I should've known

In LoS general ' U d' man ' but when overseas try insulting the international media, threatening to throw you lectern at a reporter or other little fits of temper and you'll cop quite a backlash.

The tactics here for keeping the media in line don't work elsewhere and you are carrying quite a bit of baggage. No doubt it will be reported locally that you were a raging hit but we do have access to the international news. If anyone actually bothers with you it might not be exactly what you expect or want.

He will run and hide from western media.

He will be the pariah at this meeting, to be avoided at all costs. Welcome to the real world Prayut!

He will run and hide from western media.

And the Thai media will report that he was loved, embraced and adored overseas.

Rid Thailand of corruption, what a joke. He just rewarded the Koh Tao police for thier activities. He is a huge supporter of corruption and getting what he wants by any means.

Yes, alas, it is all too clear now that NOTHING will change.

The objective of the coup was to oust the Shins.

The objective of reforms will be to ensure the Shins cannot return to power.

The true reforms the people want will not happen. That was never the objective.

I have generally been a supporter of the PM up to now but I must admit I am seeing a few cracks forming in his almost stellar performance - talking the talk is not the same as the walk

His "quality Tourist" remarks were very confusing and mentioning the KT murders in the same context and statement disappointing and misplaced

The lawyers of the 2x accused murder suspects should obtain DNA samples from the accused and ask the murder victims families to allow samples to be taken from the victims and carry out independent tests in the UK - Thailand would have no say in this process or it's outcome - granted it could not be submitted in the court case in Thailand but would certainly put an end to the speculation. It would be better for Thailand if the PM ordered that these tests be carried out using existing evidence samples but it seems that is never going to happen and in my opinion is a grave error

He will be the pariah at this meeting, to be avoided at all costs. Welcome to the real world Prayut!

Especially in that little Mao suit he started wearing.

italy! ah...

the country of Prada, Gucci, Armani

"I need new suits. I must look sharp in front of tv for my weekly speech"

Unlike Thailand he cannot control the media in Europe, it will not be a pleasant trip for him and it may show him just how outlawed he really is in the world. Hoiep he speaks his mind and gets castigated by the worlds press.

...does Thailand have an extradition agreement with Italy???

He will enjoy himself in Italy,

feeling of sheer impotence in the face

get to work restoring Thailand's credibility.

Ummm... he is in Italy.... impotence is not an option!

If he were a little south west, it would be omnipotence, which is not an option either

Rid Thailand of corruption, what a joke. He just rewarded the Koh Tao police for thier activities. He is a huge supporter of corruption and getting what he wants by any means.

I gotta eat crow on this one. I really thought this guy would bring change. It's like Obama all over again. I should've known

Personally I feel its still early days yet, BUT I think the litmus test is going to be revealed by the action taken (if any) re; the Koh Tao murders.

Is there a connection with this so called activist and the Shins ???? The PM has not appeared on that stage YET the headline of the topic is wrong.

EXPECTED---is different.

Anyone can stage a pre organized protest, and then make out it is going to happen before it does. Propaganda Dubai comes to mind. I see no problem with a protest as long as the protesters are clean themselves----If it has Dubai connections how dare they protest, they have warped memories.

italy! ah...

the country of Prada, Gucci, Armani

"I need new suits. I must look sharp in front of tv for my weekly speech"

He is not a collector of these items---unlike the booted out PM.

Boy, boys!!! Calm down now. Everything will be alright!!!

How's his english.

He will be the pariah at this meeting, to be avoided at all costs. Welcome to the real world Prayut!

I understand your sentiment but the reality is likely to be more prosaic.

1.He will be received politely by the heads of delegations.Thailand is a friendly country and most will believe dialogue better than confrontation - even with the Junta.As long as the Junta doesn't start killing its own people, stability is valued more than human rights.

2.There will be private pleas for an early return to democracy, elections and freedom of expression.The Junta leadership will lie through its teeth saying these too are its objectives, but time is needed.

3.There will be small protests by activists well away from the ASEM participants.

4.Photographs will be taken of Prayuth together with Barroso and other key leaders.These will have much exposure in the Thai press.They mean nothing but great significance will be placed on them by the Junta - not to mention our in house cheerleaders.

5.The Junta's spokesman will say foreign leaders now have a much better understanding of why the coup was necessary.

6.In short, nothing too significant or surprising.

Meanwhile in Thailand itself the pressure grows day by day.

How's his english.

Ummmm, "Yes. No. Hello. Good bye."???

maybe this is why the shins have been quite for some time, they already knew the pm was going to become unpopular, and thailand will be there for the taking

He will be the pariah at this meeting, to be avoided at all costs. Welcome to the real world Prayut!

I understand your sentiment but the reality is likely to be more prosaic.

1.He will be received politely by the heads of delegations.Thailand is a friendly country and most will believe dialogue better than confrontation - even with the Junta.As long as the Junta doesn't start killing its own people, stability is valued more than human rights.

2.There will be private pleas for an early return to democracy, elections and freedom of expression.The Junta leadership will lie through its teeth saying these too are its objectives, but time is needed.

3.There will be small protests by activists well away from the ASEM participants.

4.Photographs will be taken of Prayuth together with Barroso and other key leaders.These will have much exposure in the Thai press.They mean nothing but great significance will be placed on them by the Junta - not to mention our in house cheerleaders.

5.The Junta's spokesman will say foreign leaders now have a much better understanding of why the coup was necessary.

6.In short, nothing too significant or surprising.

Meanwhile in Thailand itself the pressure grows day by day.

Congratulations on a thoughtfully crafted post, with a minimum of simplistic cynicism. A rarity these days.

How's his english.

sa-peak Engrit can

He will run and hide from western media.

I agree mate. I'd love the British press pack to hound him

The man and all around him are xenophobic

xen·o·pho·bic

zenəˈfōbik,ˌzēnəˈfōbik/

adjective

1. having or showing a dislike of or prejudice against people from other countries.