US statement 'wounded' Thailand, Deputy Foreign Minister says

[Thaiready]

Costas, you do seem to like Junta's very much, maybe it seems to mirror so much of Greece's history.

As I seem to recall the Greek generals justified their coup, 'to save the nation'"Ethnosotirios Epanastasis"

I am assuming that you would also have had had some stern words to condemn any nation that had dared to criticize or even mildly rebuke that 'saving the nation' coup?

In fact after this weekend, maybe it's time for another coup to save the Greek nation??

took the words from my mouth.....++++1

[TomJoad]

He implied during an address at Chulalongkorn University that the impeachment of Yingluck was "politically driven".

So was the impeachment of Bill Clinton by the Republicans in the 1990's.

[whatawonderfulday]

Yes well the Dear Leader never did like to hear the truth, even when he only actually understood 0.1% of what was being said as it was in English

[JAG]

Daniel Russel is a diplomatic novice and doesn't have clue as to what he did. He needs to be recalled by the US. He has no real diplomatic experience, and was only a staffer before being appointed by Obama in July 2013. Enough - get rid of him.

Well for a diplomatic novice he seems to have done a cracking job in putting across his countries and its administrations point of view!

Are you sure you are not confusing distaste for the messager with distaste for the message, ( or even dare I mention it for the not entirely Caucasian chap who sent the message)?

Edited January 28, 2015 by JAG

[Baerboxer]

"Don said Murphy was "invited" to the meeting as Bangkok wanted to explain the facts of the political situations in Thailand."

Attitude adjustment? Tin Pots...

"Instead of taking opportunity to say something good particularly the promotion of good bilateral relations, he (Russel) talked about domestic politics..."

Well, that backfired didn't it Don? Read the news outside Thailand much?

"When an elected leader is deposed, impeached by the authorities that implemented the coup,

and then targeted with criminal charges while basic democratic processes and institutions are interrupted,

the international community is left with the impression that these steps could be politically driven".

BTW Don, that's news.

Uncle Too must be steaming!

Buck up boys. It's just starting.

Your honeymoon is over.

"the impression that these steps could be politically driven"

And this impression will be fueled and fanned for all it's worth by the Thaksin PR machine. All facts and evidence will be ignores, questions remain unanswered, all emphasis will be on political motivation, illegal coup, Yingluck was elected etc etc.

The American's words are very clear - "impression and could be" not are and most definitely are. Maybe he was trying to tip the current government off as to how others might perceive this and how some others might exploit it with clever PR.

Maybe he wasn't being as negative as they've interpreted it. His words could have been a lot harsher, and a lot blunter.

[Fat Haggis]

Thais need to stop feeling butt hurt just because the outside world doesn't share the Junta happy happy Utopian views

[brucec64]

Deputy Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai said the statements made by US Assistant Secretary of State Daniel Russel during his visit in Bangkok had caused "wounds" to Thais.

Sometimes the truth hurts.

Maybe if he looked at the facts (relating to the extensive damage Yingluck has done) and tried to understand the actual situation in Thailand - and stopped reading his manual of US governance and how to inflict it on other nations then he might come to a different and more informed conclusion as to why it was necessary to bring peace and stability to the Kingdom by turfing her out and impeaching her for her costly, reckless and incompetent governance.

I am sure that the US State Department, with several hundred people on the ground here, access to high level government officials, and whatever "other" information they have access to, have a fuller understanding of the situation here than you, or I, or even a majority of the Thai people have.

Or do you, sitting on bar stool in Nackon Nowhere, reading Thaivisa, somehow have a deeper understanding of the situation?

[anon467367354]

The US suspended $4.7 million in security-related aid to Thailand, roughly half of its annual assistance to the kingdom, following the coup.

Why does Thailand need this in the first place?

[emilymat]

I declare that if I had just landed from Mars I would be thinking this country is now being run by a group of spoilt children.

Summoning officials to early morning meetings over a reasonable statement by a US official is merely going to demonstrate the complete lack of diplomatic understanding by this countries current leaders regarding the protocol that should exist between civilised nations.

[CiaranO]

I guess the problem here the Junta thought the US was going to tell them how great they have been or better yet the Junta didnt get the chance to para-phrase him and tell the story via their media machine - "The US think we are fantastic".

The truth hurts and unfortunately for Thailand they should get more comfortable with these words as long as they do not restore democracy to Thailand.

[mrmicbkktxl]

Deputy Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai said the statements made by US Assistant Secretary of State Daniel Russel during his visit in Bangkok had caused "wounds" to Thais.

Sometimes the truth hurts.

What truth? The USAs? The only truth they know is the one they give to you. They should never have commented on another countries internal affairs without expecting some kind of reply like this. They should never have gone to YL or Abhisit thinking they could get the truth or even an un-opinionated reply. Especially YL who thinks she is the Democratic Queen of Thailand and that everything she did was OK because she was voted (hehee) into her position. I can just imagine their meeting with her crocodile tears saying they are after her and she did nothing wrong and blaming everyone else. The US should stick their noses up their own bu--- about internal matters and talk to Thailand only about international matters.

"When an elected leader is deposed, impeached by the authorities that implemented the coup, and then targeted with criminal charges while basic democratic processes and institutions are interrupted, the international community is left with the impression that these steps could be politically driven".

10000000% accurate,you can cry and cry and cry,but you can't change the reality,and the USA should stick their nose into Thailands internal matters as long Thailand receives development aid more.

[JomtienEats]

For goodness sake you can't expect democratic nations in the west to agree with an unelected government.

I fully expect US foreign policy to support whatever type of government they believe will be more favourable/friendly/acquiescent to US interests. In this case, they seem to think that's the populist democracy.

[elgordo38]

Deputy Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai said the statements made by US Assistant Secretary of State Daniel Russel during his visit in Bangkok had caused "wounds" to Thais.

Sometimes the truth hurts.

I hope the wound was not fatal

[CindyB]

Probably way off topic, but in the American School System we are taught to gather facts from ALL sources, compile them, compare and contrast them, and try and draw a consensus. This is how the Western mind works. To speak with Yingluk and Abhiset would have fit into the paramaters. Speaking with the current government is also necessary, along with collecting information from the "average person on the street." A statement of how the international community understands things should or should not have been said, but now everyone has the opportunity to consider how the Western mindset sees things. Asian mindset is quite different. Let's all take this as a learning opportunity and try to figure out what reality is. It means that diplomats, both Asian and Western, will have to refrain from being offended by somewhat blunt statements, but isn't that what they're supposed to do anyway? Whether we like it or not, no country on this planet is isolated from every other country.

[tbthailand]

Deputy Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai said the statements made by US Assistant Secretary of State Daniel Russel during his visit in Bangkok had caused "wounds" to Thais.

Sometimes the truth hurts.

He pointedly put the wounds on 'Thais', and not on the generals.

The comments might have wounded the generals, but the comments did not wound the Thai people.

Turning outside "threats" into boogey-men is a common tool for cant-use-the-??-word-ships... common as a hammer, really.

[martinhp]

Thailand likes to import and export to be able of that you must not only thailand live up to international rules which do not incl military goverment or lack of freedom or hunting specific groups or arrest any who dares have another wiew on things or hirer all you friends to run a country

Human rights are not thai politic and legal rights are for fairness not for being arrested or harassed

Corruption which still is on is better than corruption and military goverment

[phrisco17]

Not useful and tarnished Thailand's image.

But no denying it wasn't true!!

How do you tarnish something rusted, corroded and moldy?

[yimlitnoy]

Thaksin is an advisory member of the Carlisle Investment Group of which Georges Bush is a member. It is apparent that he has been doing some phone calls to friends in the US in support of his dangerous sister and the murderous PTP Thai regime. I wish that Mr. Russell was shown a few video of the red shirt invasion and burning of Bangkok in 2010, The martial law is there to see that no innocents are murdered again from both side, reconciliation and peace can proceed.

All of us in Thailand know very well what will happen if Martial Law is withdrawn, Are you missing the red villages, the killing with war weapons and the red bullying anyone? This was democracy at his worst under Yingluck regime. We all know that the country was going towards a civil war under Thaksin command from Dubai. If the US really wants to save democracy, to allied itself with the Shinawatra family and ask for abolition of the Martial Law will bring the opposite.

Edited January 28, 2015 by yimlitnoy

[phrisco17]

Deputy Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai said the statements made by US Assistant Secretary of State Daniel Russel during his visit in Bangkok had caused "wounds" to Thais.

Sometimes the truth hurts.

What truth? The USAs? The only truth they know is the one they give to you. They should never have commented on another countries internal affairs without expecting some kind of reply like this. They should never have gone to YL or Abhisit thinking they could get the truth or even an un-opinionated reply. Especially YL who thinks she is the Democratic Queen of Thailand and that everything she did was OK because she was voted (hehee) into her position. I can just imagine their meeting with her crocodile tears saying they are after her and she did nothing wrong and blaming everyone else. The US should stick their noses up their own bu--- about internal matters and talk to Thailand only about international matters.

Troll!!

[spidermike007]

Deputy Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai said the statements made by US Assistant Secretary of State Daniel Russel during his visit in Bangkok had caused "wounds" to Thais.

​This is really cute. Wounds are caused when a person, or a nation has very thin skin. Wounds are caused when there is an overly sensitive nature, caused by being defensive about something. Wounds are something real men do not experience, from a statement like this. Water off a ducks back baby. When there is moral authority, the wounds are not possible. So, perhaps it is sate to say this guy has no idea what he is talking about? Perhaps it is safe to say he has about as much experience, and talent, as the rest of the "administration"? As is not the case with so many others in this administration, it is not the case with this guy. I would have thought his prior experience as an ambassador to Luxembourg, Belgium, Switzerland, and the EU, might have prepared him better for this job.

[baboon]

The US suspended $4.7 million in security-related aid to Thailand, roughly half of its annual assistance to the kingdom, following the coup.

Why does Thailand need this in the first place?

They are perfectly at liberty to turn it down. It is not Thailand doing America the favour by accepting their freebies, you know..

[Benmart]

The "wounds" spoken of appear to be self-inflicted. The tarnished image my be due to repeated oxidation of the workings of governance.

[JAG]

Thaksin is an advisory member of the Carlisle Investment Group of which Georges Bush is a member. It is apparent that he has been doing some phone calls to friends in the US in support of his dangerous sister and the murderous Pouah Thai regime. I wish that Mr. Russell was shown a few video of the red shirt invasion and burning of Bangkok in 2010, The martial law is there to see that no innocents are murdered again from both side, reconciliation and peace can proceed.

All of us in Thailand know very well what will happen if Martial Law is withdrawn, Are you missing the red villages, the killing with war weapons and the red bullying anyone? This was democracy at his worst under Yingluck regime. We all know that the country was going towards a civil war under Thaksin command from Dubai.

Golly, so it's all George Bush's fault!

And I was sure it was only a new moon last night.

[phrisco17]

Daniel Russel is a diplomatic novice and doesn't have clue as to what he did. He needs to be recalled by the US. He has no real diplomatic experience, and was only a staffer before being appointed by Obama in July 2013. Enough - get rid of him.

I think by definition, resorting to shoot the messenger might well suggest that he has some credibility to what he said, n'est pas?

I don't think Russel is that naive, just conveying the message as instructed.

[Benmart]

Costas, you do seem to like Junta's very much, maybe it seems to mirror so much of Greece's history.

As I seem to recall the Greek generals justified their coup, 'to save the nation'"Ethnosotirios Epanastasis"

I am assuming that you would also have had had some stern words to condemn any nation that had dared to criticize or even mildly rebuke that 'saving the nation' coup?

In fact after this weekend, maybe it's time for another coup to save the Greek nation??

An attack to debunk a post is often more successful than an attack on the person.

[kingalfred]

Just as the USA mix with the undemocratic barbaric Saudi dictatorship. hypocrites! ignore the 250'year old childish nation.

[phrisco17]

The US suspended $4.7 million in security-related aid to Thailand, roughly half of its annual assistance to the kingdom, following the coup.

Why does Thailand need this in the first place?

Just a pimple on the a_s of the world!

[arrowsdawdle]

And if Thais start being against the USA, Americans will be very surprised..........

What have we done to them to be against us?

Sometimes you make a point. This is not one of them.

[mrmicbkktxl]

I think that actions of the current military government are improving Thailand.

The US seems to be supporting the complacency with corruption of the previous government. Could the US be involved in proliferating and supporting corruption throughout Thailand?

If the lawyer of YL gets an invitation for attitude adjustment,because he said YL's impeachment was not right,then there is something wrong in Thailand,and the USA. has all right to say something

[GinBoy2]

Costas, you do seem to like Junta's very much, maybe it seems to mirror so much of Greece's history.

As I seem to recall the Greek generals justified their coup, 'to save the nation'"Ethnosotirios Epanastasis"

I am assuming that you would also have had had some stern words to condemn any nation that had dared to criticize or even mildly rebuke that 'saving the nation' coup?

In fact after this weekend, maybe it's time for another coup to save the Greek nation??

An attack to debunk a post is often more successful than an attack on the person.

Thats an attack?

But my serious point is that we had a military coup, and certain vociferous defenders of said coup seem to conveniently forget their own recent history.

Now if we're up to debating the merits of military coups wherever those events may have occurred thats good, but at least be prepared to defend why any coup described as 'protecting the nation' is good even in your own country, and especially why any other democratic country shouldn't dare to criticize said event.