US envoys call off trip to Isaan

[webfact]

US envoys call off trip
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- US DIPLOMATS in Thailand have called off their plan to meet political groups in the northeastern region following reports that the Prayut government is uneasy about the move, Pheu Thai Party sources said yesterday.

The US embassy officials had scheduled to meet not only the red shirts but other village groups to gather opinions in the northeast last weekend. Such activity was not unprecedented, as the US embassy staff under then US ambassador to Thailand Kristie Kenney had also made visits there during her term, the source said.

Former Pheu Thai Party MPs said the MPs and red-shirt leaders had been warned by security officials against giving press interviews that cast a bad light on the government and the National Council for Peace and Order.

"We are ready to comply with the order for the sake of peace in the country. Our words have fallen on deaf ears [anyway] because the NCPO says it has its own road map for democracy,'' he said.

National Reform Council members can present their opinions and points of view to the US representatives on a personal basis - but not as NRC members, legal and justice reform chairman Seri Suwanpanont said yesterday.

Seri was referring to some NRC members seeking to gather signatures in protest against US Assistant Secretary of State for East Asia Daniel Russel's call for Thailand to lift martial law and remark that the impeachment of ex-PM Yingluck Shinawatra was politically motivated. Some reformers believed the remarks interfered in Thailand's internal affairs.

Seri said the NRC members had the right to express their opinions - but the council did not have a role in foreign relations. Although he personally supported the protest, he called on members wanting to express their views to do so on personal basis only.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/politics/US-envoys-call-off-trip-30253156.html


-- The Nation 2015-02-02

[Dannyboy666]

Great News...

[siampolee]

To be truthful the very act of meeting with the Red Shirt leadership smacks of American subterfuge in another sovereign states affairs, the American involvement in installing their brand of ''democracy'' around the world has been somewhat spectacular in its results with enormous death tolls immense collateral damage and an upsurge in terrorism in general.

The C.I.A. track record over the years exposes the fact that the powers that be in that organisation are intent on destroying any country or anyone who disagrees with their aims.

The involvement of the C.I.A.In the Indo China region alone since the 1950's has indeed been a disaster for those nations that the C.I.A leprous hands touched.Let alone the rest of the world

Perhaps if those Americans intent on bringing ''democracy'' as they view it to other sovereign states actually looked inward at their own nation they may well find that their own house is in need of massive repairs before starting on other sovereign states issues.

Beware the industrial military complex

[Chang_paarp]

The Thai government tells the world that the US does not understand Thailand and the Thai people, but when they go out to meet a range of people who are not just government spokespersons the government gets all upset.

Thainess at it's best.

[ExPratt]

I would say that the US is fully aware that if and when any kind of real democracy returns , they won't be dealing with the people who are in office now.

I don't recall a big hoo ha from the Junta when Thaksin and Yingluck had a meeting with Chinese a few months ago , P-Man went over there a week later

[rakman]

To be truthful the very act of meeting with the Red Shirt leadership smacks of American subterfuge in another sovereign states affairs, the American involvement in installing their brand of ''democracy'' around the world has been somewhat spectacular in its results with enormous death tolls immense collateral damage and an upsurge in terrorism in general.

The C.I.A. track record over the years exposes the fact that the powers that be in that organisation are intent on destroying any country or anyone who disagrees with their aims.

The involvement of the C.I.A.In the Indo China region alone since the 1950's has indeed been a disaster for those nations that the C.I.A leprous hands touched.Let alone the rest of the world

Perhaps if those Americans intent on bringing ''democracy'' as they view it to other sovereign states actually looked inward at their own nation they may well find that their own house is in need of massive repairs before starting on other sovereign states issues.

Beware the industrial military complex

It was more likely the ACORN or SEIU reps making the trip. Don't discount the capability of a community organizer.

[Somtamnication]

WOW! The yanks are listening, for a change!

[h90]

To be truthful the very act of meeting with the Red Shirt leadership smacks of American subterfuge in another sovereign states affairs, the American involvement in installing their brand of ''democracy'' around the world has been somewhat spectacular in its results with enormous death tolls immense collateral damage and an upsurge in terrorism in general.

The C.I.A. track record over the years exposes the fact that the powers that be in that organisation are intent on destroying any country or anyone who disagrees with their aims.

The involvement of the C.I.A.In the Indo China region alone since the 1950's has indeed been a disaster for those nations that the C.I.A leprous hands touched.Let alone the rest of the world

Perhaps if those Americans intent on bringing ''democracy'' as they view it to other sovereign states actually looked inward at their own nation they may well find that their own house is in need of massive repairs before starting on other sovereign states issues.

Beware the industrial military complex

Well, their brand of Democracy?

Mubarak

Saddam

Pinochet

Pol Pot

Saudi Arabia

They only insist on Democracy if they don't like the current government. If the current government is fully supporting them they don't care about democracy.

[chainarong]

The US and it's allies should re-think their position on Thailand and weigh up the pluses and minuses , with the advent of the inclusion of the Chinese in Cobra even if in a small way, never the less China now has a foot in the door, old traditions and rules no longer apply, a new realistic strategic plan needs to be adopted fella's.

[chainarong]

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

To be truthful the very act of meeting with the Red Shirt leadership smacks of American subterfuge in another sovereign states affairs, the American involvement in installing their brand of ''democracy'' around the world has been somewhat spectacular in its results with enormous death tolls immense collateral damage and an upsurge in terrorism in general.

The C.I.A. track record over the years exposes the fact that the powers that be in that organisation are intent on destroying any country or anyone who disagrees with their aims.

The involvement of the C.I.A.In the Indo China region alone since the 1950's has indeed been a disaster for those nations that the C.I.A leprous hands touched.Let alone the rest of the world

Perhaps if those Americans intent on bringing ''democracy'' as they view it to other sovereign states actually looked inward at their own nation they may well find that their own house is in need of massive repairs before starting on other sovereign states issues.

Beware the industrial military complex

Well, their brand of Democracy?

Mubarak

Saddam

Pinochet

Pol Pot

Saudi Arabia

They only insist on Democracy if they don't like the current government. If the current government is fully supporting them they don't care about democracy.

You make a valid point , however which do you prefer as a friend , totalitarian Communist China or the US, your call, it's a free world even though if you are in Thailand if you have to weigh up where the free part actually start. have a good week..

[CarnegieJoe]

The Thai government tells the world that the US does not understand Thailand and the Thai people, but when they go out to meet a range of people who are not just government spokespersons the government gets all upset.

Thainess at it's best.

It is a good way to get a real understanding of Thailand and her people by getting out and mixing with people from all social demographics of the country. You will never get an understanding and have absolutely no idea if you just speak to one person or read about it in the papers. The U.S needs to get out amongst the real people and educate themselves.

[yellowboat]

"Former Pheu Thai Party MPs said the MPs and red-shirt leaders had been warned by security officials against giving press interviews that cast a bad light on the government and the National Council for Peace and Order."

What casts a bad light on the government is that it got where it is by force, and it is scared of its population speaking out.

[CarnegieJoe]

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

To be truthful the very act of meeting with the Red Shirt leadership smacks of American subterfuge in another sovereign states affairs, the American involvement in installing their brand of ''democracy'' around the world has been somewhat spectacular in its results with enormous death tolls immense collateral damage and an upsurge in terrorism in general.

The C.I.A. track record over the years exposes the fact that the powers that be in that organisation are intent on destroying any country or anyone who disagrees with their aims.

The involvement of the C.I.A.In the Indo China region alone since the 1950's has indeed been a disaster for those nations that the C.I.A leprous hands touched.Let alone the rest of the world

Perhaps if those Americans intent on bringing ''democracy'' as they view it to other sovereign states actually looked inward at their own nation they may well find that their own house is in need of massive repairs before starting on other sovereign states issues.

Beware the industrial military complex

Well, their brand of Democracy?

Mubarak

Saddam

Pinochet

Pol Pot

Saudi Arabia

They only insist on Democracy if they don't like the current government. If the current government is fully supporting them they don't care about democracy.

You make a valid point , however which do you prefer as a friend , totalitarian Communist China or the US, your call, it's a free world even though if you are in Thailand if you have to weigh up where the free part actually start. have a good week..

Australia has both as friends. They rely on the U.S as allies and China is there biggest trading partner. They rode out the last economic crisis on the back of China and mining.

[marinediscoking]

The US and it's allies should re-think their position on Thailand and weigh up the pluses and minuses , with the advent of the inclusion of the Chinese in Cobra even if in a small way, never the less China now has a foot in the door, old traditions and rules no longer apply, a new realistic strategic plan needs to be adopted fella's.

Yes china please come in take the place of a long ally and mutual relationship with the USA. See how that works out after a few years, With the cold war over and the focus on the middle east what is the strategic interest now in Thailand for the USA?

I think the Philippine congress tried this and now there is an island being build off their coast with Chinese airplanes going to land on it soon. Now all of the sudden they want someone to stand up to china?

I would think that a military man like Prayut would understand the long game better. This should tell you if he really cares about the future of Thailand and the Thai people.

[rubl]

""We are ready to comply with the order for the sake of peace in the country. Our words have fallen on deaf ears [anyway] because the NCPO says it has its own road map for democracy,'' he said."

Interesting remark from a Pheu Thai former MP. Especially since their first stance was non-obstruction by non-cooperation, followed by passive letting things be. Almost as if he had expected that those statements would be seem for what they meant, political positioning only.

[Lee4Life]

To be truthful the very act of meeting with the Red Shirt leadership smacks of American subterfuge in another sovereign states affairs, the American involvement in installing their brand of ''democracy'' around the world has been somewhat spectacular in its results with enormous death tolls immense collateral damage and an upsurge in terrorism in general.

The C.I.A. track record over the years exposes the fact that the powers that be in that organisation are intent on destroying any country or anyone who disagrees with their aims.

The involvement of the C.I.A.In the Indo China region alone since the 1950's has indeed been a disaster for those nations that the C.I.A leprous hands touched.Let alone the rest of the world

Perhaps if those Americans intent on bringing ''democracy'' as they view it to other sovereign states actually looked inward at their own nation they may well find that their own house is in need of massive repairs before starting on other sovereign states issues.

Beware the industrial military complex

The CIA didn't advertise it's meetings as far as I can recall.

[Rumble]

The Thai government tells the world that the US does not understand Thailand and the Thai people, but when they go out to meet a range of people who are not just government spokespersons the government gets all upset.

Thainess at it's best.

Now just guess what would happen if we sent envoys all over the US to meet with all the opposition.

[binjalin]

The Thai government tells the world that the US does not understand Thailand and the Thai people, but when they go out to meet a range of people who are not just government spokespersons the government gets all upset.

Thainess at it's best.

Now just guess what would happen if we sent envoys all over the US to meet with all the opposition.

I don't think the US government would have a problem with anyone speaking with Republicans and Democrats. The point is there is now NO freedom of speech here.

[CarnegieJoe]

The Thai government tells the world that the US does not understand Thailand and the Thai people, but when they go out to meet a range of people who are not just government spokespersons the government gets all upset.

Thainess at it's best.

Now just guess what would happen if we sent envoys all over the US to meet with all the opposition.

The opposition in Australia speaks to who ever they want and there aren't any restrictions on what they can and can't say or do.

[mebkk]

The Thai government tells the world that the US does not understand Thailand and the Thai people, but when they go out to meet a range of people who are not just government spokespersons the government gets all upset.

Thainess at it's best.

The US Government does not NEED to understand Thailand and the Thai People. It's NONE of their business to intervene not take sides. They don't do it for people of Thailand, they only do it or their own interests. They keep pushing their nose into sovereign countries' affairs never for the benefit of the local people but only for their own.

None of their attempts to "help" any nation has ever really helped the people. Most often it only made things much much worse

[lovetotravel]

To be truthful the very act of meeting with the Red Shirt leadership smacks of American subterfuge in another sovereign states affairs, the American involvement in installing their brand of ''democracy'' around the world has been somewhat spectacular in its results with enormous death tolls immense collateral damage and an upsurge in terrorism in general.

The C.I.A. track record over the years exposes the fact that the powers that be in that organisation are intent on destroying any country or anyone who disagrees with their aims.

The involvement of the C.I.A.In the Indo China region alone since the 1950's has indeed been a disaster for those nations that the C.I.A leprous hands touched.Let alone the rest of the world

Perhaps if those Americans intent on bringing ''democracy'' as they view it to other sovereign states actually looked inward at their own nation they may well find that their own house is in need of massive repairs before starting on other sovereign states issues.

Beware the industrial military complex

Well, their brand of Democracy?

Mubarak

Saddam

Pinochet

Pol Pot

Saudi Arabia

They only insist on Democracy if they don't like the current government. If the current government is fully supporting them they don't care about democracy.

And how is that different from almost any other Western country????

[ALLSEEINGEYE]

The US has NO business at all stirring up the red menace. Mind your own business USA!!!!

Just goes to show that they don't really care about a countries stability and tells me that they had Taksin in their back pocket and that they don't mind supporting a tyrant that was responsible for thousands of crimes against humanity and extrajudicial killings. As long as USA can make more money then go ahead.

[oneday]

I knew America wasn't liked all that much around the world from reading TV for a number of years. I know the bad things our country has done, but it amazes me that so many people must think their country has never done anything wrong towards another country, otherwise they wouldn't be throwing stone at the US.

I'd love to see these...humm...US dissenters...start signing their comments with the country they are from so we can all start to research there countries to see how we can do things better, because all these people certainly must believe their countries are as clean as a new born baby's butt with respect to their foreign relations.

Every country on this planet has their problems, their faults, their good traits and their bad traits. And yes, the US has certainly done things I am not proud of. On the other hand, I'm sure every country on this planet has things they have done which their people are not proud of. Rather than putting the US down, maybe all these wonderful people should start comparing their country to the US, point-by-point, so we can all transparently see how much better their country is and so we can improve ourselves.

And BTW, don't compare a small country, that wouldn't dare take on the big boys with nuclear weapons, huge populations and less than democratic governments, with what the US has to contend with. Not all countries are created equal and so their interactions with the international community are necessarily going to take a far different format than a smaller country.

All the US has done in Thailand is express an opinion and talk to people. If this is a threat then I guess those people whose feelings have been threaten must be on pretty shaky ground and don't really have the support of the majority of their citizens; at least not the support they'd like to believe they have.

For simple minds the world is a simplistic place, but that is not the world we live in. We live in a dangerous world with a growing population of terrorists around every corner and a very large country, which could arguably be the most powerful country in the world; a country with the largest population on earth, starting to show a willingness to fight for lands it claims belong to them; a country that, in my opinion, would love to rule the entire planet, a country that will take over Thailand as a new province if Thailand keeps getting cozy with them.

If all these people who think the US is so bad, want to let the terrorists roam free to do as they will, if all these people who hate the US want to let countries which have territorial acquisition aspirations do as they will with no constraints, if all these people who think they can sit back and take a passive roll in the world want to let dictators, mass murders and despotic governments continue to function unabated, then by all means let the US fade into the woodwork never to be heard from again. When something bad happens to your country go ahead and turn your cheek, then watch as the other cheek gets brutally ripped off by a bigger country that has nothing and on one to hold them back.

[WhizBang]

<snjp>

They only insist on Democracy if they don't like the current government. If the current government is fully supporting them they don't care about democracy.

Unfortunately, that is all too true. The USA only does things that are in the interests of the USA, including supporting absolute dictators when they deem it in their best interests.

So, the USA's cries for democracy always ring hollow to me.

[wilcopops]

Well firstly it rattled the government...secondly it shows that there is an opposition and it is feared.

Announcing they are calling off the visit is almost as powerful as making the visit.

[wilcopops]

The US has NO business at all stirring up the red menace. Mind your own business USA!!!!

Just goes to show that they don't really care about a countries stability and tells me that they had Taksin in their back pocket and that they don't mind supporting a tyrant that was responsible for thousands of crimes against humanity and extrajudicial killings. As long as USA can make more money then go ahead.

"Red menace" ??? You'll be calling them "commies" next.

I find it sad when I see that some people still are so shortsighted as to be taken in by the Takhsin "boogie man" idea. If you think that is what this is all aboutbyou really need to get some of that "attitude adjustment" the govt is handing out.

Edited February 2, 2015 by wilcopops

[Anthony5]

I would say that the US is fully aware that if and when any kind of real democracy returns , they won't be dealing with the people who are in office now.

I don't recall a big hoo ha from the Junta when Thaksin and Yingluck had a meeting with Chinese a few months ago , P-Man went over there a week later

There is a huge difference between the opposition visiting a foreign government in that particular country, and a foreign government visiting the opposition in their country.

This sounds more like CIA tactics. What's the next? US providing weapons to the red shirts?

[MobileContent]

To be truthful the very act of meeting with the Red Shirt leadership smacks of American subterfuge in another sovereign states affairs, the American involvement in installing their brand of ''democracy'' around the world has been somewhat spectacular in its results with enormous death tolls immense collateral damage and an upsurge in terrorism in general.

The C.I.A. track record over the years exposes the fact that the powers that be in that organisation are intent on destroying any country or anyone who disagrees with their aims.

The involvement of the C.I.A.In the Indo China region alone since the 1950's has indeed been a disaster for those nations that the C.I.A leprous hands touched.Let alone the rest of the world

Perhaps if those Americans intent on bringing ''democracy'' as they view it to other sovereign states actually looked inward at their own nation they may well find that their own house is in need of massive repairs before starting on other sovereign states issues.

Beware the industrial military complex

+1 You are absolute right but Thailand was a supporter of the US war in Indochina until the very last end.

[binjalin]

The US has NO business at all stirring up the red menace. Mind your own business USA!!!!

Just goes to show that they don't really care about a countries stability and tells me that they had Taksin in their back pocket and that they don't mind supporting a tyrant that was responsible for thousands of crimes against humanity and extrajudicial killings. As long as USA can make more money then go ahead.

"Red menace" ??? You'll be calling them "commies" next.

I find it sad when I see that some people still are so shortsighted as to be taken in by the Takhsin "boogie man" idea. If you think that is what this is all aboutbyou really need to get some of that "attitude adjustment" the govt is handing out.

exactly as none of this is to do with Thaksin, reds, rice or corruption making most threads on TVF non-events as we cannot discuss the real reasons

[NextStationBangkok]

Thailand will not be afraid of US, because most productions are for Japanese companies. Japanese prefer not to work with China and Korea, and that make windfall profits for Thailand by using cheap migrant labors from Cambodia and Myanmar. Only method for US to put economic sanctions, that will limit Thailand exports to Europe and US. They will rock the food price market in Thailand will bring them to democracy. With 32.5/$ and when oil price is $50 US cannot do anything except keep mouth closed or keep begging Thailand for elections.