US envoy pays courtesy call on Thai Foreign Minister Don

[webfact]

US envoy pays courtesy call on foreign minister Don



BANGKOK: -- US Ambassador Thailand Glyn T. Davies paid his first courtesy call on Foreign Minister Don Paramatvinai at the Foreign Ministry on Thursday after assuming his post here.

The minister, however, said that the courtesy call was a normal protocol and there was nothing special. The ambassador, he added, emphasized the good relationship between Thailand and the United States.

Both discussed the human trafficking problem in Thailand and political reforms in general, said the minister, adding that the envoy expressed confidence that Thailand would be able to resolve human trafficking problem.

Mr Davies’ appointment as the ambassador to Thailand was endorsed by the US Senate on August 5.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/us-envoy-pays-courtesy-call-on-foreign-minister-don


-- Thai PBS 2015-10-15

[lovelomsak]

Let the games begin

[webfact]

US ambassador hopes Thailand to return to democracy soon
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The United States new ambassador Glyn Davies expressed his hope Thursday that Thailand would return to democracy and have early election.

He told reporters after a meeting with Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai that the US hoped Thailand would strongly commit to its own roadmap toward democracy and reconciliation.

"I would not talk about this issue too much since it is domestic affair of Thailand but would spend my time to get to know about Thai people and their thought," he said.

The US gave importance to the long relations with Thailand and as one of the oldest ally, the US would have cooperation with Thailand in various fields including security, social, law enforcement, environment and people to people ties, he said.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/breakingnews/US-ambassador-hopes-Thailand-to-return-to-democrac-30270956.html


-- The Nation 2015-10-15

[AGareth2]

same message?

[webfact]

Thai Foreign Minister receives new US Ambassador

BANGKOK, 15 October 2015 (NNT) – The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Thailand has offered a warm welcome to the newly-appointed US Ambassador to Thailand who paid him a courtesy call at the Ministry’s compound.

Thai Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai was visited by HE Mr Glyn T Davies, Ambassador of the US to the Kingdom of Thailand, on the occasion of the latter’s assumption of his new post. Mr Davies took the opportunity to introduce himself to the minister and to discuss several issues of bilateral cooperation between the two countries, ranging from politics and security to economics, trade and investment.

According to Mr Don, this meeting was in accordance with the usual custom, in which foreign ambassadors report themselves to the government after they come into office. He said, since the US has been a major ally of Thailand, all general topics were touched on during the talk.

Mr Davies is a senior US diplomat with over 35 years of experience. He was nominated for the post of Ambassador to Thailand by US President Barack Obama in April this year before being endorsed by the Senate in August. He was sworn in and officially assumed the post in September.


-- NNT 2015-10-15

[zaphod reborn]

Mr Davies is a senior US diplomat with over 35 years of experience.

He told reporters after a meeting with Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai that the US hoped Thailand would strongly commit to its own roadmap toward democracy and reconciliation.

"I would not talk about this issue too much since it is domestic affair of Thailand but would spend my time to get to know about Thai people and their thought," he said.

What a wonderful change for the better as we no longer have to hear the undiplomatic, unapproved and unscripted comments of the former ambassador selfie-queen.

[webfact]

THAI-US RELATIONS
US ambassador hopes for early return of democracy
THE NATION


Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai, right, meets new US Ambassador Glyn Davies when the latter called on him at the Foreign Ministry yesterday to discuss bilateral relations.

BANGKOK: -- THE NEW US ambassador to Thailand, Glyn Davies, yesterday expressed hope that the Kingdom would return to democracy and have an early election.

He told reporters after a meeting with Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai that the United States hoped Thailand would strongly commit to its own road map towards democracy and reconciliation.

"I would not talk about this issue too much since it is a domestic affair of Thailand but would spend my time to get to know about Thai people and their thoughts," he said.

As Thailand is one of the oldest allies of the US, he said Washington attached importance to their long-term bilateral relations, and the US would cooperate with Thailand in various fields including security, social issues, law enforcement, the environment and people-to-people ties.

Don said he had explained to the new ambassador that democracy was the ultimate goal of his government. Now, the country is in the process of drafting a constitution and reform, he said, and claimed that Davies understood the process and the goal.

Davies arrived in Thailand a few weeks ago to fill the vacancy of head of US mission in Thailand.

Despite strong criticism from Washington over suppression of democracy and poor human-rights practices after the coup in May last year, Don said diplomatic relations between the two countries were normal. The two countries are still "good friends", he said.

Cooperation will continue and expand, he said. The two sides will call a meeting of the fifth strategic dialogue in Thailand in December to boost cooperation in all aspects, Don said, and noted that Daniel Russel, the assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, would head the US delegation at the meeting.

The US also will not impose any sanctions against Thailand due to its bottom status in the "Trafficking in Persons" report, he said. Thailand was graded at the lowest Tier 3 in the TIP report this year.

The US president will consider within 90 days from July 27 if it is necessary to take any further action to improve the human-trafficking situation.

Don said Washington would not punish but would advise Thailand on how to cope with the problem. Officials from the State Department's Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons will come to advise their Thai counterparts today, he said.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/politics/US-ambassador-hopes-for-early-return-of-democracy-30271009.html


-- The Nation 2015-10-16

[Thian]

Why does the American ambassador hope the riots in BKK come back? I'm glad things are normal here again.

If the bombings/shootings/demonstrations all return the investors will get out of Thailand. Is that what they want?

[sweatalot]

Thailand's "return" to democracy ...

That lie again

btw are the US a democracy?

Edited October 16, 2015 by sweatalot

[NeverSure]

btw are the US a democracy?

The US has democratic elections. Within each state the people elect their governors and county and city leaders. The US is a republic of 50 states with the federal government having limited power over the states. This is what confuses some people. The founders didn't want the largest states with the largest populations ruling the smaller states. There is a rather complex system for electing a president and a congress but it's still up to the people who vote. Rarely is there any disagreement about who won elections. It's happened once in my life with a very close election and it was settled by the US Supreme Court.

Each state is a true democracy and the federal government by a chosen method is chosen by the states.

When the US says it wants democracy, it wants the people to be able to choose their leaders by voting. It wants elections by the people as opposed to a gunpoint junta.

Cheers.

Edited October 16, 2015 by NeverSure

[Srikcir]

"Davies understood the [draft constitution] process and the goal."

I am sure Davies is relieved to have such an understanding. Being a representative of a Republic that has functioned for over 230 years with their original constitution, he's likely not understood why democratic Thailand needs a new constitution roughly every four years since 1932 interspersed with 19 coups d'état.

Fortunately, Don won't need a similar discussion with the constitutional monarchy UK as it never had a constitution. But he might want to educate the Japanese envoy as he too may not understand why constitutional monarchy Japan has operated for more than 65 years with the same constitution without any coups d'état.