Prayut to meet Tillerson for wide-ranging talks in Thailand

[webfact]

Prayut to meet Tillerson for wide-ranging talks in Thailand

By WASAMON AUDJARINT 
THE NATION

 

 

BANGKOK: -- US SECRETARY of State Rex Tillerson will visit Thailand next week to maintain the momentum of the invitation extended in April by President Donald Trump for Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha to make an official visit to Washington.

 

Tillerson is scheduled to meet Prayut on Tuesday with a focus on bilateral talks, including Prayut’s yet-to-be-scheduled visit to the White House, a government source told The Nation yesterday.

 

The Department of State announced that Tillerson would travel to Manila, Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur from Saturday to Wednesday for Asean ministerial meetings and to enhance bilateral ties.

 

“Secretary Tillerson will travel to Thailand to pay respects to His Majesty the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej and engage Thai officials on the enduring US-Thailand partnership and regional issues,” according to spokesperson Heather Nauert.

 

The discussions between Prayut and Tillerson are expected to restore bilateral relations as well as make preparations for celebrations of the 200th anniversary of diplomatic ties to be held next year, the source said. 

 

It should also see progress in arrangements for Prayut’s meeting with Trump following Trump’s invitation made during a phone call in April, he said. 

 

Prayut’s trip to the US was initially set for late July but has been delayed due to what the Thai government called “unsettling mutual choices of date”.

 

However, diplomatic sources said Washington wanted to take more time for both leaders to make their meeting produce a meaningful outcome amid changes in regional circumstances due to the problems on the Korean Peninsula and the contentious South China Sea issue. 

 

Deputy Government spokesperson Lt-General Werachon Sukondhapatipak said recently that while the meeting would surely take place, he could not confirm whether it would happen this year.

 

The Commerce Ministry, Foreign Ministry and other agencies have been preparing for the talks. Military chiefs have also taken stock of US-made military hardware to inform Prayut ahead of his meeting with Trump.

 

Prayut planned to discuss issues such as trade and investment, intellectual property, security matters and human trafficking, Werachon added.

 

Last month, the two countries held the 6th Thailand-US Strategic Dialogue in Washington DC, where delegates discussed stability in the South China Sea, and economic and security cooperation, but failed to produce any concrete outcomes. 

 

At the Asean talks in Manila, Tillerson will meet with his counterparts to discuss a range of issues including the denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula, maritime security and counterterrorism, Nauert said.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/politics/30322606

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2017-08-03

[noitom]

What does it mean that the Thai military has "taken stock" of US mad military hardware?

[canuckamuck]

9 minutes ago, noitom said:

What does it mean that the Thai military has "taken stock" of US mad military hardware?

I guess the generals see this as an opportunity to shop.

[over it]

Isn't it rude to point at someone in Thai culture....?  

[JAG]

What does it mean that the Thai military has "taken stock" of US mad military hardware?

Had a look round to see what's working, and what's dumped out the back of the workshops on the offchance the US might offer to fix some of it...

 

[Thechook]

51 minutes ago, over it said:

Isn't it rude to point at someone in Thai culture....?  

I think Prayuth is saying this guy only reached the rank of Eagle Scout, I'm a General and he can't write poetry.

[Ricardo]

I wonder if the US-military do tsunami-detection buoys ?

 

Or spares for the RTAF's Vietnam-era reconaissance-airacft ?

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fairchild_AU-23_Peacemaker

[zaphod reborn]

Tillerson is only paying lip-service as it is obvious the fight against ISIS has shifted to SEA.  Tillerson has one purpose, and one purpose only in the Trump administration, to push through the Rosneft oil deal so that Putin and Trump can squirrel away illegal oil profits into offshore accounts.  His job has been made more difficult because the newly -enacted Russian sanctions will make it harder to do business with Russian companies for oil drilling in the Arctic circle.

[Ricardo]

3 hours ago, Thechook said:

I think Prayuth is saying this guy only reached the rank of Eagle Scout, I'm a General and he can't write poetry.

 

Or perhaps  ...  "This guy not understand Thainess" ? 

 

"I'm only here for the game-show !" 

 

"Now that's what I call well-endowed !" 

[sawadee1947]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

Prayut’s trip to the US was initially set for late July but has been delayed due to what the Thai government called “unsettling mutual choices of date”.

maybe they have problems to translate his proposed speech into English language ?

[Stargeezr]

The Thailand PM is lucky, as he gets to meet the brains of the American government,

and not just have to talk about golf with the Donald.    Lucky Guy  indeed.                                                                       Geezer

[quadperfect]

Frankly i am surprised the usa has not put thailands leaders on some kind of black list for the coup.

[dcnx]

Perhaps our dear leader will pen a new poem for Tillerson.

[just bob]

7 hours ago, over it said:

Isn't it rude to point at someone in Thai culture....?  

You can see its a montage of two separate photos, but someone did make the pick of that pointing photo.  My sentiments too.  Two thumbs up to the art department for a sense of humor - if it was intentional.

[coulson]

Prayut’s trip to the US was initially set for late July but has been delayed due to what the Thai government called “unsettling mutual choices of date”.

This always creeps in somewhere, why can't they get over it, a date was set and it was postponed by the US. Then PM said he would be too busy for 2017. No doubt it will come up on the agenda with Tillerson. That's more "unsettling"

[NanLaew]

10 hours ago, webfact said:

Last month, the two countries held the 6th Thailand-US Strategic Dialogue in Washington DC, where delegates discussed stability in the South China Sea, and economic and security cooperation, but failed to produce any concrete outcomes. 

And accordingly, the Chinese subsequently threatened to kill Vietnamese soldiers on remote island outposts in the disputed South China Sea unless Vietnam's government rescinded permission granted to a foreign oil company to drill inside Vietnam's EEZ. With no indication of any interest from Washington, who were all watching the latest White House summer blockbuster "The Communications Director that Never Was", the Vietnamese rolled over, the drill ship departed and the Chinese sailed their own exploration vessel into the area.

Edited August 3, 2017 by NanLaew

[Morch]

10 hours ago, noitom said:

What does it mean that the Thai military has "taken stock" of US mad military hardware?

 

10 hours ago, canuckamuck said:

I guess the generals see this as an opportunity to shop.

 

I think there was a recent topic about Thailand planning to purchase more helicopters from the US. No idea if the OP's reference was to US made military hardware in Thailand or some sort of shopping list. If the latter, it won't be anything top tier.

[Dave67]

He's sent Tillerson with a message from the Don " We'll have to put the visit off for a while I'm still washing my hair"

[Ricardo]

14 hours ago, Dave67 said:

He's sent Tillerson with a message from the Don " We'll have to put the visit off for a while I'm still washing my hair"

 

But I'd have thought that a billionaire would have emergency-back-up hair-pieces, for those awkward moments, when his regular one looked like a toilet-brush ?

[Dave67]

1 hour ago, Ricardo said:

 

But I'd have thought that a billionaire would have emergency-back-up hair-pieces, for those awkward moments, when his regular one looked like a toilet-brush ?

I think this is a where you come from thing, Where I come from "I'm washing my hair " is suppose to mimic a lame excuse from a woman for turning down a date with man "Can't come out with you I'm washing my hair" in other words "you haven't got a hope son"

[Ricardo]

32 minutes ago, Dave67 said:

I think this is a where you come from thing, Where I come from "I'm washing my hair " is suppose to mimic a lame excuse from a woman for turning down a date with man "Can't come out with you I'm washing my hair" in other words "you haven't got a hope son"

 

yes thanks, I got that  ...  and was attempting humour, with a side-dig at the Trump, based on his allegedly wearing a very-unsuitable hairpiece, hence the smiley.

 

not sure that's why he sent Tillerson, when a postcard would have done the job, I think its more likely that there are still common interests between Thailand & the USA, despite the recent (past decade or so)  lean towards our northern neighbour.

 

is the old 'Domino Theory' still a factor, perhaps ?