As Bangkok Pundit has reported, Thai Foreign Minister Kasit met on Tuesday 27 April with the Philippine Ambassador Antonio V. Rodriguez, the dean of the Bangkok diplomatic corps, to state the government’s concern about various activities undertaken by diplomats. Here are some extracts of the note prepared by Ambassador Rodriguez and circulated to other members of the diplomatic corps. (Click on the image for a larger version.) Apart from these points, Kasit said that the government’s strategy was to “keep on weakening the protesters by neutralizing them and by bringing in more troops at Ratchaprasong.”
22 responses so far ↓
1 MongerSEA // Apr 30, 2010 at 10:34 pm
“… presence in and around the protest areas and … association with the protesters were being construed as giving legitimacy to people acting illegally to bring down the government by violent means.”
Would this also apply to a career politician who addresses a crowd illegally occupying an international airport, and goes on to be appointed Foreign Minister? What’s sauce for the goose, Minister Kasit…
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2 Untolerable thai // Apr 30, 2010 at 10:37 pm
Next time, before spreading of any information, make sure you ask for Thai govt’s approval.
You are warned!!!
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3 Nathan // Apr 30, 2010 at 10:44 pm
Wasn’t Kasit one of the “terrorist group” leaders who occupied and shut down the Bangkok International Airport and held about 300,000 foreign visitors to Thailand “hostage” without being able to return to their home countries for about 2 weeks, and caused about 10 billion USD damage to the Thai economy as a result?
I wonder if that has any impact on his role vis-a-vis the various diplomats who are stationed in Bangkok?
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4 Maru // Apr 30, 2010 at 11:00 pm
the iron curtain is closing in, the Thai government is steadily sliding towards the burmese model. Soon Bangkok Post and The Nation will blend to become ‘The New Light of Thailand’ pointing a hateful finger to evil foreign influence (or is it already the case?).
The red shirts achieved their first step: push the establishement to come in the open, show their true face and expose the links between all the holders of power. Now they should be ready for step 2: a full scale revolution.
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5 Mungo Gubbins // May 1, 2010 at 3:20 am
Maru #4 The red shirts achieved their first step: push the establishement to come in the open, show their true face and expose the links between all the holders of power. Now they should be ready for step 2: a full scale revolution.
Could you give an indication as to how the revolution might be brought about? And maybe a map showing who the key players in the revolution might be please?
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6 Errin Purpose // May 1, 2010 at 8:03 am
The absolute idiocy being exercised by these powers-that-be is merely the result of long-term self-adulation.
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7 Maru // May 1, 2010 at 11:21 am
Mungo Gubbins #5, you’re right, this sounds like the ridiculous ‘plot to overthrow you-know-who’ chart.
Nevertheless, I think the red shirt leaders most certainly know that even if parlament is dissolved and elections called, the current system will not let them stay in power if they win an election. Taksin or his alliies can’t hold a governing position without neutralizing the ‘beyond the scenes’ powers or, at least find an agreement with them. Agreement which seems quite unlikely.
To achieve true democratic goals, a very deep change has to be done in the power structure. As those in power don’t show any sign of flexibility in this direction, only fools would believe that an election will be enough to build a democratic system.
I believe that the stubborness and arrogance of the power in place has the potential to give birth to a revolution, I’m not sure thai people are ready for this, but if the situation continues to worsen, it seems inevitable.
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8 Tom // May 1, 2010 at 11:50 am
It’s just the Thai cycle. The protesters will soon disappear and in a few years we’ll have another coup. Thais are too passive to have a revolution and generally too friendly to start kicking out foreigners. They depend on us for tourism. Too much gloom and doom being talked about online. Nothing significant is going to happen.
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9 JohnH // May 1, 2010 at 11:51 am
Maru: – 5 and 6
”2: a full scale revolution.”
”To achieve true democratic goals, a very deep change has to be done in the power structure.”
Not in a million years.
There is simply too much to lose for those who have too much to lose.
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10 banphai // May 1, 2010 at 12:44 pm
Tom #8, “Nothing significant is going to happen.” That must be the most gloomy, doom-laden statement of this year’s protest season.
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11 Wheres TimSebastian? // May 1, 2010 at 1:42 pm
John H 9
“Not in a million years.
Not a revolution but another coup, but by which faction?
Doesn’t this depend on:
1.Which group controls internal (military) power
2.Which group receive external financial/military/diplomatic support
If the army is divided (I see Gen Chavalit is back in uniform today) which faction receives support from:
electorate
business
foreign interest
Thailand: “Burma-Lite”
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12 david // May 1, 2010 at 2:01 pm
Is this a 19th century? This foreign minister thinks Thailand is the world and everybody in this world has to obey to a big guy like him. OMG! He thinks he is god or what, Mr. Kasit? I am so afraid of you. Those ambassadors are so afraid of you. OOh!
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13 JohnH // May 1, 2010 at 2:33 pm
Wheres TimSebastian?
I’m beginning to think that another coup will be the most likely outcome, and this time it will be here to stay, until the invinsible hands have time to rethink their next steps in stage managing this debacle they call democracy.
Sound familiar?
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14 Piphob // May 1, 2010 at 3:03 pm
When Prem was dressed in military uniform, something big was gonna happen (in the past). Now Big Chiew is also dressed in military uniforms and we can all guess what will happen next.
Btw, Chiew also commented that Prem is doing well inside the 11th Infantry Regiment despite recent rumours of what had happened to Pa.
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15 Steve // May 1, 2010 at 4:49 pm
“In a separate development, the Russian Foreign Ministry summoned Thai Ambassador Chalermpol Thanchitt to accept a diplomatic protest in response to Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya’s remarks on Russia’s role in sheltering Thaksin
During an April 13 speech at John Hopkins University, Kasit lashed out at countries such as Russia and Germany for turning a blind eye to Thaksin’s conviction.
“This is act of interference – how can the Russians allow him to stay for two days and Germans do the same before that?” Kasit asked.”
http://www.nationmultimedia.com/home/2010/05/01/politics/Thaksin-family-dispel-rumours-of-death-coma-30128376.html
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16 International Crisis Group on Thailand’s problems. « GJBKK Blog // May 1, 2010 at 5:11 pm
[...] [...]
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17 Andrew Walker // May 2, 2010 at 11:27 am
Here is a more complete text (as circulated by email):
1. The Government of Thailand appreciated the patience and understanding, the expressions of concern, and the neutrality of the diplomatic community, on the present political situation in the country.
2. As a democratic country with a democratic government, Thailand had no problem with diplomats meeting various political groups in the country. However, it viewed with concern a number of ambassadors’ meeting with the protesters and associating themselves in an organized manner with the protests, considered “illegal” under Thai law. The Foreign Minister further noted that these ambassadors’ presence in and around the protest areas and their association with the protesters were being construed as giving legitimacy to people acting illegally by trying to bring down the government through violent means. The Foreign Minister cautioned embassies that the Thai Government viewed these actions as a form of interference with Thailand’s internal affairs. He also stated that what was happening in Thailand was an “internal political process” that that country must go through.
3. A group of ambassadors had been spreading false information about the Royal family, voicing opposition to the constitutional monarchy through the internet, and making irresponsible statements on the government’s handing of the ongoing protests. These actions have gone beyond the limits of diplomatic practice and were unacceptable to the Thai government. The envoys’ opposition to the Government and to the Monarchy was inappropriate and will not be tolerated. He advised that foreign envoys, as representatives of their own governments, should not take sides and should refrain from spreading false information and expressing their personal views on the Government and the Monarchy.
4. Thailand will no longer accept arguments that personal relations of their heads of states and/or governments with Former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra are separated from formal diplomatic relations between Thailand and the governments concerned. With the bloodshed during the 10 April 2010 operations and Thaksin’s constant video link with and support for the protesters, any association by foreign governments with Thaksin will be viewed by Thailand as undermining bilateral relations.
5. The Thai Government’s strategy was to keep on weakening the protesters by neutralizing them and bringing in more troops at Ratchaprasong area. He acknowledged, however, that an end to the situation remained unclear.
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18 Bow Street Runner // May 2, 2010 at 2:50 pm
“As a democratic country with a democratic government”?
-With unaccountable civil and military bodies
Is a country with military coups a democracy? A demi-democracy or a pseudo democracy?
Does anyone in diplomatic circles or elsewhere take Kasits pronouncements seriously?
I believe now he’s finished washing his feet in Huns Sens blood that they’re good friends again?
I guess he is not being charged for occupying the airport in an anti-government protest?
I guess he is not being charged for suggesting changes to the monarchy in the USA?
What does he see in the mirror each morning?What principles does he stand for?
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19 Pharris // May 2, 2010 at 3:28 pm
Diplomats are guests in their host countries, albeit esteemed guests. Host governments have within their rights to tell diplomats what actions constitute meddling in internal politics. It appears to me that this appears to be the case in this instance. The Thai government went to the representative of the diplomatic corps in Bangkok and told him, “Just a gentle reminder to tell your diplo-buddies who are out rabble-rousing to knock it off. If you want to be a diplomat in our country here are the rules.” What’s wrong with that?
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20 Ulrike // May 3, 2010 at 3:02 am
boo! everybody’ s so scared of Kasit!
especially when you’re the embassador of a huge and powerful country like Russia that controls a big part of the world oil and gas production and that can nuke thailand in, like, 15 seconds…
Only Thais have the special and unique ability to continue to obliterate the fact that they are a small meaningless country nobody cares about. Even Cambodia is not afraid of them…
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21 Juan Carlos // May 3, 2010 at 12:02 pm
Ah yes… but Thais have something that nobody else has… don’t you know?
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22 Luecha Na Malai // May 3, 2010 at 2:05 pm
It always amuses me that Kasit and his cohorts like Jumlong, Pipop, and Suriyasai, among others, keep harping about the Reds being engaged in lawlessness, while they themselves not so long ago performed despicably lawless acts, notably the one at Suwannabhumi Airport.
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