DisainaM
Senior Member
Themenstarter
Die Familie Shinavatra hatte unlängst einen Vertrag mit der burmesischen Junta zum Aufbau eines Telekomunikationsnetzes geschlossen.
Um dieses interessante Zukunftsgeschäft nicht zu gefährden, mutmassen viele, das der neue Schmusekurs mit Burma weitergeht.
Obwohl seit Amtantritt von Thaksin sich die Yabaa Produktion weiter erhöht hat, und es an den Grenzen wieder 'schussfreudiger' zugeht, soll Thaksin die thail. Truppen angewiesen haben, nicht zurück zu schiessen.
SIDELINES: Thais seethe as Thaksin tries to appease junta
The Nation
Published on Jun 2, 2002
The Thaksin administration's handling of the border conflict with
Burma makes us wonder whether we have a clear foreign policy in
bilateral or multilateral relationships with other countries. Burma's
deputy intelligence chief Kyaw Win has been taking verbal potshots at
the government while his troops are shooting at Thai soldiers.
In a display of a strange kind of diplomacy and courage, Thaksin
sternly instructed field military commanders not to overreact while
taking risks in ducking the flying bullets across the border from
Burma. In effect, he was asking our soldiers to be soft on the Burmese
hardball border game. National sovereignty is secondary.
Thaksin just stopped short of blurting out "don't shoot back, if they
slap you, simply turn the other cheek!" That style of "reaction" must
have stunned the soldiers protecting the border.
No! This by no means is a cry for war. Thailand has been absorbing too
much from unilateral actions by the junta leaders, such as border
closures at will, without prior consultations with us. Moreover, we
have become a massive outlet for amphetamine pills produced by the Red
Wa as their only money-making commercial product.
It would be foolish to assume, or to believe the Burmese junta
leaders, that they had not been aware of the large-scale narcotics
production by Red Wa and other ethnic groups. The Burmese military
leaders have not just condoned such an internationally illegal trade,
they have wholeheartedly supported it - just never admitted it openly.
While Thaksin was in the midst of the election campaign, he tried to
portray himself as a tough leader. "The Red Wa and their 'mad drug'
would be eliminated within one month after I take office," he
declared. Of course, nobody took his words seriously. After 15 months
as prime minister, the production of the mad drug keeps on rising.
Our international diplomatic stunt show makes us look like a card
player with few chips who tries to overplay his hand. It was right
that a retired foreign service officer, and career diplomat, has
defined such efforts as a "laughing stock" for all to watch and
chuckle over.
Who should deal with Burma? Prime Minister Thaksin seems to have
overestimated his charm and tact in dealing with the Burmese military
junta. He trusts them with all his heart, with reasons best known to
himself earlier, but now known almost internationally - that his
family company has clinched a telecommunications contract with the
junta. Our position and bargaining power have been compromised,
obviously.
While the whole world shuns and condemns the outcast junta leaders for
their violation of human rights and other kinds of brutal acts against
their people, Thaksin and Defence Minister Chavalit Yongchaiyudh try
their best to be Mr Nice Guy towards Rangoon. This has made the
country's foreign policy look pretty murky - if we can claim to have
one under this administration.
How can our leader trust a bunch of ruthless military generals who had
cheated a perfectly educated and decent lady out of her election
victory and kept her under house arrest for years because she is the
only one who can challenge them under the democratic process? Men of
honour and integrity don't cheat women.
Of course, this does not include the massacres of civilian and ethnic
minorities, now fighting for independence along the Thai-Burmese
border. Both Thaksin and Chavalit said nothing while Kyaw Win was
lambasting them and the Thai people.
It's a fundamental principle of diplomacy that a country deals with
another in conflict from a position of strength - hidden, perceived or
otherwise. Some, though, resort to bluffing, as we have seen. Thaksin
and Chavalit have conducted what could be described as chummy
diplomacy, with sheepish smiles while standing on wobbly legs. They
extend well-manicured hands towards the clenched fists of the Burmese
generals, and pretend not to see it.
If Thaksin and Chavalit want to play soft on the Burmese junta and kid
themselves that the rulers in Rangoon are sincere, they can do so as
common citizens, not as the men in charge of national sovereignty and
security. Thai people resent being on the receiving end of all things,
simply because our soldiers have their hands tied by politicians with
vested interests.
Our diplomacy and national resolve are being tested. It's time for our
leaders to stand up and show some spine. Being an international
salesman is grossly inadequate to fulfil the public's expectations of
leadership.
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
BKK Post
BORDER TENSIONS
Thaksin `too soft' in bid to end row with Rangoon
Democrat says junta `despises weakness'
A yielding Thai government will fail to settle the Thai-Burmese border conflict because Burma does not respect weakness, the opposition said yesterday.
M.R. Sukhumbhand Paribatra, a Democrat list MP and former deputy foreign minister, said the opposition had quietly warned the Thaksin Shinawatra administration several times that it was too soft on Burma.
M.R. Sukhumbhand said the government appeared meek in the face of strong criticism by the Burmese media and seemed reluctant to guard its own frontier after skirmishes between Thai and Burmese forces erupted a week ago.
Rather than keeping troops at the border to protect the country's sovereignty, the government abruptly ended a military exercise there and told the military to pull out, he said.
Mr Thaksin even ordered the military not to over-react despite the fact that intrusions onto Thai soil were threats against lives and property, the Democrat said.
M.R. Sukhumbhand said the government had tied the military's hands by barring soldiers from retaliating.
``Relenting gives Burma an impression that Thailand is weak,'' M.R. Sukhumbhand said.
Politicians must let the military do its duty, adding the government could help end the conflict via diplomatic channels.
M.R. Sukhumbhand said the government needed to show Burma that it was strong and resolute and that it meant business when it said no one could violate Thai sovereignty.
The Democrats understood that the government needed to have good relationship with Burma.
``But Burma respects strength so we must be firm in our stand that we will not tolerate cross-border incursions,'' he said.
M.R. Sukhumbhand said the government could not expect personal relations with Burmese leaders would solve the problem. Mr Thaksin, he said, had boasted several times that he could settle the conflict in a few days but the situation had still not improved.
He wanted Mr Thaksin to talk less about the border and let his subordinates do their jobs.
M.R. Sukhumbhand said the key player was Foreign Minister Surakiart Sathirathai. However, he said Mr Surakiart must learn to listen to different opinions.
He also said there was no need for Defence Minister Chavalit Yongchaiyudh to travel to Rangoon to negotiate with the Burmese junta himself.
Border problems would remain unresolved if Burma failed to settle conflicts with minority rebels.
``The government is fooling itself by thinking that those problems will go away if it relents,'' he said.
Democrat MP Alongkorn Pollabutr said the opposition suspected the government took a subservient stance on Burma because it wanted to protect its business interests in that country, particularly Mr Thaksin's mobile telephone and satellite services
Mr Alongkorn said his party would lodge urgent motions with the House committees on military and foreign affairs to investigate whether there were connections between business interests and the government's failure to safeguard the country.
Chaichoke Julsiriwong, a Chulalongkorn University political scientist, said he believed minority rebel groups were behind the Thai-Burmese conflict as there were reports that they had disguised themselves as Thai soldiers, raided a Burmese military camp and planted a Thai national flag there.
Mr Chaichoke said the government should wait until Burma was in a calmer mood before seeking talks.
Letzte Änderung: DisainaM am 02.06.02, 09:17
Um dieses interessante Zukunftsgeschäft nicht zu gefährden, mutmassen viele, das der neue Schmusekurs mit Burma weitergeht.
Obwohl seit Amtantritt von Thaksin sich die Yabaa Produktion weiter erhöht hat, und es an den Grenzen wieder 'schussfreudiger' zugeht, soll Thaksin die thail. Truppen angewiesen haben, nicht zurück zu schiessen.
SIDELINES: Thais seethe as Thaksin tries to appease junta
The Nation
Published on Jun 2, 2002
The Thaksin administration's handling of the border conflict with
Burma makes us wonder whether we have a clear foreign policy in
bilateral or multilateral relationships with other countries. Burma's
deputy intelligence chief Kyaw Win has been taking verbal potshots at
the government while his troops are shooting at Thai soldiers.
In a display of a strange kind of diplomacy and courage, Thaksin
sternly instructed field military commanders not to overreact while
taking risks in ducking the flying bullets across the border from
Burma. In effect, he was asking our soldiers to be soft on the Burmese
hardball border game. National sovereignty is secondary.
Thaksin just stopped short of blurting out "don't shoot back, if they
slap you, simply turn the other cheek!" That style of "reaction" must
have stunned the soldiers protecting the border.
No! This by no means is a cry for war. Thailand has been absorbing too
much from unilateral actions by the junta leaders, such as border
closures at will, without prior consultations with us. Moreover, we
have become a massive outlet for amphetamine pills produced by the Red
Wa as their only money-making commercial product.
It would be foolish to assume, or to believe the Burmese junta
leaders, that they had not been aware of the large-scale narcotics
production by Red Wa and other ethnic groups. The Burmese military
leaders have not just condoned such an internationally illegal trade,
they have wholeheartedly supported it - just never admitted it openly.
While Thaksin was in the midst of the election campaign, he tried to
portray himself as a tough leader. "The Red Wa and their 'mad drug'
would be eliminated within one month after I take office," he
declared. Of course, nobody took his words seriously. After 15 months
as prime minister, the production of the mad drug keeps on rising.
Our international diplomatic stunt show makes us look like a card
player with few chips who tries to overplay his hand. It was right
that a retired foreign service officer, and career diplomat, has
defined such efforts as a "laughing stock" for all to watch and
chuckle over.
Who should deal with Burma? Prime Minister Thaksin seems to have
overestimated his charm and tact in dealing with the Burmese military
junta. He trusts them with all his heart, with reasons best known to
himself earlier, but now known almost internationally - that his
family company has clinched a telecommunications contract with the
junta. Our position and bargaining power have been compromised,
obviously.
While the whole world shuns and condemns the outcast junta leaders for
their violation of human rights and other kinds of brutal acts against
their people, Thaksin and Defence Minister Chavalit Yongchaiyudh try
their best to be Mr Nice Guy towards Rangoon. This has made the
country's foreign policy look pretty murky - if we can claim to have
one under this administration.
How can our leader trust a bunch of ruthless military generals who had
cheated a perfectly educated and decent lady out of her election
victory and kept her under house arrest for years because she is the
only one who can challenge them under the democratic process? Men of
honour and integrity don't cheat women.
Of course, this does not include the massacres of civilian and ethnic
minorities, now fighting for independence along the Thai-Burmese
border. Both Thaksin and Chavalit said nothing while Kyaw Win was
lambasting them and the Thai people.
It's a fundamental principle of diplomacy that a country deals with
another in conflict from a position of strength - hidden, perceived or
otherwise. Some, though, resort to bluffing, as we have seen. Thaksin
and Chavalit have conducted what could be described as chummy
diplomacy, with sheepish smiles while standing on wobbly legs. They
extend well-manicured hands towards the clenched fists of the Burmese
generals, and pretend not to see it.
If Thaksin and Chavalit want to play soft on the Burmese junta and kid
themselves that the rulers in Rangoon are sincere, they can do so as
common citizens, not as the men in charge of national sovereignty and
security. Thai people resent being on the receiving end of all things,
simply because our soldiers have their hands tied by politicians with
vested interests.
Our diplomacy and national resolve are being tested. It's time for our
leaders to stand up and show some spine. Being an international
salesman is grossly inadequate to fulfil the public's expectations of
leadership.
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
BKK Post
BORDER TENSIONS
Thaksin `too soft' in bid to end row with Rangoon
Democrat says junta `despises weakness'
A yielding Thai government will fail to settle the Thai-Burmese border conflict because Burma does not respect weakness, the opposition said yesterday.
M.R. Sukhumbhand Paribatra, a Democrat list MP and former deputy foreign minister, said the opposition had quietly warned the Thaksin Shinawatra administration several times that it was too soft on Burma.
M.R. Sukhumbhand said the government appeared meek in the face of strong criticism by the Burmese media and seemed reluctant to guard its own frontier after skirmishes between Thai and Burmese forces erupted a week ago.
Rather than keeping troops at the border to protect the country's sovereignty, the government abruptly ended a military exercise there and told the military to pull out, he said.
Mr Thaksin even ordered the military not to over-react despite the fact that intrusions onto Thai soil were threats against lives and property, the Democrat said.
M.R. Sukhumbhand said the government had tied the military's hands by barring soldiers from retaliating.
``Relenting gives Burma an impression that Thailand is weak,'' M.R. Sukhumbhand said.
Politicians must let the military do its duty, adding the government could help end the conflict via diplomatic channels.
M.R. Sukhumbhand said the government needed to show Burma that it was strong and resolute and that it meant business when it said no one could violate Thai sovereignty.
The Democrats understood that the government needed to have good relationship with Burma.
``But Burma respects strength so we must be firm in our stand that we will not tolerate cross-border incursions,'' he said.
M.R. Sukhumbhand said the government could not expect personal relations with Burmese leaders would solve the problem. Mr Thaksin, he said, had boasted several times that he could settle the conflict in a few days but the situation had still not improved.
He wanted Mr Thaksin to talk less about the border and let his subordinates do their jobs.
M.R. Sukhumbhand said the key player was Foreign Minister Surakiart Sathirathai. However, he said Mr Surakiart must learn to listen to different opinions.
He also said there was no need for Defence Minister Chavalit Yongchaiyudh to travel to Rangoon to negotiate with the Burmese junta himself.
Border problems would remain unresolved if Burma failed to settle conflicts with minority rebels.
``The government is fooling itself by thinking that those problems will go away if it relents,'' he said.
Democrat MP Alongkorn Pollabutr said the opposition suspected the government took a subservient stance on Burma because it wanted to protect its business interests in that country, particularly Mr Thaksin's mobile telephone and satellite services
Mr Alongkorn said his party would lodge urgent motions with the House committees on military and foreign affairs to investigate whether there were connections between business interests and the government's failure to safeguard the country.
Chaichoke Julsiriwong, a Chulalongkorn University political scientist, said he believed minority rebel groups were behind the Thai-Burmese conflict as there were reports that they had disguised themselves as Thai soldiers, raided a Burmese military camp and planted a Thai national flag there.
Mr Chaichoke said the government should wait until Burma was in a calmer mood before seeking talks.
Letzte Änderung: DisainaM am 02.06.02, 09:17
