Samak will go to Burma Wednesday

[dirtydog]

Samak will go to Burma Wednesday

Thai Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej will go to Burma on Wednesday to negotiate with Burmese junta to allow in foreign aid workers to enter the country, a government source said Tuesday.

Samak is expected to relay the foreign community's requests for Burma to permit their staffs to enter the country to provide humanitarian assistance for the Burmese effected by the deadly cyclone.

The Burmese government has not permitted the foreign aid workers to enter Burma to help the Burmese effected by the Nargis cyclone, which killed at least 31,938 people.

Samak has been asked by the United States and Britain to act as a go-between with Burma. He initially planned to go to Burma last week, but abruptly changed the plan after the junta said they would be too busy to welcome him.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon was among the foreign power-brokers who had asked Samak to act as a mediator with the regime.

Meanwhile Foreign Minister Noppadon Pattama said Tuesday that a trip had now been arranged, but it is unclear if Samak will be able to meet the top leadership.

"The prime minister will go to Myanmar tomorrow (Wednesday) to ask Myanmar to open up for foreign aid and aid workers," Noppadon said.
"I am not sure at this moment who he will meet but we hope to meet Prime Minister Thein Sein and at the very least we do hope to meet the country's foreign minister," Noppadon told reporters.

The Nation

[good2bhappy]

too little too late sadly

[Thai Pom]

They might lighten up a bit. Their Chinese buddies are too busy themselves now with their own problems..

[dirtydog]

"I am not sure at this moment who he will meet but we hope to meet Prime Minister Thein Sein and at the very least we do hope to meet the country's foreign minister," Noppadon told reporters.

Seems to be a typically well organised Thai plan.

[Panda]

The simple fact is that the Burmese Generals don't give a rats arse about a few hundred thousand peasants dieing. The peasants are only there to support their wealthy lifestyle and there are plenty more where they came from.

Its useless trying to negotiate with these murderous dictators as they have absolutely no incentive to help their own people. Conversely, allowing a flood of foreigners into the country could possibly include a few subversive agents posing a potential future threat to the generals grip on power.

[Bobcock]

presumably they are too busy meditating to fit him in.

[Mr Pot]

I bet the junta are happy with the earthquake in China, will keep the attention of them for a bit

[Bobcock]

Are you suggesting that they are happy for human misery to exist just to take the eyes of the world off them?

Top idea

[Pansodan]

"He spoke on the way into a cabinet meeting, which was expected to approve new Thai emergency aid of $500,000, in addition to the $100,000 already pledged last week, and another $500,000 for China's earthquake victims."


The first flight from Thailand (the "100.000 $") mainly consisted of water and rice.
Water and rice. The generals exported rice last week from two harbours.

500.000 for Burma
500.000 for China
Very generous, also the equal share.

It is not aid, it is cheap PR. Maybe they received their money back in form of- well, rice for instance?
Next catastrophe in Thailand they will receive it back from China, minus handling costs for certain politicians. Or maybe this is a payback from a Tsunami donation?

What a joke.

[Panda]

"He spoke on the way into a cabinet meeting, which was expected to approve new Thai emergency aid of $500,000, in addition to the $100,000 already pledged last week, and another $500,000 for China's earthquake victims."


The first flight from Thailand (the "100.000 $") mainly consisted of water and rice.
Water and rice. The generals exported rice last week from two harbours.

500.000 for Burma
500.000 for China
Very generous, also the equal share.

It is not aid, it is cheap PR. Maybe they received their money back in form of- well, rice for instance?
Next catastrophe in Thailand they will receive it back from China, minus handling costs for certain politicians. Or maybe this is a payback from a Tsunami donation?

What a joke.

Joke?
If it can help save some lives its not a joke mate.

The political maneuvering behind the scenes may well, and probably does, have some hidden agendas. But lets not let our own political prejudices criticize any aid these poor people need so urgently. Every hour that these victims are deprived of even clean drinking water means hundreds more are going to die terrible deaths from disease.

[chitown]

Chef Samak can whip up some delightful Thai dishes for his Junta buds....

[Panda]

Chef Samak can whip up some delightful Thai dishes for his Junta buds....

Thats really funny. ha ha ha. How intelligent of you to go to the trouble of making such a post. Tony Clifton inspired no doubt.

[Pansodan]

.Joke?
If it can help save some lives its not a joke mate.

The political maneuvering behind the scenes may well, and probably does, have some hidden agendas. But lets not let our own political prejudices criticize any aid these poor people need so urgently. Every hour that these victims are deprived of even clean drinking water means hundreds more are going to die terrible deaths from disease.

Panda, yes sorry, every aid helps and yes, concentrate on "good" and "action" at this very moment. Thank you for that hint!

It is just so frustrating/angering- same guys made mockery of illegal immigrants from Burma some weeks ago, then mockery of democracy efforts in Burma, then signed contracts worth billions of $ with Burmese junta and then support as a good neighbour a six-digit sum.

But okay, got rid of that now, thanks again sincerely Panda!

[Mid]

waste of time , energy and money .....................

[bkkandrew]

I bet the junta are happy with the earthquake in China, will keep the attention of them for a bit

Do you think they caused it as well?

[gjbkk]

Heavy rains delay Thai PM's return to Bangkok



Thai Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej's plane is stranded at Rangoon airport on on Wednesday due to heavy rains, a source said.



Samak is during his one-day trip to former capital of Rangoon to convey the international community's request for Burma to allow the foreign aid workers to the country.

Reporters waiting for Samak at the airport were informed that Samak's plane was stranded at a Rangoon airport. He was initially scheduled to arrive in Bangkok at about 5pm.






I should not laugh this guy is a disaster

[bkkandrew]

PM out of the country? Quick - have they got time for a Coup?

[gjbkk]

and the weather look bad for the next 2 days

[chitown]

New storm head toward cyclone-devastated Myanmar - Yahoo! News



New storm head toward cyclone-devastated Myanmar



YANGON, Myanmar - Another powerful storm is headed toward Myanmar's cyclone-devastated delta and the U.N. is warning of a second wave of deaths.
Thailand's prime minister says, however, that Myanmar officials told him they are in control of the cyclone relief operations and doesn't need foreign experts.
Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej says the Myanmar junta guaranteed that there are no disease outbreaks and no starvation among the estimated 2 million survivors.
Samak says Myanmar does not want any foreign aid workers because they "have their own team to cope with the situation."
Samak was talking to reporters Wednesday after returning from Myanmar's main city of Yangon, where he met with his counterpart, Prime Minister Lt. Gen. Thein Sein.

[Bluecat]

I actually wonder why, in the first place, the UN, the US, whatever would ask the Thai government to intervene?
This is really a very "laughable" misunderstanding of the relationship between the Thai government, past and present, and the Burmese government.
Same for Singapore, by the way.

[Happyman]

New storm head toward cyclone-devastated Myanmar - Yahoo! News



New storm head toward cyclone-devastated Myanmar



YANGON, Myanmar - Another powerful storm is headed toward Myanmar's cyclone-devastated delta and the U.N. is warning of a second wave of deaths.
Thailand's prime minister says, however, that Myanmar officials told him they are in control of the cyclone relief operations and doesn't need foreign experts.
Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej says the Myanmar junta guaranteed that there are no disease outbreaks and no starvation among the estimated 2 million survivors.
Samak says Myanmar does not want any foreign aid workers because they "have their own team to cope with the situation."
Samak was talking to reporters Wednesday after returning from Myanmar's main city of Yangon, where he met with his counterpart, Prime Minister Lt. Gen. Thein Sein.

What a load of shit !

He obviously does not appreciate what is the real situation ( or if he does it is of no consequence to him), as he is acting as a mouthpiece for his equally stupid "business partners "