Clinton offers flood help to Thailand

**StrontiumDog** · 11-11-2011, 10:47 AM

AFP: Clinton offers flood help to Thailand

A man walks through floodwaters in Bangkok (AFP, Nicolas Asfouri)

Clinton offers flood help to Thailand

(AFP) – 3 hours ago

HONOLULU — Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Thursday that she would offer US assistance to flood-hit Thailand on a visit next week but wanted to see what the kingdom's leaders needed.

Clinton said she would highlight "specific measures of assistance" during her talks in Bangkok with Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra's government.

"We are willing to help the Thai government and the Thai people, but we want to make sure that we are responding to the help requested," Clinton said after a speech in Hawaii in response to a question from a Thai student.

"It is not up to us to make a judgment on what you need. It is for us to sit with your government and for your officials to tell us what you require and then for us to respond," she said.

Clinton scheduled the Thai visit between stops in the Philippines and Indonesia after Yingluck canceled her trip to Hawaii for this weekend's summit of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum.

Clinton said Yingluck "made exactly the right decision" in staying at home to handle the crisis.

Thailand's response to the major floods has become a sensitive issue.

The US Navy initially sent an aircraft carrier but it left after American officials said that Thailand's powerful military did not request assistance.

Thailand later asked a US destroyer to extend its stay so its helicopters could survey flood waters.

The Thai government says that 533 people have died in the country's worst floods in half a century, with the slowly advancing waters now threatening the heart of Bangkok, a city of 12 million people.

**Mozzbie47** · 12-11-2011, 06:55 AM

Good to see America recognise Thailand if nothing else.

**StrontiumDog** · 12-11-2011, 10:44 AM

Bangkok Post : PM: UN chief, Clinton to visit Thailand

PM: UN chief, Clinton to visit Thailand

Published: 12/11/2011 at 10:10 AM
Online news:

UN secretary general Ban Ki-Moon and US secretary of state Hillary Clinton will pay an officially visit to Thailand on Nov 16 and 17, Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra said on Saturday.

In her “Yingluck government meets people” weekly talk show on radio stations of the Public Relations Department this morning, Ms Yingluck said the visit is aimed at discussing the flood situation and post-flood rehabilitation plans.

The prime minister said from Nov 17 to 19, she will attend the Asean summit in Indonesia’s Bali resort island. She will take the opportunity to explain the flood situation to leaders of the Asean member countries, the US, China and Japan.

Ms Yingluck hoped her explanation would help restore foreign investors’ confidence in Thailand.

**Boon Mee** · 12-11-2011, 11:05 AM

Originally Posted by Mozzbie47

Good to see America recognise Thailand if nothing else.

America has been recognizing Thailand for a long time. Even before the Domino Theory was bandied about.

**khmen** · 12-11-2011, 04:03 PM

^Yep, a country usually really needs to start worrying when the US "recognizes" them.

**ltnt** · 12-11-2011, 05:39 PM

America is offing assistance, not "empire building," as did other nations historically in Thailand. Three that come to mind were Japan, France and England Would those who worry about American offers of assistance prefer to provide that support instead? It would suit me fine if America stopped all foreign aid, but that wouldn't be the humanitarian thing to do now would it.

**alwarner** · 12-11-2011, 05:43 PM

Any of you Yanks in the know tell them to bring offal, chickens feet and fish heads for my wife.

**ltnt** · 12-11-2011, 06:06 PM

Originally Posted by alwarner

Any of you Yanks in the know tell them to bring offal, chickens feet and fish heads for my wife.

Sorry Al, Yingluck will only accept currency. She's got the concession on chicken feet, Abhist or better know as Mark, (British Citizen sometimes) has the offal and fish heads concession. Perhaps the UK can comply with your request?

**alwarner** · 12-11-2011, 06:08 PM

I'll get on to Dave then!

**ltnt** · 12-11-2011, 06:19 PM

Sounds like a plan.

**LooseBowels** · 13-11-2011, 03:12 AM

Hilary aint coming to look at the floods, shes coming to look at the democracy, ............and the junta

**StrontiumDog** · 15-11-2011, 03:43 PM

Thai-ASEAN News Network

Clinton and Ban Visit Thailand on Wed and Thurs

UPDATE : 15 November 2011

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon will be in Thailand tomorrow and Thursday to inspect the flood crisis.

Ban will arrive at noon tomorrow before meeting with Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra at Government House at 1 P.M. They will then hold a joint press conference before he is to board a helicopter with Interior Minister Yongyuth Wichaidit to inspect flooding in northern Bangkok.

He will then visit the Princess Pa Foundation evacuation center at Chulalongkorn University at 5.30 P.M.

Cinton will arrive at Suvarnabhumi Airpot at around 6 P.M. before meeting with the prime minister and holding a joint press conference at Government House.

On Thursday she is scheduled to visit the evacuation center at Rajamangala Stadium on Ramkamhaeng Road at 9 A.M. before leaving for Bali, Indonesia to take part in the ASEAN Summit at 11 A.M.

**OhOh** · 15-11-2011, 11:32 PM

Originally Posted by StrontiumDog

Suvarnabhumi Airpot at around 6 P.M.

Get those Libyan manpads primed.

**SteveCM** · 15-11-2011, 11:54 PM

Clinton to offer support to Philippines, Thailand - Channel NewsAsia
Posted: 15 November 2011 1519 hrs

ANDERSEN AIR FORCE BASE, Guam: US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will announce new support for the Philippines and flood-hit Thailand as she shores up ties with key US allies, officials said on Tuesday.

Clinton was due Tuesday in the Philippines and will head later this week to Thailand, part of a renewed US focus on Asia. President Barack Obama is travelling separately to Australia, another longtime ally in the region.

Officials accompanying Clinton, whose plane made a brief refuelling stop in the US territory of Guam, said she would hold talks Wednesday with Philippine President Benigno Aquino and tour a warship, at a time of high tension between Manila and Beijing over disputed territories in the South China Sea.

The United States recently provided the Philippines with a destroyer and Clinton will discuss offering a second one, the officials said.

They said Clinton will also look for ways to step up cooperation at sea. Recent US military efforts with its former colony have focused on fighting Islamic guerrillas in the Mindanao region.

"We are now in the process of diversifying and changing the nature of our engagement. We will continue those efforts in the south, but we are focusing more on maritime capabilities," a senior State Department official said on condition of anonymity.

A Defense Department official said that the United States was not seeking to stir up tensions in the South China Sea, where Beijing is locked in myriad disputes with countries including the Philippines and Vietnam.

The Philippines has "what they feel are legitimate claims in the South China Sea and they are being contested by other countries," the defense official said.

"We're very sensitive to making sure that this does not in any way alarm or provoke anybody else," he said.

But relations between the United States and China have been uneasy, with Obama pressing President Hu Jintao during a weekend summit on a range of issues from intellectual property rights to the level of the Chinese yuan.

Obama welcomed leaders from 20 other Pacific Rim economies to the weekend summit in his native Hawaii where he built momentum for an emerging free trade agreement that would span the Pacific - but does not include China.

Clinton and Obama have vowed to put a new focus on the Asia-Pacific, saying that the United States wants to help build the emerging institutions of the fast-growing region that is vital both for the US economy and security.

In a speech last week, Clinton said that the United States was "updating" relationships with its five treaty-bound regional allies - Australia, Japan, the Philippines, South Korea and Thailand.

"These five alliances are the fulcrum for our efforts in the Asia-Pacific," Clinton said at the East-West Center in Honolulu.

"They leverage our regional presence and enhance our regional leadership at a time of evolving security challenges," she said.

While US policymakers have been upbeat about the Philippines under Aquino, they have been concerned over Thailand after an extended period of political chaos.

Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, the sister of coup-ousted former premier Thaksin Shinawatra, came to power only in August and has come under intense pressure as she tackles major floods that have threatened the capital Bangkok.

The State Department official said Clinton would offer a "very substantial" aid package to Thailand and hoped to reach out to the public in America's oldest Asian ally.

"One of the messages that the secretary will bring directly to the Thai people and the government is that we believe it is in the national security and political interest of the United States to have this government succeed," the official said.

"We will do what we can to support that going forward. There are substantial tensions in Thailand and those tensions will not be resolved after one or even a few elections," he said.

Clinton and Obama will head later this week to Bali for an East Asia Summit, hoping to show a strong US commitment to a forum where several Asian countries had initially sought to exclude the United States.

- AFP/al

**SteveCM** · 15-11-2011, 11:57 PM

^

Originally Posted by AFP/al

"One of the messages that the secretary will bring directly to the Thai people and the government is that we believe it is in the national security and political interest of the United States to have this government succeed," the official said. "We will do what we can to support that going forward. There are substantial tensions in Thailand and those tensions will not be resolved after one or even a few elections," he said.

Strong (pointed?) wording.

**SteveCM** · 16-11-2011, 12:33 AM

^ Far too long and wide-ranging to post here, but there's a major US foreign policy piece written by (well, credited to) HC at America's Pacific Century - By Hillary Clinton | Foreign Policy

**Deris** · 16-11-2011, 12:45 AM

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's husband Bill immediately went on a fact finding mission to the NANA area upon landing.

**SteveCM** · 16-11-2011, 01:22 AM

From the blog world.....

US State Department : In the interest of the US for this government to succeed | Asian Correspondent

By Bangkok Pundit
Nov 16, 2011

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton arrives in Thailand today “for Flood Assistance” (from US Embassy e-mail). Clinton will meet with Yingluck tonight at Government House – there will also be a press conference – and tomorrow morning will visit Thai flood victims at the evacuation center at Ratchamangala Stadium in Bangkok before departing to Indonesia tomorrow for the ASEAN Summit Meeting. Kavi on the background to the visit:

While she is scheduled to hold bilateral talks with each of the leaders attending the summit, the highlight of her Bali trip will be the 30-minute meeting with US President Barack Obama. This is of huge importance; the prime minister will have to choose her words very carefully when she expresses views on how to promote Thai-US relations. She skipped the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation meeting in Honolulu on Friday, which immediately drew sympathy from US State Secretary Hilary Clinton. The US has been very enthusiastic in utilising the flood crisis to rejuvenate Thai-US relations, providing Bt33 million worth of assistance to victims and relief organisations.

…In fact, Clinton decided to cut short her visit to the Philippines this week just to make a 17-hour pit stop in Bangkok on Wednesday, which was not included in the original itinerary. Besides meeting with Yingluck and giving a press conference, Clinton will also engage in activities to demonstrate the US’ good will.

In Honolulu, Clinton underscored the importance of Thai-US relations, saying the US will consult with Thai officials on future plans to assist Thailand and increase its capacity to deal with natural disasters.

AFP:

In a speech last week, Clinton said that the United States was “updating” relationships with its five treaty-bound regional allies – Australia, Japan, the Philippines, South Korea and Thailand.

“These five alliances are the fulcrum for our efforts in the Asia-Pacific,” Clinton said at the East-West Center in Honolulu.
While US policymakers have been upbeat about the Philippines under Aquino, they have been concerned over Thailand after an extended period of political chaos.

Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, the sister of coup-ousted former premier Thaksin Shinawatra, came to power only in August and has come under intense pressure as she tackles major floods that have threatened the capital Bangkok.

The State Department official said Clinton would offer a “very substantial” aid package to Thailand and hoped to reach out to the public in America’s oldest Asian ally.

“One of the messages that the secretary will bring directly to the Thai people and the government is that we believe it is in the national security and political interest of the United States to have this government succeed,” the official said.

“We will do what we can to support that going forward. There are substantial tensions in Thailand and those tensions will not be resolved after one or even a few elections,” he said.

BP: This government? Not sure the Democrats will be happy with use of the word “this” then again given the formation of Abhisit’s government occurred in an army barracks, BP thinks is directed at the Thai military – and their role in politics – and those in the establishment more than the Democrats.

btw, of course, there are geopolitical reasons with the influence of China and the US wanting to “reengage” Asia – see Clinton’s article in Foreign Policy on the Obama Administration’s view of Asia….

**Amina** · 16-11-2011, 01:42 AM

Originally Posted by khmen

^Yep, a country usually really needs to start worrying when the US "recognizes" them.

Like it or not Khmen, the USA has been helping the "world" for nearly a century and is keeping "millions of people alive" every day!!!
My own husband and his German family survived the dreadful post WW II years with the generous help of the American Peoples "Marshall Plan."
I am proud to be an American, and I consider myself very fortunate to be able to help others in need - irrespective where they reside in the world. Remember, there is such a thing as human compassion and doing the right things!
Amina Christoph

**OhOh** · 16-11-2011, 02:04 AM

Originally Posted by Amina

Originally Posted by khmen

^Yep, a country usually really needs to start worrying when the US "recognizes" them.

Like it or not Khmen, the USA has been helping the "world" for nearly a century and is keeping "millions of people alive" every day!!!
My own husband and his German family survived the dreadful post WW II years with the generous help of the American Peoples "Marshall Plan."
I am proud to be an American, and I consider myself very fortunate to be able to help others in need - irrespective where they reside in the world. Remember, there is such a thing as human compassion and doing the right things!
Amina Christoph

You will get along with boonmee, look up some of his threads.

**LooseBowels** · 16-11-2011, 04:44 AM

Originally Posted by StrontiumDog

Clinton offers flood help to Thailand

Originally Posted by StrontiumDog

PM: UN chief, Clinton to visit Thailand

Originally Posted by StrontiumDog

Clinton and Ban Visit Thailand on Wed and Thurs

Originally Posted by SteveCM

One of the messages that the secretary will bring directly to the Thai people and the government is that we believe it is in the national security and political interest of the United States to have this government succeed,” the official said.

All this is code speak to tell the thai amart junta to fcuck off or else

**Agent_Smith** · 16-11-2011, 06:36 AM

^The US doesn't care who runs the show as long as they "play ball" alongside our interests, so to speak. Think of the Rothschilds and their view on banking for an example.

**TizMe** · 16-11-2011, 07:42 AM

Originally Posted by SteveCM

ANDERSEN AIR FORCE BASE, Guam: US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will announce new support for the Philippines and flood-hit Thailand as she shores up ties with key US allies, officials said on Tuesday.

A bit like that kid at school that nobody liked, but he made friends by stealing money out of his mother's purse to shout us all a can of coke..

**BobR** · 16-11-2011, 08:43 AM

Originally Posted by Agent_Smith

^The US doesn't care who runs the show as long as they "play ball" alongside our interests, so to speak. Think of the Rothschilds and their view on banking for an example.

That's for sure, if Thailand had oil, they would really be in trouble.

**Rural Surin** · 16-11-2011, 10:50 AM

Originally Posted by Mozzbie47

Good to see America recognise Thailand if nothing else.

Yes. Recognised, only if she plays the part she's been as to.

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