From: nagamati@caldera.usc.edu (Romklau Nagamati)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.thai
Subject: Re: The U.S. and Thai Premiership: A Remote Greenlight?
Date: 7 Apr 1992 02:07:37 -0700
Organization: University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
NNTP-Posting-Host: caldera.usc.edu
Keywords: Thai

In article <1992Apr7.054659.4154@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu> ssg9328@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu (Samart Srijumnong) writes:
>
>Does anyone feel like me that there is something "fishy" about the attitude
>of the U.S. administration concerning the formation of the new Thai government?
>It was not quite obvious when the State Department disclosed that Narong was
>denied the U.S. visa in 1991. This time, according to the UPI news posted in
>the clari.news.gov.international, the State Department told the reporters that
>Suchinda has never been denied the U.S. visa. In his own words, the State 
>Department spokesperson reportedly said...
>
>	``I don't know if (Gen. Suchinda Kraprayoon) has ever applied for a
>visa, but he's never been denied a visa,'' 
>					(from "New Thai prime minister
>					nominee never denied U.S. visa," 
>					posted in clari.news.gov.international, 
>					April 6, 1992)
>
>The message is clear: "This is the person we approve." 
>
>One may have noticed a flaw in this logic. The spokesman said he did not know
>if Suchinda has ever applied for a visa, but he knew "he [Suchinda] has never 
>been denied a visa." Probably, the spokesman has not yet gone through the
>file of those who have applied for the visa. How could he be so sure that
>Suchinda has never been denies a visa? Maybe he has already looked up in
>the file of those "who have been denied the U.S. visa" and found that 
>Suchinda is not listed in it. Isn't it a standard procedure that the 
>official would mark on the application of their decision (to grant or 
>deny the visa)?
>

First lesson I've learnt in the international politics is that there's no
such thing as true allies... Every country is just trying to protect its
own interest.

Regarding your interpretation that the statement implying approvement might
be true or might not. I have no idea whether the General has ever been
denied entry VISA. Probably not... as far as I know hs has been here
so many times already and couldn't find any reason why he couldn't
come here if he wants to. As I recalled he stationed here in the U.S. back
about twenty years ago.... So base on this, he has applied for the VISA
and has been granted at least once.

Whether the U.S. approves the new P.M.(to be) or not will probably have no
real meaning to Thai politics. Approval or disapproval is only temporary
status. If he really gets in to the power, the disapproval (if any) will
eventually to be changed to approval by the rule of thumb in the 
international politics. Look at China's feavorite trading party status for 
example.

Regarding Narong being accused... let the evidences be shown... If it's true,
then the U.S. can probably prosecute him like Noriega...

I heard disturbing news from BKK a few hours ago.... would someone in BKK 
briefly comment on the current development? Let me be wrong this time...
I really hate to see what I thought really happen...

Ron Nagamati

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Romklau (Ron) Nagamati               |  I'm backkkk!... me and my pessimistic
nagamati@jerico.usc.edu              |  point of view.....