Message to the world : Prayut to extol regime gains at UN !!

 

 

Prime Minister and coup leader Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha is
 expected to highlight the progress the government has made
 in fighting human trafficking during his speech to the
 United Nations General Assembly

(UNGA) this week, but how he will handle criticism of the

 ruling junta's poor human rights record remains to be seen.

The junta chief is due to leave for New York Wednesday

evening, his first visit to the US since the bloodless coup

 that ousted the elected civilian government led by

 Yingluck Shinawatra in May last year.

 His presence in the American financial capital to attend

 the UNGA's 70th regular session gives him a chance to

 share with global leaders the military government's

 achievements in tackling Thailand's development issues,

 especially human trafficking, its roadmap to democracy

and thelatest economic stimulus plan.

The premier briefly said Tuesday he will inform the

 international community at the UN that his government has

 done its best to return the country to democracy.

"I will tell the international community the government is

 driving the country towards full democracy under the roadmap.

We are doing everything we can to reach that goal," he said

Gen Prayut will also use the trip to garner support for

 Thailand to become a non-permanent member of the

 United Nations Security Council (UNSC).

"We have a lot to share with the world about how we have

 have achieved the Millennium Development Goals in the

 past 15 years," deputy government spokesman Werachon

 Sukhondapatipak told reporters this week, referring to

 the thrust of Gen Prayut's speech.

Maj Gen Werachon, an English interpreter for Gen Prayut,

said the ruling junta has been "fully committed" to backing

 the global agenda for sustainable development despite "

our rules not originating from an ideology several countries

 wished to see".

 Gen Prayut is not the first Thai junta member to attend the

UNGA. Last year, he sent his deputy prime minister and

 then-foreign minister Gen Tanasak Patimapragorn to tell

 the world Thailand was making progress in its roadmap to

democracy but needed more time for political reforms that

would bring about national reconciliation.

 

As this year's UNGA theme is  "The United Nations at 70:

The Road Ahead for Peace, Security and Human Rights",

the National Council for Peace and Order chief plans to tell

 world leaders about his commitment and determination to

 tackle  human trafficking -- a scourge that has implicated

 civil servants and security officers in corruption and has

been condemned by the US and the EU.

Gen Prayut will also have to defend the junta's human rights

 record amid mounting criticism over its escalating

crackdown on dissent. Foreign policy experts suggest the

 junta chief should be frank about conditions under the junta,

 as well as what it has done and where it wants to go.

"[There is] no need to pretend we are perfect as we live

in a borderless world," former foreign minister

 Kasit Piromya said.

 Political scientist Thitinan Pongsudhirak of  Chulalongkorn

 University echoed this sentiment.

 "A realistic middle path would be to admit to the shortcomings

 of ascending to office through a putsch," he said, adding that

 some of the signature achievements of the coup government

included "combatting human trafficking and corruption,

while delineating a clear time frame to return power to

 the Thai people".

Gen Prayut is also expected to meet with African and

 Latin American counterparts to mobilise votes for

Thailand to join the UNSC, as the voting will be held at

 the UNGA next year. Among 10 UNSC non-permanent

 members, five will be chosen from Africa and the

Asia-Pacific, one from Eastern Europe, two from

Latin American and Caribbean nations and another two

from Western Europe and other countries. Thailand --

previously a non-permanent UNSC memberfrom 1985-1986

-- officially submitted its candidacy in February 2008 for a

two-year term from 2017-2018.

 

 Mr Kasit, a former Thai ambassador to Washington DC,

 said the bid for the UNSC seat will be a big challenge as

 the country is under a military regime, has a poor human

rights record and is struggling to solve its human

trafficking problem.

"If we postpone [the bid] until next term, we may have a better

chance," Mr Kasit said. But Mr Thitinan said Thailand has

 a number of "friends" to support its bid and its competitor,

Kazakhstan, has neither a strong record for democracy nor

 for governance.

"There is still a chance for Thailand, especially if it can

demonstrate an actionable pathway that will lead to a

 semblance of normalcy under civilian, not military, rule,"

 he said. "Unless they know for certain that it is a temporary

 and passing situation, UN members will be hard pressed to

choose a military government for a UNSC seat.

" Yet Venezuela, which has been strongly criticised by Washington

over its human rights record, won a UNSC seat last year.

 

 Analysts expect lobbying among the 193 UN members to

 intensify further next year as the race nears an end.

 

On top of UN affairs, Gen Prayut, like his predecessors who

 visited the US, will attend a dinner hosted by business lobby

groups -- the US-Asean Business Council and the US

Chamber of Commerce -- an opportunity for top American

 corporate executives to rub shoulders with Thai dignitaries.

"It is always a chance for the leaders of Thailand to present

their visions for Thailand, especially concerning trade,

investment and the economy, and for business leaders to

share their views on doing business in Thailand,"

 Council CEO Alexander Feldman told the Bangkok Post.

 

 Gen Prayut is expected to face questions about his stance

on the controversial Trans-Pacific Partnership trade pact

after his newly appointed Deputy Prime Minister Somkid

 Jatusripitak said Thailand might be interested in joining

 the 12-member trade bloc, which represent roughly 40%

of the global economy.

 

Gen Prayut's political supporters and opponents have

threatened to take domestic politics to New York City

 with both sides vowing to stage rallies despite an appeal from

 the premier to keep national interests in mind.

"You may hate me or want to harm me, but I am going to the

 UN on behalf of the country and this country needs to move

 forward," Gen Prayut said during his weekly TV show

 last Friday, urging both sides to avoid confrontation.

 

According to a government source, there is only a slim

 chance protesters will clash as Gen Prayut will stay at

 One UN hotel, which will be under tight security for

visiting world leaders, including Pope Francis, who is

 also scheduled to deliver a speech.

 

News,Politics, Bangkok Post, 23 September 2015.

 

In my viewpoint :

1.About human trafflicking,I think this government has

a good performance as they can crackdown Rohingya

and caugh the authorities involved.

2.About human rights in the country ,I think we still have

the rights to do everything if the activities is aim

for the benefit and peaceful in the country.

3.I think we should continued to attend and apply for

 the member  of   UNSC seat and do our best as we can.

4.I believe the Prime Minister Prayut do everythingfor

 the benefit of the country first and he does not want

to stay long in the power if the country can reform and

go on already.

5.I believe in the future we can have true and sustainable

democracy as we want.

 

Sincerely Yours.