'We don't choose sides, we choose principles'

The ambassador also said the Thai government needs to open up more public space for people, civil society, non-governmental organisations and others to discuss and debate the country’s political future.

The US, however, does not see itself as the judge or jury to decide Thailand’s political direction, as it’s a matter for Thais, he said. The US sees Thailand as an important ally in this region and is confident it could return to democracy and political stability as well as serve as a model for others in the Asean grouping, Davies added.

When asked to comment on the government’s current 6-4-6-4 plan for the election to take place in 20 months from now until around mid-2017, Davies declined to be specific. The US envoy, who is scheduled to meet Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha today, said the US believes the best path for Thailand is to return to democratically elected governance.

This will allow the country to return to its former role as one of the leaders in the Asean grouping, he said, adding that Thailand is in fact the second-largest economy in Asean and one of the oldest US allies in Asia. He hoped that Thai people would understand the US position.

Davies said the US government does not take sides in Thailand’s politics. “We do not choose sides but we choose principles,” he said, adding the US supports Thai people’s aspiration to achieve the goal of democracy. Davies said it was not true that the US government talked to only the red shirts; in fact it wants to talk to everyone.

While the May 2014 coup was a setback for Thailand, he said the US continues to have security, political, economic cultural relations with Thailand but there have been some limits due to US laws and it could not be said that “It’s business as usual”.

He said the 11-month absence of a US |ambassador to Thailand is not something unusual because the appointment process in the US political system is quite complicated and rather time-consuming. 

Having been in Thailand for about a month, Davies said his mission here is to work out matters important in Thailand’s and the US’ interests. As a friend of Thailand, the US will help Thais to achieve the objective of returning to the democratic path, Davies said.

Reacting to Thailand’s warmer relations with China and Russia, he said the US is not worried about such a development and is assured that Thailand is an independent country that will not be a colony of anybody.

 

Full interview in The Nation tomorrow