Some Thais won't be sad to see US ambassador go
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Ref: "Cobra Gold to resume in 2015", Politics, October 25.
US Ambassador Kristie Kenney’s tenure in Thailand can be described as one of the most tumultuous in the history of US-Thai diplomacy.
One can say that half of the Thais who live here and follow politics closely feel the love for the ambassador very much, while the other half love her too, but not that much.
A Thai vernacular newspaper recently characterised Kenney in a political cartoon as looking up in a Thai-English dictionary the meaning of “suag” – a blunt Thai word that carries the same meaning as “none of your business” in English – an accusation that some Thais levelled at her.
Today, when it is time to say goodbye to the ambassador, some Thais will say they miss her very much.
Some will simply say this: “Goodbye, we will miss you – and please hurry up, Kristie”.
Vint Chavala
Bangkok
