No toasts for Tillerson as Thai hospitality falters
Re: “Tillerson Bangkok talks focus on Asia tensions,” Front Page, August 9.
I had hoped that PM Prayut would arrange for US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson to tour Soi Cowboy during his all-too-brief visit to Bangkok. It would have given Mr Tillerson a unique opportunity to experience the Real Thailand. But alas, it didn’t happen.
My British mates and I would have been happy to buy Mr Tillerson (can we call him Tilly?) a drink or two, since I suspect that the State Department’s stern budget does not include an allowance for him to buy his own li’l drinkie. (Or two, or three.) Our customary exuberance might have induced us to ring the bell. It could have inspired a Stephff cartoon.
While I lament this uncharacteristic lapse in Thai hospitality, I hope that the next time Mr Tillerson visits (if he is still in office), PM Prayut will allot time (if he is still in office) for him to meet us on the Soi of Sois for a free li’l drinkie. (Or three, or four, or maybe even five.)
Hoping for a more hospitable Thailand the next time around,
Horace Beasley
