Even US officials admit Washington is torpedoing ties with Thailand

As a quiet but attentive reader of The Nation for many years, I wish to commend your excellent columnists Pornpimol Kanchanalak and Kavi Chonkittanvorn for their thoughtful analyses of the Thai situation and their international perspective on current issues. Kavi’s recent column, in which he discussed conflicts over the Uighurs and Rohingyas in the context of deteriorating Thai-US relations, was particularly interesting. 

I see that in Wednesday’s Wall Street Journal, many of his insights are backed up by Desmond Walton, the senior representative of the US Defence Department to Thailand from 2012 to 2015, who candidly admits that the US is making mistakes in its attitude to Thailand (“Saving America’s ties with Thailand”). He points out the strategic importance of Thailand as “the only reliable access point to mainland Asia” and that the Kingdom plays a “leading role in countless initiatives designed to build trust and interoperability among the armed forces of Southeast Asia and the Asia-Pacific”. I guess Alan Mehew, who despairs at the “silly” views offered by Kavi and excellent correspondents such as Vint Chavala, must also despair about Mr Walton.

B Evans