Trade negotiations between Thailand and the U.S. hit a snag due to the lese majeste charge against scholar Chambers.
Switched Up Tale:
The dust-up between the Yanks and Thailand's lawmakers is causing quite a stir, as investigations against a handful of American citizen have delayed tariff discussions between the Thai and U.S. administrations, claims ex-head honcho Thaksin Shinawatra.
This intriguing scenario unfolds as Thaksin, a big wheel in Thailand's ruling Pheu Thai Party, once expressed his intentions to chat with close buddies of POTUS Donald Trump, acting as an unofficial go-between.
Currently, it seems these talks won't be happening anytime soon, as per Thaksin's recent comments. He explained, "We've had our chat, but now they're acting on gossip from assorted gangs about legal wrangles involving a couple of Americans."
Although he kept the specifics under wraps, one of these mysteries could be the recent charges against an American intellectual.
On the 8th of April, a professor named Paul Chambers, with a gig at Naresuan University in Phitsanulok and a role as a foreign affairs scholar, turned himself in to law enforcement to acknowledge a charge of royal ridicule after a complaint popped up about a digital lecture he gave in the previous October about Thailand's military shuffle.
At present, Paul's out on bail while he waits for his day in court, but there's still a looming specter of potential visa expulsion hanging over him.
Late on the 9th of April, the Appeals Court of Region 6 granted Paul's release, demanding a surety of 300,000 baht, according to Thai Lawyers for Human Rights. Even though his visa has been yanked away earlier this week by the Immigration Bureau, Paul still had a chance to appeal the decision, as the legal-aid group shared.
One of the bail conditions is that if he wins his visa reinstatement during his case, he must check in with Thai authorities every 30 days.
The U.S. State Department previously declared it was spooked by Paul's arrest and detention, questioning his situation since he's lived in Thailand since 1993.
Human rights groups echoed the overall concern when they heard about the arrest.
The tariff standoff between Thailand and the United States was set loose after Thai officials in the U.S. notified the PM that the U.S. wanted Thailand to evaluate specific issues that would be addressed during the negotiations. Consequently, the Thai delegation, led by Deputy PM and Finance Minister Pichai Chunhavajira, nixed their trip to Washington, with a new date on the agenda.
Last year, the estimated trade surplus Thailand held with the U.S. stood at an impressive $45.6 billion. The proposed 36% tariff on Thai goods was initially supposed to kick off on the 9th of April, but President Trump decided to temporarily shelve this plan for 90 days, allowing those who haven't retaliated against U.S. tariffs a chance to hash out trade-related concerns.
Thaksin suggested that the U.S. might scrutinize other countries' links with China, in addition to other tariff-related factors, when making their decisions. "So, let's chill out and buckle down on preparing information for any future tariff talks," he advised, while visiting constituents, rallying votes for Pheu Thai's Chiang Mai municipal election candidates.
Thaksin also revamped Trump's famous slogan, "'Make America Great Again'" into "Make Thailand Great Again."
As of now, Thaksin isn't committed to stepping into the spotlight during the negotiations as they are seen as a discussion between the USTR, US Department of Commerce, and Thailand's Ministry of Commerce.
Thaksin encouraged the government to consider the tariff incident as a timely reminder to review its international trade status and tweak strategies accordingly.
- Thaksin Shinawatra, a former leader of Thailand's Pheu Thai Party, has recently been alarmed by lawsuits against a couple of American citizens, which he believes may impact tariff discussions between Thailand and the U.S.
- One of these Americans facing legal issues is Paul Chambers, a professor at Naresuan University in Phitsanuloka and a foreign affairs scholar, who is currently out on bail after being charged with royal ridicule.
- This case has raised concerns among human rights groups and the U.S. State Department, as Chambers, who has lived in Thailand since 1993, faces the possibility of visa expulsion.
- Despite these challenges, Thaksin recommends that Thailand should use this tariff incident as an opportunity to reevaluate its international trade policies and legislations, especially regarding its relation to policy-and-legislation, politics, and general news, particularly when it comes to China and other tariff-related factors.
