While the entire Western world and some countries in Asia strongly condemn Russia's attack on Ukraine, a sovereign country, Thailand does not. Prime Minister Prayut says that Thailand remains neutral.
Government spokesman Thanakorn Wangbooncongchana has reaffirmed that Thailand will remain neutral towards the Russia-Ukraine conflict. However, Thailand regrets that the public health crisis in Ukraine is being exacerbated by the ongoing conflict in the region. Thailand's foreign minister and his colleagues are urging warring parties to exercise "maximum restraint" so as not to exacerbate the situation.
Prime Minister and Defense Minister General Prayut Chan o-cha has called for dialogue between Russia and Ukraine to quickly normalize the situation.
Thailand's foreign ministry has approved a 2 million baht grant for humanitarian aid to Ukraine in response to the country's ongoing violence, which continues to cause deaths, injuries and damage to infrastructure.
The Thai government has so far repatriated 230 of the 256 Thais living and working in Ukraine.
According to the Ministry of Labor, there are currently 441 Thai workers in Russia. Since Russia has closed its airspace to the countries in Europe, most of the group employed as spa workers and massage therapists are also finding it extremely difficult to find plane tickets to fly home.
Source: NNT- National News Bureau of Thailand
Thailand is definitely neutral because Xi whispered that in his ear to Prayut…
Not really surprising that the Thai prime minister remains neutral. He also did this during the conflict in Myanmar. His friendship with Putin and his associates has been going on for a long time and goes very far as far as I'm concerned. So stick your head in the sand, or actually agree with it. We will also see the same if China starts attacking Taiwan, although I see the Chinese doing that in a much smarter way in the first instance and certainly not with brute force. I think that the Thai prime minister also looks with envy at the Russian dictator, who has taken on a job for life. Who knows, a good example will follow. Yes, what power doesn't do to people.
Well,
Exactly what you say Jacques, Putin has given himself a job for life,
So a second Tsar.
Only the whole world knows how that ended, I think the same will happen to Putin, perhaps sooner than we think.
2 Million Baht for humanitarian aid?
Just didn't give anything.
Indeed a gesture that says enough about the Thai government. An amount where you can buy a flat by the sea in Thailand, the size of 12 square meters. Who knows an idea to accommodate Ukrainians in Thailand, there is a lot of vacancy here.
Oh well, despots among themselves, they don't make a fuss about a little war more or less.
In any case, the Russian menus in Pattaya can go into the trash and many condos are coming onto the market again.
Prayut has to be friends with his Chinese friend, of course he hopes that the Russians can still come to Thailand, and in fact he does the same with the protesters as in Russia, just lock them up.
So how neutral is the general really.
It will go down in history that Thailand managed to maintain world peace for the price of a small studio in Pattaya, 2 million baht. I predict that Thailand will receive the Nobel Peace Prize this year.
An attitude very similar to that of China, remaining neutral so that no financial / economic disadvantages can be expected from any side.
From good Buddhists, who should actually condemn every form of violence, you expect a different attitude somewhere.
In principle, Buddhism rejects violence, although there are interpretations that see certain forms of violence as compassion (e.g. euthanasia). And extremist monks once again give their own twist to justify violence or murder (“group X are even less than animals and killing them does more good than harm..”). In Thailand, Burma and so on, such bizarre statements have been used by some monks.
If we adhere to a less liberal interpretation, you can generally say that some forms of violence are understood, but nevertheless rejected, because loving-kindness is the better (correct) way. Anyone who uses violence is simply doing the wrong thing. And yes, according to the Buddha, soldiers (whether attacking or defending) will be reborn as animals or go to hell. In fact, according to Gautama, former soldiers are not welcome to become monks. And monks are not allowed to attend military parades or visit soldiers. The Prime Minister will in all likelihood burn in hell, although luckily for him that will only be temporary. A new life brings new rounds and opportunities.
Understandable response. They also remain neutral in the war between Yemen and Saudi Arabia, where hundreds of American bombs fall every day.
Why the Americans are being pulled by the hair again to make your point escapes me. It is probably 'woke' to blame those who liberated the Netherlands last century for all the misery in the world.
As for the point you're making, (unfortunately?) the public outrage is different for every conflict. The relations between important countries such as the US and Russia, European history… many factors are taken into account. The fact is that countries such as Yemen, Lebanon, Pakistan, Myanmar, etc. play no significant role on the world stage. This also applies to all African countries anyway. A nuclear power invading a European country causes global instability.
Hard conclusion? Yes. In practice, not every person is, let alone countries. 9-11 makes more of an impact than a massacre in Eritrea.
If the Americans would not interfere, they would now speak Japanese in Thailand.
Indeed, and we and the British German……
Thanks also to the then red army, because we would not have made it with only D day.
The turning point in World War II was at Stalingrad.
Jan Beute.
It is highly questionable whether those same Russians would have taken up the fight if the then German aggressor had not attacked them. They had to defend themselves. The fact that they thereby served the public interest was a bonus. We have also seen Russia differently with political leaders like Gorbachev and the majority of this people are not to blame. Well, that idiot who is now in power together with his accomplices in evil.
.. and we in the Netherlands German….
That depends on when the Americans would “not interfere”. After Pearl Harbor? Pretty unlikely. Or if the Americans had never occupied any islands in the Pacific (so no Americans in Hawaii, Philippines, etc.)? Then the playing field would have looked very different in the late 30s. Countries do what they deem most sensible for themselves, not a country spreading “freedom” or “democracy” out of the goodness of its own heart. The Americans also intervene when it is in their own interest. No wonder that the Americans sometimes look the other way or actively help a not so peace-loving ruler in the saddle. Other countries do too. For the smaller countries, it comes down to not wanting to step on anyone's toes and flirt with the dominant rulers. Good for business (or pockets?).
Principles such as what is morally right to act is in danger of being quickly thrown overboard. A condemnation by the Thai cabinet of the invasion by the Russians would be correct, but this government considers neutrality better for its own wallet, I think ... Time will tell, but it certainly does not earn points in the west.
Was to be expected, of course they hope that the many Russian tourists will come back.
Prayut is busy because from the 15th of this month he will be in Moscow at the “holiday” fair to promote Thailand as a holiday country.
The Royale Thai Air Force also needs its attention because new fighter jets have to be purchased for national security.
It is still a miracle that he was able to donate THB 2.000.000 to Ukraine, don't forget that he has previously donated THB 1.000.000 for food and medicine for Ukraine.
You can only spend your money once and what is more important, a war in the West or the National Security of Thailand.
It's easy to talk when you're not in the shoes of this "busy" man.
His visit to Moscow will go down quite well with China and Russia, but a lot less with many Western countries. He could have shown his so-called neutrality better by staying away from there – this visit, under the current circumstances, sends a different signal.
With the oligarchs at the forefront, they can immediately obtain Thai nationality or a residence status for life after investment.
Can't they do that in the EU, I read today about Malta and Cyprus where many wealthy Russians have bought a second passport and are now residents of the same EU.
Talk about butter on your head.
Jan Beute.
Dear Jan, I could add more countries to your list, but we are talking about Thailand and so I based myself on that. Wherever this takes place, it deserves the censure as far as I'm concerned. And I took a look, but I don't have butter on my head luckily.
Typically Thai, in the 2nd World War they were also "neutral" they first went with the Japanese when they threatened to lose the battle they ogled to the West (US) They are just a bunch of cowards who like to go along with the strongest (China and cronies)
Why not be neutral on this? There are many more, especially non-Western countries, that react in this way. For Thailand it is also a far-from-my-bed show, isn't it? To label that as cowardly right away is not right. Disinterest covers the load better.
Cowardly.
A neutral attitude from Thailand?……. I'm not convinced of that yet. Wouldn't it rather come down to instructions (or even diktat) from Xi and his Chinese superiors? Or should we once again recognize a Thai attitude similar to that practiced during the Second World War? It is of course also possible that there is more business thinking and that people try to lure in every possible tourist from anywhere on earth, especially now that after Covid the entire tourism sector has almost completely come to a standstill.
2 million baht…
A mockery. That they still dare to give that…
Triest
Pipo Prayut bringing up Covid-19 is like talking about his granddaughter's rabbit…
Nobody thinks about Covid-19 anymore when the bombs have destroyed your house, your husband stays behind to fight and you are standing with a briefcase at the Polish border (….)
I understand why a lot of Thai Prayut want gone.
Neutral?
A form of weakness and self-interest.
Were they not already when the Jap came to visit and wanted to build a railway line?
Money above all! Those few dead Ukrainians? Prayut pulls his mask over his eyes. Shame!!!
Wise. And understandably given the fact that they also remained neutral in the wars in Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, Syria, Lebanon, Yemen…..who was the aggressor there again?
Regardless of who commits this, every aggressor should be reprimanded and if possible convicted.
Very sensible of Thailand, which Goort also writes neatly, the sick expansion drive of NATO and the EU is not appreciated in many countries. Of course it is terrible for the victims in Ukraine, but to condemn Thailand for their choice is wrong.
Am happy with the choice of Thailand. Perhaps forgotten The Netherlands was once also neutral.
Nico, you have little historical awareness or knowledge. The Netherlands was neutral until 1939, when the Germans shouted through the Venlo incident that our country was not neutral at all. With the known consequences. And I will not talk about the morbid expansionism of Nato and the EU. We have had very little left for the military outfit. And without weapons you can't fight and therefore you can't expand.
Nico,
Ever thought why a country would want to join NATO?
Wouldn't that be because they don't trust their neighbour?
This also applies to other ex-Soviet states that are trying to get away from the influence of Russia and would rather not have a dictator but a democracy.
Moreover, in 1994, ukraine surrendered all its nuclear weapons (3000) to russia, with the guarantee that the country could gain independence from russia and be respected as an independent country.
The Budapest treaty has been signed by Ukraine, America, UK and Russia.
The morbid expansionist drive of the EU and Nato. You pretend that the initiative of new countries, such as Ukraine, that want to join the EU comes from the EU countries. How did you get that wisdom. That makes no sense anyway. The threat from Ukraine to Russia is ridiculous. Little thumb against the giant. Putin and associates need an overhaul to the upper chamber, because they are no longer tracking. Denying everything like the MH 17 case, well examples abound. International law does not apply to them (do not extradite compatriots), because they are apparently above everything and so on. Distorting everything in the media, influencing their own people, with what those in power label as the truth. This is the reality and what is going on and living. Invade an autonomous country and sow death and destruction. Bombing civilian targets and also driving their own army to death for their nonsensical thinking. He comes to save the country from destruction by force at the request of part of the Ukrainian population in the Dombas region. According to their errors of thought, thereby liberating this group and doing justice to this minority group. This behavior is truly beyond all bounds and must be fought. It is sad that it is an unequal battle and that in the end Putin and associates win. The ruins that remain in the cities will speak volumes. No civilian targets would be hit. Then we will have to supply a lot of glasses to the military. Hopefully that this group will be labeled as criminals and that they will be excluded from all authorities, so that no more nonsense can be sold from their side. And finally, of course, this group will be tried for their crimes, because all this suffering and the many deaths cannot go unpunished. It is also sad that many Russians who condemn this war are being arrested in a nasty way and we must be careful not to tar all Russians with the same brush. There are also peaceful people there and I feel sorry for them.
But Jacques,
Russia has also applied for NATO membership and that has been refused, logically, then they could have immediately abolished NATO.
The fact that Putin has slipped so much is because someone has been in power for longer (too long), 2x 4 years should be the maximum. You can see it in those other countries. At a certain point they feel like kings and don't want to lose that wealth, paid for by others.
You can open the history books again. There is not one aggressor who was present in all the conflicts you mentioned. You may be referring to America, but Yemen, Syria and Lebanon were not conflicts in which America specifically had a role. For example, they did not play an active role in the civil war in Syria. They only participated in the fight against Isis, just like the Netherlands. Yes, they have supported a few militias in the North. But that does not make you the aggressor you intended. And I can go on like this.
The aggressor?
Afghanistan: Taliban, Iraq: Saddam, Libya: Gaddafi, Syria: Assad, Lebanon: Hezbollah, Yemen: Houthis.
A wise decision by Prayuth.
Keeping Thailand neutral is better than following the masses.
Because if you have a neighbor with a big dog that can certainly bite well.
And what to say about those countries such as the UK with Boris Johnsson in the lead, why didn't they intervene sooner? Everyone knew that London over the years was a money laundering machine for money laundering from rich Russians and not just Russians.
Look at the wealth they have accumulated in Russia and transferred to the EU and the UK alone.
Keep boycotting Russia, before World War II broke out, the motto was don't buy German goods. We've seen where this has led.
We are all being sucked into a war of unprecedented magnitude, this is just the beginning of coming and unprecedented misery.
Only when a city like Amsterdam lies in ruins may we finally wake up.
For years there have been cuts in defense in our and our surrounding EU countries and now the same politicians are shouting that we have to spend more.
And as far as those 2 million baht are concerned, they would be better off spending it on the local Thai population, because when I drive out of the gate at my home every day, I already see enough poverty around me.
And since many Russians and Ukrainians are on holiday here and run out of money, for many Thais the word holiday is something they have never heard of in their entire lives.
Just think about that.
Jan Beute.
Dear Jan, the truth is always somewhere in the middle and making choices is complex and people think differently. I am aware of it all. Poverty in Thailand is a priority for the political elite and everyone who cares about their fellow human beings. We can discuss such a list of priorities, but this warlike behavior is beyond all bounds and should be condemned, including by the Thai government. Looking away and or burying your head in the sand are already doing too much on this globe.