Hillary Clinton is traveling through Asia this week in her first over seas trip as the Secretary of State. She has been in Indonesia for the past couple of days, but Thailand isn't on her list of places to visit. Apparently, someone at the Bangkok Post got their feelings hurt over this "snub".
In an editorial published a few days ago in the Post entitled So what are friends for? an unnamed author states:
The Barack Obama presidency starts what it promises will be a new foreign policy era this week. Top officials and envoys are off to Europe and South Asia. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton begins her term with a trip to Asia that brings mixed reactions. On one hand, Mrs Clinton is clearly showing how important this region has become. On the other, the decision to visit Indonesia but ignore close US friends and allies is confusing...
Many in Thailand, which has 175 years of rock-solid support and harmony with the US, feel the new leadership in Washington is turning its back on an old friend. Singaporeans and Filipinos have said much the same. The new administration maintains it truly wants to focus on our region. It is important to include wary countries like Indonesia in the dialogue. But it is vital not to ignore old and trusted friends.
Those last two sentences almost sounds like the author is jealous of Indonesia! I wonder what makes Indonesia "wary" while Thailand is "trusted". In fact, I'd go so far to say that it is the other way around, at least in the eyes of the U.S. State Department. So why might Thailand not be on the top of the list of important allies in Asia? Clinton gave the answer when she showed the State Department's view of Indonesia by saying:
Indonesia is one of Asia's most dynamic nations, where human energy and aspiration combine to help lead the country to a free and fair system of elections, a free press, a robust civil society, and a prominent role for women in the Indonesian Government. We will support Indonesia and other countries in the region that are actively promoting shared values.
So when Thailand is "actively promoting shared values" like a "free and fair system of elections" instead of coups and mob rule, a free press instead of an environment where people fight over control of the media, and the protection of human rights instead of setting immigrants adrift on the ocean without food or water, then we'll talk about being trustworthy.
