Thailand official calls for free trade

Since the mid-20th century IU has helped educate Thailand about democracy by building schools. Today, Thailand needs America's support to transform itself from a developing country to an industrial nation.\nKasit Piromya, Thailand's ambassador to the United States, spoke with IU and Bloomington community members about the future prospect of sparking a free-trade agreement between the two countries Wednesday in the School of Law's Moot Court Room.\n"America's relationship (with Thailand) did start on a very happy note," he said. "Americans helped with our independence by not wanting (to colonize us) ... We hope we will be able to have a draft (free-trade) agreement to the (Federal Trade Association) by 2006, as a symbol of the intensification of taking our relationship to a higher level." \nThailand was designated as a major non-NATO ally by President George W. Bush in October 2003, due in part to the Thai capture of Riduan Isamuddin, known as Hambali -- an international terrorist implicated in the Sept. 11 attacks and Indonesian civilian bombings. The U.S. State Department also reported that Thailand provided military assistance, about 450 soldiers, for the "war on terror" in Afghanistan and Iraq during a one-year commitment. \nPiromya said Thailand's Prime Minister, Thaksin Shinawatra, would like to see the nature of the U.S.-Thai relationship diversified. King Phumiphon Adunyadet is the country's chief of state; however, Prime Minister Thaksin leads the parliament of Thailand's "democratically governed constitutional monarchy," according to the CIA World Factbook. \n"We have been a partner and ally for almost two centuries," Piromya said. "During the Civil War (the Thai King) offered elephants to (President Abraham) Lincoln for battle against the South. I think the American and Thai people have in common a love for freedom. I think we should be in a position to work together more."\nThailand has sponsored five national elections since 1992 and has developed strong economic and diplomatic ties to Burma, a military-governed neighbor. Thailand also shares a border with Cambodia, Laos and Malaysia. According to the CIA World Factbook, 95 percent of Thailand's 63 million citizens practice Buddhism, about 4 percent are Muslim, and less than 1 percent is defined as Christian.\nPiromya's visit to IU is one part of a multi-state tour through the United States to improve U.S.-Thai relations.\nCharles Reafsnyder, executive associate dean for international programs, said IU has been working with Thailand since the late 1950s. He said IU helped to establish 17 teachers' colleges throughout the country, some of which have developed into full-fledged universities.\n"It's been a very long-standing and productive relationship (between IU and Thailand)," Reafsnyder said. "There are a number of Thai students (at IU), specifically in the law school. We have a very happy, warm, close relationship with (our) colleagues in Thailand."\nForty-one Thai students are enrolled in classes at IU, according to the Office of International Services. \nPiromya also discussed Thailand's cooperation with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security in regard to making the international student visa process more efficient despite increased American fears about international terrorism.\nGraduate student and Thai citizen Snea Thinsan asked Piromya to address the worldwide perception of Thailand's human rights record in a "frank" way. \nCritics of Thailand's human rights practices cite reported instances of forced labor, child labor, trafficking in women and children -- including for commercial sexual exploitation -- and coerced prostitution. \n"(We must) look at the cup half-filled or half-empty," Piromya said. "There have been 26 military coup d'etas and military governments. The military is back in the barrack; (there is) civil control of the military. (Thailand has) one of the most open constitutions of the day ... Young people died on the street fighting for justice."\nAccording to the Human Rights Watch, more than 500 deaths have been attributed to Prime Minister Thaksin's crackdown against public revolts by Islamic extremists in the Muslim-dominated southern provinces since martial law was established in January. In addition, human rights lawyer Somchai Neelapaijit, who disappeared March 12, 2004, while following high-profile defenses of Thailand citizens accused of attacking an army camp in the southern provenance of Narathiwat, is still reported missing. \nPiromya said Thailand has always been a part of globalization as far as the tapioca root trade is concerned, and his country is seeking an open-market economy. He said the prospect of outsourcing employment opportunities to Thailand should not detract from the perception of a "two-way exchange" between the countries. Piromya said Thai cleaners, chefs and other laborers would happily do work some Americans despise.\n"We always look out to the world at large; Thailand has always been a global partner," he said. "In the 18th and 19th centuries we had a legal partnership and education relationship. (We had an) economic donor-recepient relationship to the mid-1980s; it's now changed to more of a partnership ... We welcome expert and technical assistance; we welcome people to people assistance." \n-- Contact City & State Editor David A. Nosko at dnosko@indiana.edu.