Tillerson presses Thailand for more action on N. Korea
bangkok — US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on Tuesday pressed Thai leaders for more action on North Korea during the highest level visit to Thailand by a US official since a military coup in 2014 soured relations with the United States.
Tillerson’s top priority has been urging Southeast Asian countries to do more to cut funding streams for North Korea.
The United States believes North Korean front companies are active in Thailand and is trying to encourage the Thais to shut them down, Assistant Secretary for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Susan Thornton told reporters aboard Tillerson’s plane.
The companies are using Bangkok as a regional hub and change their names frequently, she said.
Before meeting Tillerson, Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha said Thailand would support a UN resolution on new sanctions on Pyongyang over its missile tests. But he made no mention of specific action.
The United States was encouraging Thailand to take as many North Korean refugees as it can handle, Thornton said.
Thailand’s own politics and human rights record were also in focus, as Washington strengthens relations with its oldest ally in the region after they were downgraded following the coup.
“We want Thailand to emerge as a strengthened democracy that respects and guarantees human rights and fundamental freedoms at home and plays a leading role in
We want thailand to emerge as a strengthened democracy that respects and guarantees human rights and fundamental freedoms at home and plays a leading role in advancing regional security and prosperity US embassy spokesman
advancing regional security and prosperity,” a US embassy spokesman said.
Tillerson offered no specific message on human rights when he spoke to the American community at the ambassador’s residence and highlighted the 200-year-old relationship.
“We want to continue to grow that relationship, even in its ups and downs,” he said.
Tillerson met Thailand’s foreign minister, Don Pramudwinai, before junta chief Prayuth. Don also emphasised support for the UN resolution on North Korea.
Following his meeting with Tillerson, Don told reporters in Bangkok that trade between Thailand and North Korea had dropped by as much as 94 per cent over the past year.
“Thailand will act as a good member of the United Nations ... one result is trade which dropped significantly. It dropped 94 per cent,” Don said.
US President Donald Trump has spoken to Prayuth by telephone and invited him to the White House, but no date has been set yet.
Human rights groups have voiced concern about the re-establishment of normal relations while Thailand’s junta continues to crack down on critics.
“It would be a practical mistake for Tillerson to not condition positive diplomatic relations on improvements in the protection of human rights,” Matthew Smith, of the Fortify Rights group, told Reuters. —