BANGKOK, 25 June 2015 – US’s new ambassador to Thailand, Glyn Davies, has stressed that America has not taken sides in the kingdom’s political conflict and is committed to its support for democratic principles.
The US embassy has released Mr Davies’ testimony to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on June 23, which emphasized the country’s impartiality towards Thailand’s internal political divide.
According to the testimony, Thailand and the US have shared a long and enduring friendship and collaborate on a wide range of issues, including advancing regional security, expanding trade and investment, assisting refugees and displaced persons, fighting transnational crime, and protecting the environment.
While the US remains neutral, it continues to underscore concerns about the disruption of Thailand’s democratic traditions and accompanying restrictions on civil liberties and maintain that democracy can only emerge when the Thai people freely and fairly elect their own representatives and leaders.
Mr Davies added that Thai people should be free to decide for their own political blueprint through an inclusive political process that allows for an open and robust debate about the country’s political future.
The US remains committed to maintaining its security alliance with the kingdom and will continue to work with the Thai government to strengthen its efforts to address the country’s human trafficking problem.
