PHUKET: A plan by the Governor of Phuket, Maitree Intrusud, to hold separate informal meetings with two groups of Phuket honorary consuls is likely to trigger diplomatic protests.
Governor Maitree said in Phuket City today that he plans to hold informal talks with Thai honorary consuls on August 19 and farang honorary consuls on August 20.
If the governor goes ahead and invites Phuket's honorary consuls to separate meetings, he is likely to face protests from the Foreign Ministry, from the Interior Ministry and from the Prime Minister's Office.
He would set an unwelcome precedent in Thai diplomatic circles if he holds separate meetings based on the race of the envoys.
The governor's announcement today that the gatherings of honorary consuls would be informal and in two groups appears to be a measure of his discomfort in dealing with the international aspects of his role.
Phuket has changed. It is not longer a Thai provincial destination but an international Thai destination.
Governor Maitree appears to long for the past.
While some honorary consuls represent the countries for which they hold citizenship - Germany, Australia, Ireland, Britain, the Netherlands, Denmark and France, for example - other countries are represented by Thais.
Finland, Norway, Austria, Estonia, Korea and Russia, for example, are in that category.
However, in the diplomatic world, it would be a faux pas to draw any distinction between the two groups. There are none.
Governor Maitree's predecessors in the role on Phuket, Wichai Praisa-ngob and Tri Augkaradacha, held regular meetings in an open forum every three months with all of Phuket's honorary consuls, regardless of their background.
Sadly, no honorary consuls' meeting has been held since September last year - almost 12 months ago.
It took the urging of the European Union ambassadors when meeting on Phuket in June to extract a promise from Governor Maitree that he would resurrect the talks with honorary consuls.
Now Governor Maitree appears unhappy about holding an open forum gathering, where all issues can be discussed and reported openly in the Phuket media.
His proposal to discriminate between the honorary consuls on the grounds of race is likely to leave the governor feeling lonely at both meetings.
Governor Maitree said in Phuket City today that he plans to hold informal talks with Thai honorary consuls on August 19 and farang honorary consuls on August 20.
If the governor goes ahead and invites Phuket's honorary consuls to separate meetings, he is likely to face protests from the Foreign Ministry, from the Interior Ministry and from the Prime Minister's Office.
He would set an unwelcome precedent in Thai diplomatic circles if he holds separate meetings based on the race of the envoys.
The governor's announcement today that the gatherings of honorary consuls would be informal and in two groups appears to be a measure of his discomfort in dealing with the international aspects of his role.
Phuket has changed. It is not longer a Thai provincial destination but an international Thai destination.
Governor Maitree appears to long for the past.
While some honorary consuls represent the countries for which they hold citizenship - Germany, Australia, Ireland, Britain, the Netherlands, Denmark and France, for example - other countries are represented by Thais.
Finland, Norway, Austria, Estonia, Korea and Russia, for example, are in that category.
However, in the diplomatic world, it would be a faux pas to draw any distinction between the two groups. There are none.
Governor Maitree's predecessors in the role on Phuket, Wichai Praisa-ngob and Tri Augkaradacha, held regular meetings in an open forum every three months with all of Phuket's honorary consuls, regardless of their background.
Sadly, no honorary consuls' meeting has been held since September last year - almost 12 months ago.
It took the urging of the European Union ambassadors when meeting on Phuket in June to extract a promise from Governor Maitree that he would resurrect the talks with honorary consuls.
Now Governor Maitree appears unhappy about holding an open forum gathering, where all issues can be discussed and reported openly in the Phuket media.
His proposal to discriminate between the honorary consuls on the grounds of race is likely to leave the governor feeling lonely at both meetings.
Perhaps Phuket governor should make compulsory that he will not accept any foreign candidate to be a foreign Honorary Consul if he is not fluent in Thai as most of the time Honorary Consuls must be mediators between official civil servants or local people and tourists in trouble.
Posted by Whistle-Blower on August 10, 2013 16:07
Editor Comment:
What you appear to be saying, Whistle-Blower, is that the ability to speak Thai also gives honorary consuls the ability to determine right from wrong. I have to say that's one of the most foolish comments you've ever made.
Let's hope national governments continue to have the right to choose their own honorary consuls.