US views Thailand a major allied nation

BANGKOK, June 9 (TNA) - The United States views Thailand as a major allied nation, while many countries appear to better understand the country's situation, following a coup staged by the army-led National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) on May 22, 2014. Thai Permanent Secretary for Foreign Affairs Sihasak Phuangketkeow told journalists of the information on Monday, after he attended the Senior Officials' Meeting of East Asia Summit (EAS) in Yangon, Myanmar, last week. Sihasak said that Daniel Russel, US Assistant Secretary of State, told the EAS meeting that Thailand is a US important partner and he hoped that Thailand would return to democracy soon. Sihasak revealed that Australia, New Zealand and other countries appear to now have more confidence in Thailand, after learning about the coup council's three-stage roadmap to democracy. According to the senior official, he told participating countries at the EAS forum, including the United States, Russia, Australia, New Zealand, China, Japan, South Korea and India, that Thailand is solving domestic problems to quickly restore national order. The senior official acknowledged that he will also allay international concerns over human rights in Thailand to the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva next week by explaining that some limitations to freedom will be short-lived to ensure peace and prevent violence in the country and such measures have already been relaxed. (TNA)