WRITER: KORNCHANOK RAKSASERI AND PRANGTHONG JITCHAROENKUL
Human rights abuses to remain top concern
The US ambassador to Thailand insists on "continuity" in US-Thai relations despite a change in the US administration with a new president taking office.
Ahead of Donald Trump's inauguration as the 45th president tomorrow, Ambassador Glyn T Davies said Thailand and Asean will remain pivotal partners of the US.
"We change governments and we are doing it this time as a dramatic change, from one party to another and from one personality to a very different personality, but what remains the same are America's core interests in Southeast Asia, in Thailand," he said.
Although it is clear that under a Trump administration, the 12-nation Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade pact will be set aside, it is still difficult to gauge what the new trade strategy will be once the US cabinet is formed.
"The good news is it is still free trade," he said, referring to Mr Trump's interest in pursuing bilateral trade deals in a traditional approach.
Mr Davies said the strategic dialogue between the two countries will continue, including cooperation in regional security, humanitarian work, international law enforcement as well as health and education.
He also cited the Cobra Gold military exercise coming up next month, which US Pacific command Admiral Harry B Harris will join, as an example.
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