PM Denies US Drone Base Plan, Keeps Trade and Security Separate
PM Anutin Charnvirakul denied reports that the US plans to establish a drone production base in Thailand, insisting trade and security matters remain separate in bilateral discussions.
BANGKOK — Prime Minister and Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has denied reports that the United States plans to establish a production base for unmanned aerial vehicles in Thailand, saying he had received no such report.
Anutin was asked about reports that the US might use military issues as leverage in negotiations over trade tariffs. The prime minister rejected the suggestion, saying there had been no such discussion.
He said US Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Elbridge Colby met with him on 13 August, but the two did not discuss the issue.
"Trade and tariffs are matters of trade, while security cooperation is a military matter. The government will not allow the two to become involved with each other," Anutin said.
He described the meeting with Colby as having gone "very well".
Asked whether security issues and trade negotiations should be kept separate, Anutin said this had always been the US approach.
"The US has always been like this. The Under Secretary of Defense did not have any trade-related issues to discuss," he said.
Asked whether the Cobra Gold joint military exercise would proceed on its normal schedule, Anutin said it would.
"It is normal. We have been doing this for decades. I don't know who started this issue because it does not exist," he said.
On negotiations over US trade tariffs, Anutin said Deputy Prime Minister and Commerce Minister Suphajee Suthumpun had provided an update. He said the government held a meeting on Monday to receive an update on the negotiations and that everything remained within the timeframe set by the negotiating team.
