Thaksin in America: PM Denies Visit is to Patch Up Ties with US

Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra denies that his visit to the US is to smooth over tensions with US President Bush. This comes amidst reports alleging that Bush is displeased with Thailand’s refusal to acknowledge publicly its role in the war in Iraq, and in the fight against global terrorism. In response, Thai officials maintain that Thailand fully supports the international community's anti-terrorism efforts, but deny that it has been as instrumental as the US claims, in the Afghanistan and Iraq wars. Nevertheless, terrorism and intelligence cooperation will be on the agenda for Thaksin and Bush’s meeting. The legal aspects of Thai-US free trade arrangements, set to be signed next year, will also be discussed. – YaleGlobal