Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha’s planned official visit to the White House appears to have been postponed to a later date due to a number of factors. North Korea is at or close to the top of Trump’s agenda when it comes to Asia, especially in the face of Pyongyang’s continued defiance concerning its nuclear-capable intercontinental ballistic missile programme. Beijing has come under pressure to rein in its neighbour, with Trump threatening to play the economic card against China unless it helps the US manage North Korea. For Prayut, the White House invitation is a good opportunity to boost his non-elected government’s popularity while re-balancing Thailand’s relations with the major powers. The absence of a powerful vehicle like the TPP framework will likely make US efforts to rally Asian support against North Korea more challenging.

Source: The Nation Bangkok August 03, 2017 17:48 UTC