Thailand's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said yesterday it will not allow the DPP to establish an overseas party branch in Bangkok, hinting that such a move could possibly entangle the country in an unwanted diplomatic tussle with China.
Ministry spokesman Don Pramudwinai told the Taipei Times that the government would not permit any "political activities" in the kingdom by other countries that might lead to diplomatic problems for Thailand.
When asked if the ministry would have objections to the possible opening of a party chapter in Bankok, Pramudwinai said: "The DPP would have difficulties setting up such an office [here]."
Pramudwinai said "political activities" would include "seminars or any gatherings with the purpose of discussing certain issues which could be detrimental to a country which has good relations with Thailand."
He denied, however, that it had anything to do with his country's acceptance of Beijing's "one-China" policy.
The policy states that there is only one China, that of the PRC, and that Taiwan is ruled by a provincial government under the sovereignty of the PRC.
"When I talk about this I am not focusing on Taiwan ... [it's a] general policy of Thailand's," Pramudwinai said.
"The `one-China' policy is another thing; it's a long-established principle," he added.
However, the DPP's director of international affairs, Hsiao Bi-khim
But Pramudwinai contended that any foreign organizations setting up in Thailand would have to inform the government and that "the foreign ministry is an arm of that government."According to a report in The Nation, one of Thailand's two leading English-language news-papers, diplomatic alarm bells were set off when Kaohsiung Mayor Frank Hsieh (
He said such a move would help the party scout for candidates for National Assembly elections if they go ahead in May -- though this appears to be unlikely -- and to raise the party's profile in Southeast Asia.
Currently, DPP branch offices operating in Australia, Canada and the US function as non-governmental "associations." For this reason, the party is perturbed by the Thai government's pre-emptive statements.
"It would be purely informal. Our other overseas branches are not registered with the host government's foreign or interior ministries," said Jimmy Kuo (
Kuo added that while the party is planning to set up a branch in Bangkok, it is still just a proposal.
"We have to first approve the proposal at the party's central executive committee," he said.
"Right now the DPP has about 200-300 party members in Bangkok. We hope the branch will be up and running before May 20, to help coordinate those who want to come to Taipei for the inauguration," he added.
The Thai foreign ministry, meanwhile, said it was not aware of other foreign political parties having established branches in Bangkok -- including the presence of a KMT overseas office there for more than half a century.
"I don't know in what form their [KMT] organization is, perhaps it is a loose gathering -- but if there should be an attempt to formalize any organization, that certainly would not be encouraged," Pramudwinai said.
He added that "formalization" means that the party would have a regular meeting place and structure.
According to one member of the KMT branch in Bangkok, the organization is due to move into a new office in order to service over 1000 party members living in the country sometime in June.
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