ENVOY PUTS THE RECORD STRAIGHT ON THAI CULTURE

       Britain's ambassador to Thailand, Quinton Quayle, believes Thailand has a great culture, but one who needs to be convinced so is a predecessor who was here more than four decades ago. Quayle's urgent press statement offered a fresh and contrasting view on Thai society following bold criticism by Sir Anthony Rumbold, British ambassador to Thailand from 1965 to 1967.
       The former envoy said of Thais: "They have no literature, no painting and only a very odd kind of music; their sculpture, ceramics and dancing are borrowed from others, and their architecture is monotonous and interior decoration hideous.
       "Nobody can deny that gambling and golf are the chief pleasures of the rich, and that licentiousness is the main pleasure of them all."
       Rumbold's statement was made in a personal letter to Britain's Foreign Office more than four decades ago, and was kept in the British National Archives until disclosed recently to the BBC under Freedom of Information.
       Until 2006, British ambassadors retiring or moving countries traditionally sent a valedictory dispatch to London, offering candid personal assessments of the country in which they had served.
       In his statement issued on Monday, Quayle - ambassador since 2007- said his views towards Thailand were very different from those of his predecessor of 42 years ago.
       "Ever since I was first posted to Thailand 30 years ago [as second secretary, political], I have been impressed by the richness of Thai culture, be it art, sculpture, dance, music or literature.
       "All this is embellished by the natural beauty of the landscape and the charm and warmth of the Thai people. The country for me certainly lives up to its brand name 'Amazing Thailand'," he said.
       Officials from the Foreign Ministry will today speak before the House committee on foreign affairs about the undiplomatic remarks made by Sir Anthony Rumbold after he left Thailand in 1967.
       The ministry's ambassador Isorn Pocmontri will lead officials from the Department of Europe Affairs to explain how the remark came from a valedictory letters traditionally sent by Foreign Office mandarins on completing an overseas posting and that it did not represent the views of the UK government.