I suppose Wikileaks was always going to offer up some unlikely tidbits from the world of Ambassadorial engagements and lavish dinner parties. There are plenty of tantalisingly absurd things that (appear to) go on.

Even still, I don’t quite know what to make of the most recent cable leaked from the US Embassy Bangkok. The original text is available from The Telegraph and in Thai translation here. There is much in this farewell cable from outgoing American Ambassador Ralph L. Boyce that is remarkable.

I like the fact that many of the protagonists seem to have a sense of humour. For what it’s worth, some (far more tentative) New Mandala commentary on the military rank of Crown Prince Vajiralongkorn’s dog is available here.

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On a more serious note we should probably return, one day soon, to consider the issues raised by New Mandala coverage of the Wikileaks from late 2010. If the flow of leaks has resumed then it will only be a matter of time before there is a new tranche of explosive stuff for mainland Southeast Asia.