NASA pulls out of Thai climate project

[PeteC]

" We dicked around for months and you went somewhere else because the climate window was closing for the year. Now you won't tell us where you went. Just for that, we may not let you use OUR skies."


NASA pulls out of project
Jutharat Tipnampa,
Pongphon Sarnsamak
The Nation March 6, 2013 1:00 am

The US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (Nasa) has decided not to continue its cooperation with Thai authorities in a research project to study climate conditions in Thailand, the US ambassador to Thailand said.

"We have no plans for Nasa to work in Thailand at this time. This project was moved to another country and is already completed," she said.

"We can't say which country, but this year we have no plan for Nasa to work in Thailand," she said, adding that the US would be happy to collaborate with Thailand in the future.

Previously, Nasa had proposed that the U-t apao naval airbase be used as its research headquarters to study weather conditions in Thailand, but the Cabinet was unable to endorse its request by June last year and it ran out of time to make logistical preparations.

It was believed the project would help Thailand improve the knowledge and understanding of climate conditions in the Kingdom.

Meanwhile, Science Minister Woravat Auapinyakul said the government would comply with Nasa's decision to end its cooperation over climate research.

Worawat will also lead senior officials to the US later this month to sign a cooperation pact. He is scheduled to meet scientist Hal Maring and Matthew Koeppe from Nasa's Office of International and Inter-agency Relations on March 12.

He said he would wait and see if the US space agency wanted to change its decision. "I cannot say right now whether we will allow the US space agency to use our skies to conduct its research after it decided to set up base in another country,"

[margaretcarnes]

So - NASA sets a time limit for Thailands' response. Having heard nothing NASA goes elsewhere. Having gone elsewhere Thailand gets the hump and decides it will not co-operate with NASA any more because it - Thailand - can't meet NASAs' deadlines.

All perfectly reasonable! There is nothing wrong with Thailands' climate anyway....

[PeteC]

NASA always had a drop dead date. The request came in more than a year in advance. The Thai cabinet dickered and swayed back and forth and didn't even address it seriously until about a month before the latest date for logistical preparations. All about some imaginary fear the program was not what it is said to be. All involved Thai agencies were in favour but the cabinet didn't listen to them. Yes, I heard NASA dropped nanodrones shaped and coloured like hornets to infiltrate every country in the region. I was just talking to one on my patio last night.

They've already used Singapore in the past so the "mystery location" they don't want to divulge is perhaps Vietnam IMO. Only alternative place where they can keep a lid on the news. No suitable facilities in Laos or Cambodia, and Malaysia relations are not too hot. Pete