Thai Deputy Prime Minister still campaigning for top UN job December 24, 2005 Khaleej Times Original Source: http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticle.asp?xfile=data/theworld/2005/December/theworld_December691.xml§ion=theworld&col= BANGKOK - Thai Deputy Prime Minister Surakiart Sathirathai is still campaigning to succeed UN Secretary General Kofi Annan as head of the world body next year, even though a former Thai ambassador to Washington suggested he drop out of the race, local media reported on Saturday. Surakiart said he has no plans to quit the contest despite advice from former Thai ambassador to the United States Kasit Piromya. Kasit in a September 2005 telex only recently leaked to the Thai press, reportedly said US President George W. Bush implied Surakiart was unmarketable in the areas of human rights, democracy and leadership, so putting his candidacy in doubt. Surakiart has suggested the telex was probably fuelled by a grudge, and called it “unpatriotic” to try and discredit him and said he would continue his bid, the English-language Nation newspaper reported Saturday. Earlier, the Thai government news agency (TNA) reported Surakiart dismissed allegations he offered one of his contenders for the post, Sri Lankan peace negotiator and former UN official Jayantha Dhanapala, a deputy UN Secretary-General post if he dropped out of the race and supported him for the UN top post. Surakiart has claimed he has the support of about 100 countries, including all 10-member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). It is widely believed the next UN Secretary-General will come from Asia, as it is the region’s turn to hold the post when Annan’s term expires next year.