Re-post from UCLA Radio's The Diplomat by Carey Shenkman.

Carey Shenkman follows up with a gripping story from the 2008 Burkle Center Conference: former Thai Foreign Minister Kantathi Suphamongkhon gives some inside looks into his personal experience with a government that is opaque to the rest of the world.

Tune in for some laughs about the practices of the North Korean government, from demanding gifts for the long-deceased Kim Il-Sung (that would take 2 years to examine, apparently) to banning the use of cell phones. However, in dining with a senior official, Mr. Suphamongkhon learns some striking, insider perceptions of the US government's role in Iraq and the region... that you won't hear anywhere else.

Click here to listen to the audio recording.

Published: Tuesday, March 18, 2008