presented with a request for ratification, which the country's law required in order to make an international convention fully binding. The question of ratification was closely linked to the reticence reflected in the reservations, and was part of the background in which the teachings of history and socio-economic realities occupied an important place. The fact that Thailand had submitted its initial report was evidence, nevertheless, of its wish to abide by the basic principles of the Convention. 80. Its reservations to the Convention had given rise to very many questions, which were also constructive criticisms. In a general way. States which formulated reservations in respect of any convention could choose between two approaches; either to withdraw reservations justified on the grounds of the incompatibility of certain laws or policies with the convention concerned in the hope that compatibility would eventually be achieved, or to wait for that compatibility to be achieved before withdrawing the reservations. Thailand had adopted the second approach since its accession to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women. 81. Under article 28, paragraph 2, of the Convention, a reservation incompatible with the object and purpose of the Convention should not be permitted, but the question was who determined that incompatibility - the States themselves or an independent body? Under the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties the States decided, but what was to be done when some States, as in the present instance, accepted reservations that others rejected? Thailand would therefore like the view of an independent body such as the Committee. 82. He then turned to Thailand's reservations and the grounds it had invoked to justify them when it acceded to the Convention; the reservation in respect of article 7 (discrimination in political and public life) was due to the fact that 
**Analysis**
The text appears to be discussing international law and treaties, specifically the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women. The context seems to be focused on the ratification process and the reservations made by Thailand, which implies a concern for human rights and international cooperation.

**Category**
Human rights, International law