THAILAND: PM THAKSIN'S PUBLIC REMARKS ON RANGOON

C O N F I D E N T I A L BANGKOK 003271 SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR EAP/BCLTV, EAP/RSP, S/CT. HQ USPACOM FOR FPA (HUSO) E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/17/2015 TAGS: PREL PTER BM TH ASEAN BURMA SUBJECT: THAILAND: PM THAKSIN'S PUBLIC REMARKS ON RANGOON BOMBINGS; MFA COMMENTS ON BURMA AND ASEAN CHAIRMANSHIP REF: A. RANGOON 590 ¶B. BANGKOK 3208 ¶C. BANGKOK 3128 Classified By: Political Counselor Robert Clarke. Reason: 1.4 (d) ¶1. (C) Summary: It has not been lost on Thai observers that SPDC propaganda about who is responsible for the May 7 bombings in Rangoon (Ref A) vaguely suggests Thai involvement as well as that of a "superpower nation." Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra tackled this issue on May 16 by rejecting any suspicions of Royal Thai Government (RTG) involvement. However, his formulation seemed designed to keep open his lines to the SPDC. His spin was that it had not been Rangoon's intention to suggest official Thai involvement, only that someone might be involved in secret activities along the border. Thaksin said Rangoon would have to request through diplomatic channels any follow-up by the RTG. He reiterated that Thailand will not support anyone intending to harm neighboring countries and would not harbor terrorists. On a separate Burma issue, the ASEAN Chairmanship, a Foreign Ministry (MFA) official dispelled speculation that Foreign Minister Kantathi Suphamongkhon is pursuing a "secret plan" to resolve that matter. He confirmed that Kantathi was trying to convince other ASEAN members to allow Burma, if it gave up its turn in the rotation for the ASEAN Chair this time, immediately to assume the Chair when it achieved credible reforms, rather than waiting for 10 years at another chance. End Summary. ¶2. (U) Prime Minister Thaksin's May 16 rejection of any suspicions of Thai Government involvement in the May 7 triple bombings in Rangoon has been covered in the Bangkok press, most notably the English-language Bangkok Post. Responding to journalists who raised vague statements by the SPDC which insinuated Thai involvement as well as that of "a world famous organization of a big nation," Thaksin reportedly said that the Burmese statements had not indicated suspicion of the RTG, but were claiming that "maybe someone is doing something secretly along the border." He said that, if that is what the Burmese Government suspects, it must indicate so through diplomatic channels and ask for a joint investigation and pursuit of culprits to prevent further attacks. Thaksin said that the Thai Government does not support anyone intending to do harm to neighboring countries and will never allow terrorists to use Thailand as a shelter. Reportedly, Thaksin added that Thailand always acts with sincerity in its political relations with neighboring countries and is always ready to talk openly or behind closed doors on any problem. He noted that the Burmese Government had not made any official approach to the RTG. ¶3. (C) Comment: Privately, Thaksin recently indicated to the Ambassador that he believes people linked to former SPDC PM Khin Nyunt are responsible for the bombings. This is a theory that other Thai officials share, with some even stating so publicly. While there is some Thai sentiment for protesting the Burmese insinuations about Thai involvement, Thaksin was careful in his public statements not to burn his bridges with the SPDC. End Comment. ¶4. (C) On a separate matter relating to Burma, PolCouns clarified with Damrong Kraikruan, head of MFA's Burma office, recent press reports on statements by FM Kantathi in Thailand and the U.S. that he has been consulting on the matter of Rangoon's controversial prospective assumption of the chairmanship of ASEAN and suggesting that he has been working on a "secret plan" to resolve the issue. Asked whether Kantathi's diplomacy on Burma had progressed beyond what he had outlined to PACOM Commander ADM Fallon on May 4 (Ref C) -- and to Deputy Secretary Zoellick (septel) -- Damrong said that press reports were erroneously painting Kantathi as taking credit for a unilateral SPDC initiative to announce "for the sake of ASEAN unity" that it will forgo the ASEAN chairmanship "when the timing is right." Damrong said that Kantathi was, however, trying to convince other ASEAN governments that, if Burma were to give up its turn in the rotation, it should not have to wait another 10 years, through the whole cycle, before becoming the ASEAN Chair. Kantathi, he said, hoped to use the ASEAN chair as an incentive for Burma to make real reforms, at which time it could be confident of gaining the Chair without further delay. ARVIZU