AMBASSADOR MEETS WITH DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BANGKOK 006519

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/13/2015
TAGS: PGOV PREL PINS PREF MY TH
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR MEETS WITH DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER
CHIDCHAI TO DISCUSS THAI SOUTH; AVIAN INFLUENZA


Classified By: Ambassador Ralph L. Boyce for reason 1.4 (b)


1. (C) SUMMARY. On October 13, Ambassador Boyce paid a
courtesy call on Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of
Justice Chidchai Vanasatidya. Chidchai was generally upbeat
about the RTG's progress in addressing the Southern problem.
He stated that the militants clearly wanted to provoke
another major crackdown in order to shore up popular support
for their cause. The RTG, he said, would not fall into that
trap. Chidchai mentioned that there would be education
reforms in the South in order to bring the teachings of
pondok schools more in line with the national curriculum. He
also criticized Malaysia for what he labeled an attempt to
create an international incident over the fate of the 131
Thais who claim to be refugees. The Ambassador urged
Thailand to cooperate with its poorer neighbors to address
the threat posed by a potential avian flu pandemic in the
region. END SUMMARY


2. (SBU) On October 13, Ambassador Boyce paid a courtesy call
on Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Justice Chidchai
Vanasatidya. (NOTE: Chidchai previously served as Minister of
the Interior from February until August 2005. END NOTE) The
Ambassador began by asking DPM Chidchai about recent comments
made by General Pallop Pinmanee, an administration hawk, in
which he criticized the RTG for an ineffective and "weak"
strategy towards the violence in the South. Chidchai replied
that the General's comments had been made in a closed session
of a workshop and that his comments had been leaked to the
press. These comments represented only General Pallop's
personal views.

MILITANTS WANT TO PROVOKE A LARGE-SCALE RESPONSE; CHIDCHAI
SAYS RTG IS NOT TAKING THE BAIT


3. (SBU) Chidchai was generally upbeat about the RTG's recent
progress in addressing the Southern problem. He stated that
the Thais were getting better intelligence in the problematic
"red zones" where insurgent activities were worst. Chidchai
repeatedly noted that the "modus operandi" of the insurgents
was to try a provoke a harsh response from the RTG. Such a
crackdown would inevitably arouse the anger of the local
population, who would become more sympathetic to the demands
of the militants. Chidchai said that the RTG was being very
careful not to fall into the militants' trap. Still, he
admitted that there was enormous frustration with the
brutality of the insurgent attacks, which continued to kill
and maim officers and civilians every day, and to disrupt the
lives of all the people of the region. Regarding cooperation
from the local people, Chidchai felt that "all residents"
know more than they are telling authorities.


4. (SBU) The Ambassador asked Chidchai about PM Thaksin's
recent visit to the home of Mariya Useng, wife of a wanted
Thai Malay separatist leader. Chidchai responded that the
visit was made in large part to inspire confidence among the
Thai population, who could see that their PM was not afraid
to visit the South, and that he was willing to face the
Southerners head-on by attempting to meet separatist leaders.
The Ambassador noted that the Prime Minister's visit to the
woman's private home could also be perceived as a threatening
gesture by local Muslims.

REFORMING THE PONDOKS


5. (C) Chidchai told the Ambassador that the RTG had plans to
institute educational reforms in the Southern provinces that
would require private Islamic schools to adhere to the
national curriculum. He noted that many of these schools
were teaching exclusively religious subjects, and were
indoctrinating their students with dangerous Islamic
fundamentalist ideals. He said that it had been a mistake
for the RTG to allow these schools to operate without
oversight for so many years. He expressed concern that many
students were not learning Thai, English or respect for Thai
national institutions. The Ambassador noted that Indonesia
had a system that worked fairly well in which the government
worked closely with Islamic schools to ensure that all the
required elements of the national curriculum were taught
alongside the school's religious programs.

ANGER WITH MALAYSIA


6. (C) Chidchai's expressed irritation with Malaysian Foreign
Minister Hamid for his recent statements about the 131 Thais
who have crossed into Malaysia to claim refugee status. He
believed that the Malaysian Government was "crazy" to turn a
minor incident into an issue which could have a damaging
long-term effect on Thai-Malaysian relations. He commented
that even the Indonesians have taken a more balanced and
neutral response to the situation. Chidchai hoped that UNHCR
would certify that these people were not refugees.

AVIAN INFLUENZA


7. (U) The Ambassador advised that Thailand should continue
to prepare itself for the possibility of an avian influenza
pandemic. Although Thailand had many safeguards in place to
guard against a breakout of avian flu, Cambodia, Laos and
Vietnam remain highly vulnerable since they do not have the
resources to guarantee a sufficient level of protection. Due
to the vulnerabilities of its neighbors, rural Thailand was
still very much at risk should a pandemic break out.
Chidchai concurred with the Ambassador's sentiments.
BOYCE