Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05BANGKOK6953
2005-11-04 12:14:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Bangkok
Cable title:  

THAI REACT TO "SECRET PRISONS" ARTICLE: WILL THAKSIN SUE THE WASHINGTON POST?

Tags:  PREL PTER KPOW TH CIA 
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This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BANGKOK 006953 

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/03/2015
TAGS: PREL PTER KPOW TH CIA
SUBJECT: THAI REACT TO "SECRET PRISONS" ARTICLE: WILL
THAKSIN SUE THE WASHINGTON POST?

REF: WEYER-COLE EMAIL 11/3/05

Classified By: POLITICAL COUNSELOR SUSAN M. SUTTON reason 1.4 (b) (d)

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BANGKOK 006953

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/03/2015
TAGS: PREL PTER KPOW TH CIA
SUBJECT: THAI REACT TO "SECRET PRISONS" ARTICLE: WILL
THAKSIN SUE THE WASHINGTON POST?

REF: WEYER-COLE EMAIL 11/3/05

Classified By: POLITICAL COUNSELOR SUSAN M. SUTTON reason 1.4 (b) (d)


1. (C) Summary: The Thai government has issued heated
denials of the Washington Post report of a secret CIA-run
prison here, and has sought embassy assistance in responding
to the accusations. After a local newspaper identified our
VOA facility in northeast Thailand as the site of the prison,
the facility acquiesced to the request of the district
governor there, and permitted his representative to bring in
a camera crew to visit the site, ostensibly to preview it for
the governor's visit next week. The Prime Minister's press
spokesman also made inquiries with us about the VOA facility,
and told the press that the governor would bring journalists
with him during his visit next week. According to an MFA
official, the government is considering whether they should
sue the Washington Post. We think that a lawsuit is
unlikely. end summary.



2. (C) The Thai government has reacted strongly to the
Washington Post report of a secret CIA-run prison in
Thailand. MFA contacted us on Wednesday, as soon as they had
seen the report, seeking our assistance in denying the
allegation. Post provided MFA with the department guidance
(in which the spokesman noted that he was "not in a position
to confirm anything" and stated that questions "are best
addressed to the CIA or DNI." - ref email.).

FOCUS ON VOA FACILITY
--------------


3. (C) The Thai and English language press continue to
highlight the story. Of greatest concern, one newspaper
reported that the secret facility was housed on the grounds
of the VOA facility in Udon Thani, in northeastern Thailand.
(Comment: this facility has been the target of many unfounded
rumors in the past, including the allegation that it was the
site of a secret airfield or clandestine military base. end
comment.) American officials at the facility reported on
Friday 11/4 that they had received urgent inquiries from
local officials in Udon requesting further information about
the activities on the site. This culminated in a request
from the district governor to visit the facility early next

week. Simultaneously, the Prime Minister's press spokesman
contacted the embassy and the VOA office and also asked for
further information about the activities on the site,
preparatory to his press conference later in the afternoon.
In each case, US officials noted that the VOA site had
regularly welcomed visitors from the Thai government and
public, and had no objection to continuing to do so. In
fact, VOA had extended an invitation to the district governor
asking him to come and see the facilities some time ago.


4. (C) On Friday afternoon, the district governor sent the
provincial public affairs officer and a camera crew from his
office out to the facility, saying that he would like to see
video of the installation before his visit on Tuesday. VOA
decided to admit this group, since they had come directly
from the district governor, but did not admit any of the
other reporters who had requested entry. The crew was given
a tour, but no interviews. The Prime Minister's spokesman
contacted embassy PAO after his press conference and told him
that the press now had a better understanding of the
situation. According to news reports, the spokesman announced
that the district governor would visit next week, and that
press was welcome to accompany him.


5. (C) Note: RSO has been in touch with the facility to
consult on security in light of the press and public
attention. end note.

Sue the Washington Post?
--------------


6. (C) Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra and other high
ranking officials continue to issue heated denials of the
story. The MFA announced that it would coordinate with the
US through the embassy to undertake an investigation into the
news report. MFA Permanent Secretary Krit Garnjana-Gooncharn
called Ambassador today and noted that some officials were
considering whether the RTG should sue the Washington Post.
(Opposition party leaders had baited the PM in the press
today, saying that the government would be criticized if it
sued Thai papers for allegedly inaccurate stories, but
ignored false reports in the US press.)

Comment
--------------


7. (C) News stories tend to flare up fast and die here, as
the press moves on to the next scandal. However, the extent
of the attention, and especially the focus on the VOA
facility, is extremely unfortunate. The opposition sees this
as a good way to attack the PM and will look for ways to keep
the story alive. We believe that being open where we can --
e.g. possibly allowing limited press to accompany the
governor when he visits the facility next week -- might be
one reasonably effective way to tamp down the story. Efforts
to conceal or keep the press out will only make the facility
more interesting to them. But there is a downside to being
overly accommodating, and at some point we may need to draw
the line and say enough is enough. As for the threatened
lawsuit, out guess is that Thaksin and the RTG will not
follow through and initiate legal action against the
Washington Post. But Thaksin can be unpredictable,
especially if he feels pressured by the opposition and Thai
media. end comment.
BOYCE