Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06BANGKOK5834
2006-09-21 11:28:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Bangkok
Cable title:  

THAILAND UPDATE: LIFE RETURNING TO NORMAL

Tags:  PGOV PHUM TH 
pdf how-to read a cable
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RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL 2122
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C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BANGKOK 005834 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

TREASURY PASS TO FRB SAN FRANCISCO/TERESA CURRAN

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/19/2016
TAGS: PGOV PHUM TH
SUBJECT: THAILAND UPDATE: LIFE RETURNING TO NORMAL

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

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BANGKOK 005834

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

TREASURY PASS TO FRB SAN FRANCISCO/TERESA CURRAN

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/19/2016
TAGS: PGOV PHUM TH
SUBJECT: THAILAND UPDATE: LIFE RETURNING TO NORMAL

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


1. (C) Summary: The press published a "royal order" from
the King appointing General Sonthi as leader of the Council
for Democratic Reform. Public opinion polls have varying
estimates of the popularity of the coup, but opinion in
Bangkok remains positive. Whatever discontent people
upcountry may feel seems to be under wraps, at least for the
time being. One former assistant to DPM (and Thai Rak Thai
stalwart) Suwat Liptapanlop called the coup "the best
alternative to solving the political crisis" and claimed that
the detained former ministers were playing cards and eating
well. The anti-Thaksin auditor-general will continue to work
to root out corruption, and the new Election Commission will
begin preparing for local elections.

KING'S ENDORSEMENT
--------------


2. (C) The press published a "royal order" appointing
General Sonthi Boonyaratklin as "Leader of the Council for
Democratic Reform under the Constitutional Monarchy (CDRM).
(A "royal order" is the normal format for appointing a
high-ranking official.) The order instructs all Thai people
to remain peaceful and all government officials to follow the
orders of General Sonthi. This text appeared as one of the
series of announcements from the CDRM, and not (or at least
not yet) as a separate publication from the Palace.

Full text of royal order:

General Sonthi has reported the government under the
leadership of Police LTCOL Thaksin Shinawatra had caused
unprecedented conflicts, division and devastation of
integrity and unity among the Thai people and that the
majority of the people had had doubts about the honesty of
the government due to widespread corruption and political
intervention in independent organizations, thus adversely
affecting and impeding political activities of the country.
Despite continued efforts of many sectors, the situation has
not improved and peace has not yet been restored to the
country. A joint military, police and civilian group,
calling itself the Council for Democratic Reform under the
Constitutional Monarchy led by Gen. Sonthi has therefore

seized control of the government in order to restore peace
and unity to the country.

Therefore, His Majesty hereby appoints Gen. Sonthi as leader
of the Council for Democratic Reform under the Constitutional
Monarchy, and calls on the Thai people to remain peaceful and
all government officials to follow the orders of General
Sonthi.

End text

MORE REACTIONS
--------------


3. (C) A few pro-Thaksin websites called for Thaksin
supporters to rally at the Democracy Monument, but there are
so far no reports of any actual rallies or public displays of
support for the former PM. Am Amcit living in Khon Kaen (the
heart of Thaksin country, in the Northeast) reported no signs
of disturbance and no public indication of support for the
deposed PM.


4. (C) The newspapers are reporting the results of a public
opinion poll that shows a whopping 86.36 percent of people in
the countryside approve of the coup, along with 81.6 percent
of the people of Bangkok. According to another polling
organization, however, only about 50-55 percent of Bangkok
actually support the coup, while only about 35 percent of the
people in the North and 30 percent in the Northeast do
(Comment: Still, higher than we would have expected in these
pro-Thaksin strongholds. End comment.) The approval numbers
in the South are the highest (60-65 percent). This poll was
conducted for the Army, and the results will probably not be
released publicly.


5. (SBU) At the Foreign Correspondents' Club on September 20,
a full house heard several prominent Thaksin critics talk
about the coup and the future. They repeated the common

BANGKOK 00005834 002 OF 002


refrain of "what else could we have done?" Looking forward,
several warned that Thaksin was likely to fight back.
Several also commented on the prospects for another new Thai
constitution. One advised that the Thai needed to get over
their fixation on using constitutional reform to solve
political problems. "Something else is wrong with Thai
democracy."


WHAT MORE DO YOU NEED?
--------------


6. (C) When the CDRM took over on Tuesday night, it
disbanded the Cabinet and the Parliament, and terminated the
Constitution. A debate has ensued about how and whether
various independent agencies set up by the now-defunct
Constitution should function. The CDRM today announced that
the State Audit Commission was dissolved, but the Office of
the Auditor-General (OAG) would continue to exist to
investigate official corruption. Auditor-General Jaruvan
Maintaka was nearly removed from her job last year, when
technical problems with her appointment were exploited by
politicians allegedly unhappy with her investigative zeal.
Jaruvan was a cause-celebre and her case was seen as one of
the early proxy battles between Thaksin and the King. The OAG
announced it would continue to investigate the cases of
official corruption which occurred while Thaksin was prime
minister. (Comment: This may be seen as a warning shot
across Thaksin's bow, implying a threat to continue pursuing
corruption cases that could target him or his close
associates.)


7. (C) The CDRM also announced that the recently-named
Election Commissioners will continue to work, in the first
instance by organizing local elections "as authorized by
relevant laws."

WHERE ARE THEY NOW?
--------------


8. (U) Press reports that two former ministers, Newin
Chidchob and Yongyuth Tiyapairat, have turned themselves in
to the CDRM as requested. Both of them were viewed as "dirty
tricks" experts for the PM and were particularly unpopular.


9. (C) Poloff lunched with several beneficiaries of our
International Visitors program today, one of whom had worked
for DPM Suwat Liptapanlop until Tuesday's coup. Asked about
the coup, the former aide said it was "the best alternative
to resolving the political crisis." Poloff expressed
concerns about the status of members of TRT who were being
detained by the CDRM. Our contact said, with a notable lack
of sympathy for his former colleagues, that there was no need
to worry about them; they were all old friends who were
playing cards together and eating well.

BOYCE