THAILAND UPDATE: CONTINUED CALM; THAKSIN TAKES A

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BANGKOK 005874

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/21/2016
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM TH
SUBJECT: THAILAND UPDATE: CONTINUED CALM; THAKSIN TAKES A
BREAK

Classified By: AMBASSADOR RALPH L. BOYCE. REASON 1.4 (B,D)


1. (C) Summary. The Council for Democratic Reform under the
Monarchy (CDRM) lowered its media profile on September 22 as
efforts to set up an interim civilian government intensified.
Several key security portfolios at the sub-ministerial level
have been shuffled. Thaksin released a statement from his
London retreat suggesting that he would take "a deserved
rest" and urging a new general election. The ousted PM's
wife and two of his children are reportedly in Bangkok and
never left the country as was previously reported. Former
Deputy PM and UNSG candidate Surakiart Sathirathai returned
to Bangkok and immediately began to distance himself from
Thaksin and cozy up to the CDRM. Most key Thaksin allies
appear to be under CDRM control. At least one small
counter-coup demonstration was held. End Summary.

BANGKOK NORMAL
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2. (C) Life in Bangkok continued to normalize on September

22. Troops remain posted at several key locations downtown
and the CDRM publicly announced that several unit rotations
would be under way over the weekend. Traffic returned to its
usual snarled format. There was rising press speculation on
who would be chosen to lead the new, interim government.
Names of a number of well-respected technocrats, including
UNCTAD SecGen Supachai Panitchpakdi--a former Democrat party
leader--are being bandied about.


3. (C) At lower levels, several key security positions appear
to be shifting, with National Intelligence Director Jumphon
Manmai being replaced by Armed Forces Security Center
Director Gen.Waipot Srinual (a good embassy contact). Police
General Priewphan Damapong, Thaksin's brother-in-law and
Deputy Commissioner General was shifted to an administrative
post. Gen Winai Thongsong--Thaksin's nephew and commander of
the Royal Thai Police Criminal Suppression Division (CSD) --
was moved to a desk job as well. (CSD is a Bangkok based
service with wide ranging authority and relatively important
paramilitary capability. We understand that the military
took control of their offices during the coup, although it
did not occupy the offices of other police units.)


4. (C) Work on the interim constitution appears to be under
way. Local press reports that former Senate Speaker Meechai
Ruchuphan and former secretary general to the cabinet
Borwornsak Uwanno are being enlisted by the CDRM to begin
drafting the interim constitution. They are two of the most
highly respected jurists in the country. In a lunch meeting
on September 22, MFA contacts told us that both Meechai and
Borwornsak are already at work on the document, which is
expected to be a simplified version of the recently suspended
1997 constitution. Our contacts told us that the CDRM had
also approached former Deputy PM Wissanu Krea-Ngam -- once a
strong Thaksin supporter but respected legal authority -- to
help with the drafting.

THAKSIN'S STATEMENT
--------------


5. (C) Thaksin remains in London. His close adviser Pansak
Vinyaratin told reporters on Thursday that the ousted PM will
"as of now, take a deserved rest" and looks forward to
involving himself in charity work. When asked in what matter
Pansak said, "you have to think what is the most effective
charitable work, something like development of the economy,
not rocket science." Pansak did not explain when Thaksin
plans to return to Thailand but told reporters that the
ousted premier may travel elsewhere in Europe. Thaksin's
traveling party released the following statement.

Full text of Thaksin statement:

The event in Thailand during the last two days should not
detract from my main aim of national reconciliation.
Therefore, he (sic) would like to urge all parties to find
ways and means to reconcile and work towards national
reconciliation for the sake of our King and country. We hope
the new regime will quickly arrange a new general election
and continue to uphold the principles of democracy for the
future of all Thais.

End Text.


THAKSIN'S FAMILY IN BANGKOK
--------------


6. (C) Meanwhile, press reports that Thaksin's wife Pochaman
and two of his children had fled for Singapore during the
coup appear to have been part of a calculated disinformation
campaign. Embassy contacts reported early on September 22
that Pochaman, son Panthongtae and daughter Paethongthan
returned to their residence Friday, after two nights in a
local safehouse.


I FOR ONE WELCOME OUR NEW ARMY OVERLORDS
--------------


7. (C) Former Deputy Prime Minister and candidate for UN
Secretary General Surakiart Sathirathai returned to Bangkok

SIPDIS
Wednesday and immediately began to shed his ties to the
ousted PM. Telling reporters that he thanked the CDRM for
their support for his UNSG candidacy, he denied having talked
to Thaksin in New York about the coup. Local media had a
field day in contrasting these comments with Surakiart's live
statement to CNN on Tuesday night, when he strongly defended
Thaksin and suggested that the coup was faltering.

DETAINEES
--------------


8. (C) It remains unclear precisely how many people have been
detained by the CDRM, but the number appears to be low thus
far. The most prominent detainees are former DPM Chidchai
Wannasathit, Thaksin,s former Secretary General Prommin
Lertsuridej, former PM office Minister Newin Chidchob and
former Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Yongyuth
Tiyapairat. Chidchai and Prommin are reportedly being held
at Supreme Command Headquarters. Newin and Yongyuth turned
themselves in at the Army Headquarters on September 21.
Prommin, Newin and Yongyuth were widely believed to have been
prominent hard-liners in the TRT camp who urged Thaksin to
hold fast to his defiant stance.


9. (C) Political activists Charat Worachath and Tavee Kaikub
were briefly detained on September 20 after protesting the
coup at Bangkok,s Democracy Monument. Both were
subsequently released. A CDRM spokesperson stated that two
Thaksin loyalists, Senator-designate Samak Sundaravej and
ex-Senator Dusit Siriwan were detained briefly on September
19 but have since been released. The CDRM spokesman
confirmed that all four men remain under close surveillance.

COUNTER-COUP?
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10. (C) Former Defense Minister Thammarak Issarangkul Na
Ayyuthaya is the most senior Thaksin ally still at large, and
is rumored to have fled to the northern part of Thailand. A
Chinese journalist contact cited rumors circulating on Friday
that Thammarak may be organizing Thaksin supporters in the
hinterland into a "grassroots militia." We have nothing to
substantiate this rumor, however.

TESTING THE WATERS--AN ANTI-COUP DEMONSTRATION
-------------- -


11. (C) A demonstration was announced by the "19 September
Network against Coup d'etat" on their website (which has
subsequently been blocked) to be held at 18:00 local time on
September 22 at an upscale shopping mall. At COB, we had
reports from poloff on the scene and NGO contacts indicating
that a small demonstration was ongoing, and a very large
group of journalists was present to cover it. Police were
also present, but had not taken measures to halt the
demonstration as of COB.
BOYCE