MISSING AMCIT (VANG, YEH) BELIEVED TO HAVE BEEN FOUND DEAD

UNCLAS CHIANG MAI 000058 SIPDIS SIPDIS SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: CASC VANG YEH SUBJECT: MISSING AMCIT (VANG, YEH) BELIEVED TO HAVE BEEN FOUND DEAD REF: CHIANG MAI 50 ¶1. (SBU) The bodies of seven people believed to be a group of missing Hmong (reftel) have been found in Mae Hong Son province in northern Thailand. Thai police announced March 29 that several bodies had been spotted left in bags in a remote area near Pai district, about 75 kilometers northwest of the Chiang Mai-area residence where the Hmong were last seen March 1. Police said the number of bodies and approximate ages matched reports of seven of the eight reported missing Hmong. ¶2. (SBU) The missing Hmong included Yeh Vang, 52, a U.S. citizen who had homes in both Chiang Mai and Minnesota. Some police and media reports continue to identify all eight as American citizens, but at this time, post believes only Yeh Vang was a registered citizen. After consulting with U.S. and Thai relatives, post believes one other - Peng Vang, 2 - has a claim to citizenship. Peng is the daughter of Yeh Vang and a Thai woman who is also among the missing, and it is likely that Vang was able to transmit citizenship requirements on to his daughter even though the parents never filed for a report of birth abroad. The other six missing Hmong are Thailand-based family friends and housekeeping staff of Yeh Vang; post believes these six have no claims to U.S. citizenship. ¶3. (SBU) Post has discussed the case at length with Yeh Vang's brother Tom Vang, who arrived in Chiang Mai from Minnesota following news of the disappearance. Tom Vang said family members are awaiting confirmation of the identities of the bodies before making any final decisions on repatriating remains to the United States or issuing public statements. ¶4. (SBU) Police have sent the bodies to Chiang Mai for autopsies and believe they will be able to confirm the identities by April 3. Post's police sources say that the remains showed signs that they had been strangled and left for some time. Villagers initially found four bodies after noticing a bad smell in a ditch; subsequent police searches located three more bodies. ¶5. (SBU) The disappearance of Yeh Vang, a prominent member of the sizable Hmong-American community in Minnesota, led to media reports in Thailand and the United States and pubic and congressional inquiries to the Consulate General from or on behalf of Hmong living the United States. After the disappearance police initially focused on intra-family disputes, as reported reftel, but media speculation following discovery of the bodies has included possible involvement of organized crime or Lao government-associated hitmen. At this time, post knows of no evidence to support this speculation. ¶6. (U) Upon confirmation from Thai authorities of the deaths of Yeh or Peng Vang, post will initiate normal ACS death case procedures and work with family members to repatriate remains and ship personal effects back to the United States. CAMP