Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06TAIPEI1380
2006-04-20 05:39:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
American Institute Taiwan, Taipei
Cable title:
Update on Thai Labor Riot Fallout
how-toVZCZCXRO8602 RR RUEHGH DE RUEHIN #1380 1100539 ZNR UUUUU ZZH R 200539Z APR 06 FM AIT TAIPEI TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 9798 INFO RUCPDOC/USDOC WASHDC RUEHBK/AMEMBASSY BANGKOK 3238 RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 5093 RUEHHK/AMCONSUL HONG KONG 6294 RUEHGH/AMCONSUL SHANGHAI 0063 RUEHGZ/AMCONSUL GUANGZHOU 9252 RUEHML/AMEMBASSY MANILA 9706 RUEHHI/AMEMBASSY HANOI 3059 RUEHJA/AMEMBASSY JAKARTA 3843
UNCLAS TAIPEI 001380
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR EAP/TC, INR/EAP, AIT/W
FROM AIT KAOHSIUNG BRANCH OFFICE
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECON IND LR TW
SUBJECT: Update on Thai Labor Riot Fallout
Ref: REF A) TAIPEI 03525, B) TAIPEI 03793, C) TAIPEI 03856,
D)TAIPEI 03196, E) TAIPEI 03197
UNCLAS TAIPEI 001380
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR EAP/TC, INR/EAP, AIT/W
FROM AIT KAOHSIUNG BRANCH OFFICE
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECON IND LR TW
SUBJECT: Update on Thai Labor Riot Fallout
Ref: REF A) TAIPEI 03525, B) TAIPEI 03793, C) TAIPEI 03856,
D)TAIPEI 03196, E) TAIPEI 03197
1. (U) Summary. The widely publicized Thai labor problems
relating to construction of Kaohsiung's subway continue to simmer.
Huapan Management, the company that recruited the laborers, in
February filed an NTD 19.7 million lawsuit against fourteen of the
laborers involved in the initial riot last August 21 (reftels).
However, following scathing criticism from Premier Su Tseng-chang,
the company reduced the requested damages to a single NTD.
Separately, total of nine criminal indictments, eight for corruption
and one against two of the laborers, have resulted thus far. The
laborers staged a brief work stoppage on 31 March, but were
convinced to return to work by 3 April. End Summary.
2. (SBU) Prosecutor Kao Ta-fang, the lead investigator in the case,
confirmed that Huapan Administration Consultant Company had filed a
criminal complaint against the fourteen Thai laborers who initiated
the riot last August. In February, 2006 Huapan filed a civil
lawsuit requesting damages of 19.7 million NT dollars for damage to
facilities. However, in response to scathing criticism by Premier
Su Tseng-chang and a variety of labor leaders, Huapan reduced the
requested compensation to 1 NT Dollar. Premier Su had urged that
Huapan drop the lawsuit altogether. Su also directed Kaohsiung Mass
Rapid Transit Corporation (KRTC) to provide assistance to the
laborers in defending the case.
3. (SBU) Prosecutor Kao told AIT/K that his office has brought a
total of eight corruption indictments against several persons
including Kaohsiung city government officials, KRTC executives, and
Huapan owners. Chen Che-nan, (former Presidential adviser and
father of former Acting Kaohsiung Mayor, Chen Chi-mai) who has been
widely rumored to have been involved in the scandal (see reftels),
has also been indicted. In addition, the Kaohsiung Prosecutors'
Office has brought in indictments against two Thai laborers
suspected of instigating the riot. Prosecutor Kao pointed out that
these indictments have already been passed to the Kaohsiung District
Court, which will determine when the cases will be heard.
4. (SBU) Additionally, on March 31, six hundred Thai laborers
staged a three day work stoppage, reportedly to express their
dissatisfaction over living conditions at their dormitories in
Kaohsiung County. However, Mayor Yeh Chu-lan told AIT/K that the
work stoppage resulted from a misunderstanding about wage levels and
that once the misunderstanding was cleared up, the workers agreed to
return to work immediately. Press reports claimed that KRTC agreed
to make further improvements in living conditions. In any case, the
Thai laborers returned to work on April 3.
5. (SBU) On April 3, AIT Director Stephen Young visited Acting
Mayor Yeh Chu-lan. During the meeting, Yeh emphasized that the
Kaohsiung Subway is being built under the build-operate-transfer
(BOT) model. She added that KRTC, a private contractor, is fully
responsible for the construction and initial operation of the
subway. Yeh also said that although local prosecutors have brought
indictments against some of the city's Rapid Transit Bureau
officials, the guilt or innocence of the officials has yet to be
determined by the courts. Yeh opined that Huapan's poor management,
rather than governmental corruption, was the root cause of the riot.
She also told us that Chen Che-nan is under detention and
investigation for incidents completely unrelated to the Kaohsiung
Subway labor scandal.
6. (SBU) The KRTC currently employs 1,500 Thai laborers. The
corporation has decided to reduce gradually the use of Thai workers
as the construction is completed at several sites next year. A KRTC
executive told AIT/K that he estimates that there will be no foreign
laborers working on the subway construction by July, 2007.
Thiele
Young
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR EAP/TC, INR/EAP, AIT/W
FROM AIT KAOHSIUNG BRANCH OFFICE
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECON IND LR TW
SUBJECT: Update on Thai Labor Riot Fallout
Ref: REF A) TAIPEI 03525, B) TAIPEI 03793, C) TAIPEI 03856,
D)TAIPEI 03196, E) TAIPEI 03197
1. (U) Summary. The widely publicized Thai labor problems
relating to construction of Kaohsiung's subway continue to simmer.
Huapan Management, the company that recruited the laborers, in
February filed an NTD 19.7 million lawsuit against fourteen of the
laborers involved in the initial riot last August 21 (reftels).
However, following scathing criticism from Premier Su Tseng-chang,
the company reduced the requested damages to a single NTD.
Separately, total of nine criminal indictments, eight for corruption
and one against two of the laborers, have resulted thus far. The
laborers staged a brief work stoppage on 31 March, but were
convinced to return to work by 3 April. End Summary.
2. (SBU) Prosecutor Kao Ta-fang, the lead investigator in the case,
confirmed that Huapan Administration Consultant Company had filed a
criminal complaint against the fourteen Thai laborers who initiated
the riot last August. In February, 2006 Huapan filed a civil
lawsuit requesting damages of 19.7 million NT dollars for damage to
facilities. However, in response to scathing criticism by Premier
Su Tseng-chang and a variety of labor leaders, Huapan reduced the
requested compensation to 1 NT Dollar. Premier Su had urged that
Huapan drop the lawsuit altogether. Su also directed Kaohsiung Mass
Rapid Transit Corporation (KRTC) to provide assistance to the
laborers in defending the case.
3. (SBU) Prosecutor Kao told AIT/K that his office has brought a
total of eight corruption indictments against several persons
including Kaohsiung city government officials, KRTC executives, and
Huapan owners. Chen Che-nan, (former Presidential adviser and
father of former Acting Kaohsiung Mayor, Chen Chi-mai) who has been
widely rumored to have been involved in the scandal (see reftels),
has also been indicted. In addition, the Kaohsiung Prosecutors'
Office has brought in indictments against two Thai laborers
suspected of instigating the riot. Prosecutor Kao pointed out that
these indictments have already been passed to the Kaohsiung District
Court, which will determine when the cases will be heard.
4. (SBU) Additionally, on March 31, six hundred Thai laborers
staged a three day work stoppage, reportedly to express their
dissatisfaction over living conditions at their dormitories in
Kaohsiung County. However, Mayor Yeh Chu-lan told AIT/K that the
work stoppage resulted from a misunderstanding about wage levels and
that once the misunderstanding was cleared up, the workers agreed to
return to work immediately. Press reports claimed that KRTC agreed
to make further improvements in living conditions. In any case, the
Thai laborers returned to work on April 3.
5. (SBU) On April 3, AIT Director Stephen Young visited Acting
Mayor Yeh Chu-lan. During the meeting, Yeh emphasized that the
Kaohsiung Subway is being built under the build-operate-transfer
(BOT) model. She added that KRTC, a private contractor, is fully
responsible for the construction and initial operation of the
subway. Yeh also said that although local prosecutors have brought
indictments against some of the city's Rapid Transit Bureau
officials, the guilt or innocence of the officials has yet to be
determined by the courts. Yeh opined that Huapan's poor management,
rather than governmental corruption, was the root cause of the riot.
She also told us that Chen Che-nan is under detention and
investigation for incidents completely unrelated to the Kaohsiung
Subway labor scandal.
6. (SBU) The KRTC currently employs 1,500 Thai laborers. The
corporation has decided to reduce gradually the use of Thai workers
as the construction is completed at several sites next year. A KRTC
executive told AIT/K that he estimates that there will be no foreign
laborers working on the subway construction by July, 2007.
Thiele
Young