Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06TOKYO1778
2006-04-04 02:33:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Tokyo
Cable title:
MEDIA REACTION THAI ELECTION - TOKYO
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UNCLAS TOKYO 001778
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR I/RF, PA/PR/FPC/W, IIP/G/EA, EAP/PD, R/MR,
EAP/J, EAP/P, PM;
USTR FOR PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICE;
TREASURY FOR OASIA/IMI;
SECDEF FOR OASD/PA;
CP BUTLER OKINAWA FOR AREA FIELD OFFICE;
PACOM HONOLULU FOR PUBLIC DIPLOMACY ADVISOR
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OIIP KMDR KPAO JA
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION THAI ELECTION - TOKYO
LEAD STORIES: Most Tuesday morning papers front-paged
reports claiming that support is growing within the main
opposition Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) for former
deputy leader Ichiro Ozawa to take over the party's top
job from outgoing leader Seiji Maehara.
UNCLAS TOKYO 001778
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR I/RF, PA/PR/FPC/W, IIP/G/EA, EAP/PD, R/MR,
EAP/J, EAP/P, PM;
USTR FOR PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICE;
TREASURY FOR OASIA/IMI;
SECDEF FOR OASD/PA;
CP BUTLER OKINAWA FOR AREA FIELD OFFICE;
PACOM HONOLULU FOR PUBLIC DIPLOMACY ADVISOR
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OIIP KMDR KPAO JA
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION THAI ELECTION - TOKYO
LEAD STORIES: Most Tuesday morning papers front-paged
reports claiming that support is growing within the main
opposition Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) for former
deputy leader Ichiro Ozawa to take over the party's top
job from outgoing leader Seiji Maehara.
1. "Thai Premier Thaksin's Empty Victory" An editorial in
the business daily Nihon Keizai commented (4/4): "The
general election in Thailand that was a referendum on
Prime Minister Thaksin's leadership came to an empty end.
Although Thaksin won the election, the political
situation remains chaotic. The prime minister has
expressed his intention to form a coalition government
with opposition parties or create a neutral arbitration
committee to mediate the situation.... Support for
Thaksin is split, as middle-class urbanites are critical
of what they call his autocratic methods and questionable
stock dealings by members of his family, while lower-
income rural residents strongly support the premier....
2. "While Thaksin's party waged an uphill battle in
Bangkok and southern Thailand, it gained overwhelming
support in the farming villages in the northern and
northeastern parts of the country. As a core member of
the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN),which
is promoting economic integration in the region, Thailand
has placed great importance on multinational industries
from advanced countries. A massive amount of foreign
direct investment, especially from Japan, has supported
the Thai economy, and a major premise of this investment
has been political stability. Allegations of Premier
Thaksin's corruption and the high-handed manner in which
the election was held have deepened the social fissures
in Thailand, a country that already has a wide income
gap. We hope that Premier Thaskin will move to quickly
restore stability through dialogue with the opposition
before the situation has a serious impact on the
country's economy."
DONOVAN
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR I/RF, PA/PR/FPC/W, IIP/G/EA, EAP/PD, R/MR,
EAP/J, EAP/P, PM;
USTR FOR PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICE;
TREASURY FOR OASIA/IMI;
SECDEF FOR OASD/PA;
CP BUTLER OKINAWA FOR AREA FIELD OFFICE;
PACOM HONOLULU FOR PUBLIC DIPLOMACY ADVISOR
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OIIP KMDR KPAO JA
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION THAI ELECTION - TOKYO
LEAD STORIES: Most Tuesday morning papers front-paged
reports claiming that support is growing within the main
opposition Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) for former
deputy leader Ichiro Ozawa to take over the party's top
job from outgoing leader Seiji Maehara.
1. "Thai Premier Thaksin's Empty Victory" An editorial in
the business daily Nihon Keizai commented (4/4): "The
general election in Thailand that was a referendum on
Prime Minister Thaksin's leadership came to an empty end.
Although Thaksin won the election, the political
situation remains chaotic. The prime minister has
expressed his intention to form a coalition government
with opposition parties or create a neutral arbitration
committee to mediate the situation.... Support for
Thaksin is split, as middle-class urbanites are critical
of what they call his autocratic methods and questionable
stock dealings by members of his family, while lower-
income rural residents strongly support the premier....
2. "While Thaksin's party waged an uphill battle in
Bangkok and southern Thailand, it gained overwhelming
support in the farming villages in the northern and
northeastern parts of the country. As a core member of
the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN),which
is promoting economic integration in the region, Thailand
has placed great importance on multinational industries
from advanced countries. A massive amount of foreign
direct investment, especially from Japan, has supported
the Thai economy, and a major premise of this investment
has been political stability. Allegations of Premier
Thaksin's corruption and the high-handed manner in which
the election was held have deepened the social fissures
in Thailand, a country that already has a wide income
gap. We hope that Premier Thaskin will move to quickly
restore stability through dialogue with the opposition
before the situation has a serious impact on the
country's economy."
DONOVAN