PRM DAS RYAN'S MARCH 23-26 VISIT TO THAILAND

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 BANGKOK 001891

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

GENEVA FOR RMA

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/28/2017
TAGS: PREF PHUM PREL TH LA BM
SUBJECT: PRM DAS RYAN'S MARCH 23-26 VISIT TO THAILAND

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Classified By: POLITICAL COUNSELOR SUSAN SUTTON. REASON 1.4 (B,D)


1. (C) Summary. During a March 23-26 visit, RTG officials
told PRM DAS Kelly Ryan that the Lao Hmong issue, including
the group in detention in Nong Khai, was deadlocked. The
issue was complicated by a number of factors, and the RTG
needed additional time to talk with the Lao government. The
Thai expressed appreciation for U.S. resettlement of camp
Burmese and said they would consider U.S. plans to extend
resettlement processing to an additional two new camps later
this year. They noted that they had to balance humanitarian
concerns for the Burmese with the possibility that
resettlement could draw more Burmese into Thailand. DAS Ryan
discussed the possibility of using Wat Tham Krabok to process
non-Burmese refugees. The Thai responded that this was
different from the original idea for Tham Krabok and would
require agreement from local authorities. The two sides
agreed to remain in contact on this issue. Burma border NGOs
said they had recently heard more positive RTG statements on
Burmese refugee issues. End summary.


2. (C) PRM DAS Kelly Ryan visited Thailand from March 23-26
on refugee issues. Her discussions focused on North Korean,
Hmong, and Burmese refugee issues. The North Korean issue is
reported septel. Ryan met with RTG , UNHCR, ROK, IOM, and
NGO officials, She also visited the Overseas Processing
Entity, or regional refugee processing unit, and the Thai
immigration detention facility and YWCA where North Korean
refugees are housed.

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Meeting with MFA
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3. (C) In her meeting with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
(MFA) International Organization Department Deputy Director
General Peerasak Chantavarin, DAS Ryan expressed appreciation
for the RTG's decision to refrain from deporting to Laos the
group of over 150 Lao Hmong refugees currently in detention
in Thailand's border city of Nong Khai. She stated the USG's
willingness to conduct U.S. resettlement interviews of those
in the group referred to the U.S. by UNHCR. Ryan encouraged
Peerasak to move the group, for humanitarian reasons, to a
better facility. She also urged him to move quickly to
resolve the Nong Khai Hmong issue. She recalled the
excellent U.S.-Thai cooperation on the large Wat Tham Krabok
resettlement project and said the USG wanted to work again
with the RTG on the issue of the larger Hmong group in
Petchaboon. There were some in this group with strong,
genuine refugee claims and the key issue was how to
distinguish them from others. The U.S. was opposed to forced
repatriation of any who had legitimate refugee claims. A
solution that combined resettlement with repatriaion for
those without refugee claims was best.


4. (C) Peerasak responded that the Lao Hmong issue was
deadlocked. The Wat Tham Krabok project has raised the hopes
of others for U.S. resettlement. MFA was aware that some of
the Lao Hmong should not be returned to Laos. When thinking
about the Nong Khai Hmong, the RTG also had to consider the
larger Petchaboon issue and Thai relations with Laos. The
Petchaboon issue was further complicated by the involvement
of traffickers and Hmong-American encouragement to Lao Hmong
to go to Thailand for possible U.S. resettlement. There also
seemed to be differences within the Lao government on the
issue, with the military taking a harder line. Peerasak
argued that there was little fighting occurring now in Laos
between the Hmong and the Lao government. The prevailing
feeling in the RTG was that good Lao cooperation was
essential to any resolution of the Hmong issue. The Lao
government had told the RTG that it should not allow third
party involvement in the Petchaboon issue. Peerasak said
that developed countries should try to work more with the Lao
government to open up the country. Peerasak emphasized that
the RTG needed time to talk more with the Lao.


5. (C) DAS Ryan noted that the USG hoped to resettle 15,000
camp Burmese to the U.S. during the current fiscal year and
wanted also to start processing in two additional camps, Nu
Po and Umpiem Mai, this summer. She noted that the RTG had
shown leadership in addressing the protracted Burmese refugee
situation by permitting resettlement and opening the door to
enhanced training and work opportunities for those refugees
who did not resettle. Peerasak expressed appreciation for
U.S. help in sharing the burden of the Burmese refugees. The
RTG was trying to deal with the issue in a humanitarian
manner. It did remain concerned, however, with the pull
factor and the number of Burmese coming forward to the Thai
refugee screening boards. MFA nevertheless expected the

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numbers situation to stabilize. Peerasak said there was no
change in RTG policy on new refugee arrivals from Burma.

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Meeting with NSC
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6. (C) DAS Ryan reiterated the points about the Lao Hmong and
Burmese resettlement in her meeting with NSC Secretary
General Prakit. Prakit responded that the RTG did not think
there was much fighting occurring in Laos. Recently, for the
first time, the Lao had admitted that the Lao Hmong in
Petchaboon and other locations in Thailand were from Laos and
that they could return to Laos. The Lao government wanted
the Nong Khai Hmong to return to Laos and it was the right of
the Lao government to ask for this. The RTG wanted to have
good relations with its neighbor. Nevertheless, the RTG had
decided that it could not send the Nong Khai group back to
Laos. It was not prepared, however, at this point to permit
third country resettlement. It did not want to hurt Lao
government feelings. Many of the Lao Hmong in Petchaboon,
according to Prakit, had entered Thailand because they wanted
U.S. resettlement. They were encouraged in this by
Hmong-Americans, despite USG statements that there would not
be another Wat Tham Krabok resettlement program. Prakit said
that, in principle, the Petchaboon group had to return to
Laos, but it should be voluntary. Some resettlement was
possible. Prakit added that the RTG had advised the Lao
government that it should permit international organizations
to monitor any returnees from Petchaboon to Laos in order to
forestall charges that returnees were being abused. Prakit
noted that Prime Minister Surayud had directed that the
Petchaboon group be moved to a new location. The RTG was
preparing a new camp but it was still uncertain when the
transfer would occur.


7. (C) On resettlement from the Burma border camps, Prakit
said the RTG appreciated USG efforts. It was disappointed
that more refugees from Tham Hin had not chosen to seek
resettlement. The RTG hoped that more would take this option
in the future, because it hoped to reduce the numbers in the
camps. There was still a concern about the pull factor and
Prakit noted that 5,000 new persons had recently arrived in
Mae La Camp. He said that he thought it would acceptable for
refugees from Nu Po and Umpiem Mai to be resettled, though
noted the proximity of the two camps to the Burma border.
The RTG subcommittee, which Prakit said he chaired, would
have to meet to discuss the issue. Prakit added that the RTG
remained interested in the idea of using Wat Tham Krabok as a
resettlement processing center.

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Meeting with MOI
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8. (C) In her meeting with MOI Deputy Permanent Secretary
Surraud, DAS Ryan raised in detail the Wat Tham Krabok
processing center proposal. Noting that RTG representatives
had pressed her on the issue recently in Geneva, she said
that it might be possible for the U.S. to support the idea.
The original plan, however, had been somewhat expensive and
was not big enough. She suggested an alternative of using
the site for the processing of smaller groups of non-Burmese,
such as North Koreans, Lao Hmong, urban Burmese screened in
by the Thai refugee admissions boards, and refugees from
non-Asian countries who would otherwise face difficult living
conditions in Thailand or be vulnerable to trafficking or
abuse. DAS Ryan said that we should think about revising the
original plan in ways that make sense for the needs of the
RTG, the refugees, and resettlement countries. It would also
be important to seek other governments' views. The USG and
the Thai government should remain in touch on the issue.


9. (C) Surraud responded that the RTG's original idea was
that the site be used only for processing of Burmese camp
refugees. If the U.S. thought the site might also be used
for North Koreans, this would be a policy issue that would
need to be raised with the Thai NSC and MFA. Surraud also
noted that expanding the project to include other refugee
groups would require additional discussions with local
officials and the abbot who controlled the temple grounds
where Wat Tham Krabok was located. There had previously only
been agreement with local officials and the abbot on Burmese
refugees.


10. (C) Surraud added that if the U.S. thought that the
original plan was not big enough to handle Burmese camp
resettlement, the U.S. should provide a new number so a
revised plan could be developed.

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NGO Views on Current Burma Border Situation
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11. (U) Burma border assistance NGOs told DAS Ryan that they
were more optimistic about general RTG policy towards the
Burmese border refugee camps. Recent public statements were
more positive than the harsher rhetoric of late last year.
The Thai had indicated that it was acceptable in principle
for refugees to attend Thai universities, though they had
also noted that the issue had to be carefully handled because
many Thai were not able to attend university. There was also
renewed receptiveness to refugee employment, including most
probably in agriculture. At the same time, practical
problems, such as access to land, had to be addressed.
ARVIZU