THAI UPDATE: COUP LEADERS TAKE STRONGER LINE

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BANGKOK 000232

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/11/2017
TAGS: PGOV PHUM KDEM TH
SUBJECT: THAI UPDATE: COUP LEADERS TAKE STRONGER LINE

REF: A. BANGKOK 179 (SURAYUD ON SECURITY)


B. OSC SEP20070108032002 (THAKSIN LETTER)

C. BANGKOK 83 (COUP RUMORS)

D. BANGKOK 55 (SURAYUD BACKPEDALS)

Classified By: Ambassador Ralph L. Boyce, reason: 1.4 (b) and (d).

SUMMARY
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1. (C) General Sonthi Boonyaratglin, the Chairman of the
Council for National Security (CNS),has publicly said the
military may use martial law powers for searches, seizures,
and other ends. The Ambassador has requested a meeting with
Sonthi and will express our strong opposition to this
prospect. Separately, CNS Secretary General Winai warned the
broadcast media not to provide coverage of the views of
deposed Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra and his associates;
media officials and NGO figures reacted negatively to this
pressure. Thaksin's lawyer reported to the press that he
received a threatening call; hQ5Qo the use of martial law
powers and urge the recision of martial law as soon as
possible. End Comment.

GENERAL WARNS THE MEDIA
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4. (C) General Winai Phattiyakul, Secretary General of the
CNS, summoned 50 editors and media executives to Army
headquarters on January 10. According to press reports,
Winai said the CNS wanted the media to report only
"constructive" news, and a failure to comply with this
request would result in stricter measures (NFI). Thai daily
The Nation quoted Winai as saying "I would like to urge all
the TV and radio stations to stop airing statements of the
former prime minister and executives of the former ruling
party. You guys should know that if we allow representatives
of the former premier to make statements every day, the
public will be confused." Winai appears to have been
motivated in part by coverage of a letter (ref B) in which
Thaksin denied culpability for the New Year's Eve bombings in
Bangkok. The print media gave prominent coverage to
objections by civil society figures to restrictions on press
reporting. Septel reports the Ambassador's January 11
discussion with General Winai, which included this issue.

THAKSIN LAWYER THREATENED
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5. (C) Press reports indicated that Noppadol Pattama,
Thaksin's lawyer and unofficial spokesman, reported that he
had recently received an anonymous death threat by phone,
linked to his work for the deposed Prime Minister. In
response, Army Chief of Staff Montri Sangkhasap publicly
denied that the military would make such a threat. When we
met with Noppadol in early December, he told us he had
already received at least one death threat but did not take
it seriously and had not reported it to the authorities.

THAKSIN'S PASSPORT REVOKED
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6. (U) An MFA official informed the media on January 10 that
the Ministry had decided to revoke Thaksin's diplomatic
passport, although Thaksin will remain entitled to an
ordinary Thai passport. Normally, Thai former Prime
Ministers and former Foreign Ministers retain a life-long
entitlement to diplomatic passports. An MFA official
explained the move by referring to unspecified political
activities that Thaksin conducted while abroad. The MFA has
instructed its diplomatic missions not to provide special
assistance to Thaksin.

ASSOCIATE PREDICTS THAKSIN TO HEIGHTEN PROFILE
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7. (C) In a January 10 phone call, an American citizen
working as a legal advisor to Thaksin told the Ambassador
that Thaksin intended to undertake more high profile
activities, in order to advance his interests in Thailand.
This claim contrasted with public statements by Noppadol
Pattama the same day, saying Thaksin would not engage in
political activities and would refrain from returning to
Thailand if his return would be divisive.

RESHUFFLE RUMORS
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8. (U) The press has reported rumors that Prime Minister
Surayud will change the composition of his cabinet --
possibly simply by creating new positions. Media articles
noted Surayud might want to bring in an ally of former Prime
Minister Chavalit Yongchaiyudh, in order to end a public
dispute between Chavalit and top CNS figures (ref C and D).
Another figure reportedly to have be under consideration is
former NSC Secretary General and former Foreign Minister
Prasong Soonsiri. Surayud has denied any intention of
revising the composition of his cabinet, however.
BOYCE