Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07BANGKOK5766
2007-11-13 07:44:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Bangkok
Cable title:  

EXBS: THAILAND/VIETNAM ADVISOR MONTHLY REPORTING

Tags:  ETTC KNNP KSTC MNUC PARM PREL TH VN 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO4387
RR RUEHCHI RUEHDT RUEHHM RUEHNH
DE RUEHBK #5766/01 3170744
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 130744Z NOV 07
FM AMEMBASSY BANGKOK
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0613
RHMFIUU/US CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION WASHINGTON DC
RHEBAAA/DEPT OF ENERGY WASHDC
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHINGTON DC
RULSJGA/COMDT COGARD WASHDC
INFO RUCNASE/ASEAN MEMBER COLLECTIVE
RUEHCHI/AMCONSUL CHIANG MAI 4386
RUEHHM/AMCONSUL HO CHI MINH CITY 0673
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC
RUEAWJA/DEPT OF JUSTICE WASHDC
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHINGTON DC
RUCNEXC/EXPORT CONTROL AND RELATED BORDER SECURITY
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BANGKOK 005766 

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

DEPT FOR ISN/ECC YWONG, ACHURCH, KCROUCH, ROWEN, EAP/MLS
DRICHELSOPH, BBLACKSHAW
CBP/INA FOR RWATT
DEPT OF ENERGY FOR NNSA TPERRY
AMEMBASSY HANOI FOR PECKSTROM
AMEMBASSY KUALA LUMPUR FOR RMOODY

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ETTC KNNP KSTC MNUC PARM PREL TH VN
SUBJECT: EXBS: THAILAND/VIETNAM ADVISOR MONTHLY REPORTING
CABLE - OCTOBER 2007

BANGKOK 00005766 001.3 OF 002


SUMMARY

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BANGKOK 005766

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

DEPT FOR ISN/ECC YWONG, ACHURCH, KCROUCH, ROWEN, EAP/MLS
DRICHELSOPH, BBLACKSHAW
CBP/INA FOR RWATT
DEPT OF ENERGY FOR NNSA TPERRY
AMEMBASSY HANOI FOR PECKSTROM
AMEMBASSY KUALA LUMPUR FOR RMOODY

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ETTC KNNP KSTC MNUC PARM PREL TH VN
SUBJECT: EXBS: THAILAND/VIETNAM ADVISOR MONTHLY REPORTING
CABLE - OCTOBER 2007

BANGKOK 00005766 001.3 OF 002


SUMMARY


1. (U) EXBS Advisor and ISN/ECC Desk Officer met with key
Thai export and border control officials, October 1-2. All
Thai ministry officials were supportive of U.S. training and
cooperation. EXBS Advisor visited Laem Chabang port and
conducted initial deconfliction coordination with CSI team
assistance for proposed International Seaport Interdiction
Training in January 2008. Advisor conducted introductory
visit to Vietnam from October 28 to November 3, meeting with
key embassy and Vietnamese government officials and
conducting site visits to the Lang Son border crossing and
Haiphong port.

SITE ASSESSMENTS AND MEETINGS


2. (U) On October 1-2, EXBS Advisor and ISN/ECC Desk Officer
conducted introductory meetings with key export control,
border security and foreign affairs officials. At the Port
of Bangkok, Managing Director Mr. Chalermchai Meekun-iam
welcomed U.S. interest and assistance. Although most of the
senior Port Authority staff and training facilities are
located in Bangkok, most U.S. trade passes through the port
of Laem Chabang (to the south of Bangkok in Chon Buri),which
is therefore the focus of U.S. security interests. At the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Worawoot Pongprapapant,
Acting Director, North American Division, also welcomed U.S.
cooperation. Mr. Worawoot's primary concern was the one
hundred percent cargo scanning requirement contained in the
recently-passed 9/11 law. He said that the Thai government
would need to keep in close touch regarding the specific
provisions, due to the potential significant lead time and
resources needed to meet the new requirements.


3. (SBU) Mr. Visudhi Srisuphan, Director-General of Royal
Thai Customs, was very supportive of the cooperative

relationship his agency has developed with its U.S.
counterparts. Deputy Director-General Sunggorn Puengpradit
led a follow-on meeting to discuss potential upcoming events.
He supported seaport and land border interdiction training,
and said his Office of International Cooperation would stay
in close touch regarding other potential activities. He is
also very supportive of our ongoing Container Security
Initiative (CSI) and Megaports programs. Ms. Suchana
Choocherd, Director, Bureau of Trade Measures, Department of
Foreign Trade, Ministry of Commerce, welcomed our visit, but
expressed concerns regarding lack of resources and capacity
for effective export control. She said that her bureau was
not staffed to monitor a national system, and that it may be
more practical for each ministry to monitor items pertaining
to their own specific areas of expertise. Given the level of
technical sophisticatio
n, dual-use items are often difficult to identify. Seminars
on developing a control list and industry outreach would be
very useful. Training in end-user certification and
post-shipment verification would also be helpful. A well-run
system that avoided delays in shipment would be very
important. As with the Foreign Ministry, the new one hundred
percent scanning requirement by the U.S. was a concern.


4. (U) General Vaipot Srinual, Director-General for Policy
and Planning, Ministry of Defense, concurred on the need to
closely monitor weapons and other potentially harmful
exports. He asked whether other ASEAN countries were
participating in similar programs. He also asked whether
there had been any significant complaints of problems with
third parties due to damage to or delay of their cargo. He
tasked the Chief of his Munitions Export Control Section to
be the point of contact for future cooperative efforts. Mr.
Sirichai Keinmeesuke, Deputy Director-General, Office of
Atoms for Peace, offered several helpful comments. He
recommended that the Ministry of Industry be included in

BANGKOK 00005766 002.3 OF 002


strategic trade control training. He said that his office
was already running some training on detection and handling
of nuclear contraband for the customs and other border
control agencies. He said that commodity identification
training was very helpful and important, especially for
front-line supervisors. In this regard, h
e suggested that access to the U.S. National Targeting Center
would be helpful.


5. (U) On October 17, EXBS Advisor met with CSI team at Laem
Chabang to view port facilities and CSI and Megaports
projects. Advisor also discussed preliminary plans for U.S.
Customs and Border Protection to conduct an International
Seaport Interdiction Training (ISIT) event at Laem Chabang,
particularly with respect to deconflicting other
working-level activities. It was decided that the last two
weeks of January would be an acceptable timeframe.


6. (U) From October 28 to November 3, EXBS Advisor conducted
an introductory visit to Vietnam (reported SEPTEL). Advisor
met with key members of embassy Country Team, Vietnamese
Customs and Border Army, and visited major ports of land and
sea entry in Lang Son and Haiphong. Although there is
significant export and border control assistance being
provided to Vietnam, additional targeted assistance would be
useful - future visits will be devoted to developing specific
proposals.

TRAINING CONDUCTED


3. (U) None.

EQUIPMENT DELIVERED


4. (U) Twenty sets of night vision binoculars were delivered
to the Vietnamese Border Army for use in patrolling remote
areas.

IMMINENT TRAINING/EQUIPMENT UPDATE


5. (U) An Export Control Legal-Regulatory Workshop will be
conducted in Bangkok, November 26-29. Venue arrangements are
complete and the final list of participant names has been
received from respective RTG ministries. A third set of
Tracker equipment has been received for Vietnam, and will be
delivered to the Ministry of Industry as soon as transfer
coordination is complete.

SIGNIFICANT DEVELOPMENTS


6. (U) None.
BOYCE