THAKSIN CALLS AMBASSADOR, DISCUSSES BOMBINGS

C O N F I D E N T I A L BANGKOK 000080 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/05/2017 TAGS: PREL PINS PGOV ASEC CVIS TH SUBJECT: THAKSIN CALLS AMBASSADOR, DISCUSSES BOMBINGS REF: A. BANGKOK 55 (SURAYUD BACKPEDALS) ¶B. 06 BANGKOK 5747 (HAT YAI BOMBINGS) Classified By: Ambassador Ralph L. Boyce, reason: 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) Former Prime Minister Thaksin phoned on January 5, wishing me a happy New Year. I remarked that I had returned to Thailand from the U.S. only two days before the December 31 bombings. Thaksin asked inquisitively whether we knew who had carried out the attacks. I said we did not. He said he suspected southern separatists, pointing out that the modus operandi was similar to that in recent Hat Yai attacks (ref B). (His recent three-page letter on this matter, published in the local press, also cited the Hat Yai bombings and implicated separatists.) ¶2. (C) I acknowledged the devices used in Bangkok resembled those from the South but pointed out that they could be easily copied by others. Thaksin did not dispute this but complained that Prime Minister Surayud, despite lacking evidence, had publicly accused him within hours of the bombings. Surayud had subsequently walked back his comments, I pointed out (ref A),noting that he's not stupid, to which Thaksin quipped, "He's not smart." ¶3. (C) Thaksin also asked about possible restrictions on an upcoming visa application by former Environment Minister Yongyut Tiyapairat, who is now in China and would feel uncomfortable returning to Thailand at the moment. I explained that Yongyut was free to apply for a visa in China. BOYCE