Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08BANGKOK1632
2008-05-28 09:55:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Bangkok
Cable title:  

THE AMBASSADOR'S MEETING WITH MINISTER OF INTERIOR

Tags:  PGOV PHUM PINR PREL SNAR TH 
pdf how-to read a cable
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RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 BANGKOK 001632 

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E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/23/2018
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PINR PREL SNAR TH
SUBJECT: THE AMBASSADOR'S MEETING WITH MINISTER OF INTERIOR
CHALERM YOOBAMRUNG

BANGKOK 00001632 001.2 OF 003


Classified By: Ambassador Eric G. John, reason: 1.4 (b) and (d).

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 BANGKOK 001632

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E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/23/2018
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PINR PREL SNAR TH
SUBJECT: THE AMBASSADOR'S MEETING WITH MINISTER OF INTERIOR
CHALERM YOOBAMRUNG

BANGKOK 00001632 001.2 OF 003


Classified By: Ambassador Eric G. John, reason: 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (C) Summary: In a May 20 courtesy call by Ambassador John,
Minister of Interior Chalerm Yoobamrung made a forceful
request for more counter narcotics assistance and assured us
human rights would be respected in Thailand's new "war on
drugs." The Ambassador acknowledged Chalerm's request, and
emphasized that human rights and the rule of law were
essential to any counter narcotics campaign; he also noted
the need to isolate the Burmese junta. The Ambassador
thanked Chalerm for the MOI's small role in the Viktor Bout
arrest. Chalerm highlighted the RTG's ongoing negotiations
with southern separatists outside of Thailand and pledged
that, in the South as well as in the war on drugs, the RTG
would fully respect human rights. Finally, Chalerm spoke of
his party's support for constitutional reform, which he
described as necessary to end undemocratic practices created
by the 2006 coup leaders. End Summary.

THE WAR AGAINST DRUGS
--------------


2. (C) In a May 20 courtesy call by the Ambassador, Minister
of Interior Chalerm Yoobamrung made a pointed pitch for
counter narcotics assistance and defended his party's call
for another war on drugs. Beginning the conversation, he
said, "It goes without saying you will ask about drugs." He
told the Ambassador that he was in charge of the current
counter narcotics campaign, and described the threat facing
Thailand from the narcotics trade as a serious national
security priority. He said that when he was a police officer
he had benefited from training and cooperation with the U.S.
Drug Enforcement Administration, and was upset that training
and assistance had dropped off in recent years. He
complained that in the past, the RTG had been able to avail
of various training opportunities, but now they had little.
Softening his tone, he said, "we are not demanding
assistance, but requesting it." (Comment: Chalerm resigned
from the Police in 1981; it is not clear what his baseline

was for counter narcotics assistance and training. The USG
provides the RTG with substantial training for counter
narcotics, and we suspect that Chalerm may not be aware of
the extent of our offerings. We will bring him up to speed.
End Comment.)


3. (C) The Ambassador, in reply to Chalerm's forceful pitch
for money and training, agreed that in the past counter
narcotics had been a cornerstone of U.S.-Thai cooperation,
and it was no longer as central to the bilateral relationship
as it used to be. The Ambassador added that, although
cooperation was important, any effort must be conducted
according to the rule of law and the established legal
framework.


4. (C) Chalerm assured the Ambassador that Thailand was
committed to protecting human rights while engaged in this
campaign. He said his goal for this round in the war on drugs
is not to have any casualties. He emphasized that regardless
of the number of people they arrested, they would protect the
human rights and safety of those involved. He said the
government's strategy is to convince people to cooperate with
the authorities, and winning meant convincing them not to use
drugs. Chalerm commented that the name "War on Drugs" might
be misleading. He said they needed to come up with a new
term to better describe their efforts. "War on Drugs,"
however, captured the immense national effort they meant to
put into the campaign. Chalerm pointed out the success
Thailand has had in dealing with opium and heroin. He said
the U.S. had benefited from Thailand's efforts. Now,
methamphetamines were a growing problem in Thailand, and the
U.S. should not forget its old friend.


5. (C) The Ambassador noted that Burma was a common
denominator in the various narcotics problems Thailand has
experienced, since Burma was a significant exporter of
illegal narcotics to Thailand. The U.S. wanted to isolate
the Burmese regime, and cooperation with Thailand on counter

BANGKOK 00001632 002.2 OF 003


narcotics, although important in its own right, was one more
tool to isolate the Junta. Picking up on the Ambassador's
geographic theme, Chalerm said the problem was that there
were no jobs in the border areas of Thailand and in Burma, so
people manufactured drugs. The solution, he maintained, was
to give them jobs and encourage them to work. This is what
stopped the flow of opium and heroin. It would also stop
them from manufacturing methamphetamines. He said drug
trafficking in northern Thailand, near the Golden Triangle,
used to worry the RTG the most. Success in shutting down
some of the trafficking operations there, however, has
shifted more of the problem to the Northeast. (Comment: We
believe Chalerm's assertion that unemployment contributes
strongly to drug production in the Thai-Burmese border region
to be dubious at best. End Comment.)

VIKTOR BOUT
--------------


6. (C) The Ambassador thanked Chalerm for the relatively
minor but essential help the Ministry of Interior provided in
issuing an arrest warrant for indicted arms trafficker Viktor
Bout. (While the police, which fall under the supervision of
the Prime Minister's office, played a substantial role in the
arrest, the role of the MOI was only to sign-of on our
request for the warrant.) Although Chalerm was not
knowledgeable about the case, he responded by saying that the
Ministry was pleased to help, and would be more than willing
to help in the future. The Ambassador emphasized that the
prosecution of Bout was a high national security priority for
the U.S. and he hoped the case would expeditiously move
through the legal process.

THE SOUTH
--------------


7. (C) Charlerm said the situation in southern Thailand was
improving. He stressed that the government was focused on
finding a political solution, and his ministry's role was to
focus on education and development issues. He admitted that
the Thai government in the past may have not had the proper
focus in dealing with the unrest, but insisted that, had they
resorted to "harsh" techniques, the conflict would have ended
a long time ago. (Comment: We think Chalerm strongly
underestimates the potential for harsh techniques in the
South to prove counterproductive, and we believe his claim
that such techniques had not been used is inaccurate --
although his definition of "harsh" may differ from ours. End
Comment.) He said the government was having discussions with
separatists who are outside the country in an effort to
convince them to return, but that negotiations for any type
of reconciliation were difficult because there was no one
particular group in control of the insurgency.


8. (C) Using the South to segue into a discussion of human
rights, Chalerm said he would never be involved in human
rights abuses. He recounted that, after the 1991 coup, he
had to flee Thailand and seek asylum. He still felt pain
from having his human rights violated, so he would not allow
anyone else to be inflicted with the same pain.

CONSTITUTIONAL REFORM
--------------


9. (C) In response to the Ambassador's questions about
ongoing efforts to amend the constitution, Chalerm launched
into a rambling defense of his party's efforts to amend the
constitution. Dismissing rumors of instability, Chalerm said
planned demonstrations by the People's Alliance for Democracy
would not cause a problem. He said that during the political
campaign the PPP pledged to reform the constitution if it won
in the election. He called the current constitution a
"constitution of dictatorship" and characterized some of its
basic features (e.g., the shift from single-member electoral
districts to multiple-member districts) as undemocratic.


10. (C) Continuing, Chalerm said independent organization

BANGKOK 00001632 003.2 OF 003


like the Election Commission (EC) and Asset Examination
Committee (AEC) had too much power, and their members had
been selected in less-than-fully democratic ways. Chalerm
stressed that the AEC had not yet been able to find evidence
of meaningful improprieties by former Prime Minister Thaksin
Shinawatra. He raised the prospect of all the AEC's work
coming to naught, should the Constitutional Court determine
that there was no basis for the AEC's continued work.

COMMENT
--------------


11. (C) Chalerm clearly anticipated the Ambassador's
intention to raise concern about the RTG's counter narcotics
efforts. Chalerm's pledge to maintain respect for human
rights is a hopeful sign, but given his reputation as a tough
and combative ex-cop, it will be important to keep a close
eye on how he proceeds.
JOHN