PM MAKES EMPTY THREAT TO DISPERSE DEMONSTRATORS

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BANGKOK 001671 SIPDIS NSC FOR PHU E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/01/2018 TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREL KDEM TH SUBJECT: PM MAKES EMPTY THREAT TO DISPERSE DEMONSTRATORS Classified By: Ambassador Eric G. John, reason 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: The government stood down from threats to disperse the week-long protest by the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) after a day-long, tense confrontation on May ¶31. Prime Minister Samak claims he was misunderstood, and never really meant to force a confrontation with the protesters by having police break up the demonstration. In fact, it appears that he could not get his government or the security forces to back his plan. The PAD did not acquit itself well, however, when some of its leaders threatened to use violence to resist arrest. The PM, on balance, is probably the biggest loser, for making empty threats and for escalating tensions that were beginning to subside a little. This has led to further rumors that some coalition partners may be looking for his replacement, perhaps considering Thaksin's brother-in-law, current Education Minister Somchai Wongsawat. End Summary. ¶2. (C) Bangkok avoided a confrontation on May 31 after the government stepped back from threats to close down the week-long anti-government demonstration blocking a major thoroughfare. PM Samak ratcheted up pressure on the demonstrators in a Saturday morning TV broadcast, in which he said that demonstrators would have to move from the site, or the security forces would move them. The PM's comments, made at some length, appeared to be a response to the call by the leaders of the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) demonstration for Samak to resign. The PM's sabre-rattling provoked a predictable reaction from the PAD. Although some PAD leaders apparently supported a more temperate response, the overwrought statements by media firebrand Sonthi Limthongkul and former Bangkok governor Chamlong Srimeuang drowned out more sensible voices. Sonthi and Chamlong reportedly urged the crowd to be ready to "defend themselves," vowed to face death if necessary, and generally tried to spin their supporters up and raise the tension levels. News media featured pictures of the PAD guards (of which there are perhaps 100),armed (rather pathetically) with sticks and the occasional baseball bat, wearing motorcycle helmets and carrying homemade wooden shields. Reports indicated that over 10,000 demonstrators were at the site by evening, up from the few hundred that participated in �00A;the rally during the day. DEADLINES PASS AS GOVERNMENT RECONSIDERS -------------- ¶3. (C) Over the course of the afternoon, a succession of "deadlines" came and went. Police officials confirmed publicly that they would break up the demonstration if the protesters did not move on their own. Police told us that they were standing by for clear instructions from the PM. Military contacts told us that the military was put on alert. Senior military officials told the press that they did not believe that there was any role for the military in ending the protests, but they would comply with the government's orders. Military officials also told us that they understood the PM was considering declaring a state of emergency, and that the military opposed such a move, but would obey the government. (Comment: the report on a possible emergency declaration seemed to circulate fairly widely, but we have only second-hand reports. End Comment.) Foreign minister Noppadon told the press in the afternoon that the government would not use force and would obey the law in dealing with the demonstrators. ¶4. (C) The Ambassador called MFA Permsec Virasakdi early in the afternoon of May 31. He advised that the use of force by the government would lead to violence, and Thailand's political and economic image would suffer. He welcomed the FM's more moderate statements and hoped that the FM's message would be heard in Cabinet discussions of the issue. The Permsec later advised the Ambassador that he had conveyed the message to the FM, an assistant to the PM, and to Army Commander Anupong. Embassy also passed a message to PAD contacts that PAD's reputation would be permanently tarnished if it resorted to violence in response to police actions. NEVER MIND -------------- ¶5. (C) Around 7:30 pm on May 31, Interior Minister Chalerm told the press, essentially, that it was all a big misunderstanding. He claimed that the government had received information that "ill-intentioned people" had gathered in a law office in a Bangkok neighborhood -- a BANGKOK 00001671 002 OF 002 veiled reference to some known PAD financiers -- with plans to provoke a violent incident at the rally. The government had subsequently managed to thwart these attempts, so there was no need to break up the demonstration. Police stood down; demonstrators at the rally gave them flowers. The PAD leaders said they would continue demonstrating, and called on the other parties in the governing coalition to withdraw their support from the PM. Rallies appear set to continue in that location for some while yet. Last week, we observed the demonstrators very well entrenched, with tents, a soup kitchen and loads of supplies. A few hundred people occupy the site by day, with some thousands coming every night to hear speeches and music, broadcast throughout the area by sound equipment and projected on large screens. THE DAY AFTER THE NIGHT BEFORE -------------- ¶6. (C) On the margins of events with visiting SecDef Gates on June 1, Samak said that he had been "misunderstood." Looking somewhat sheepish, he told the Ambassador that he had only meant to say that protesters needed to move to another location and stop blocking traffic. Despite the apparent "near miss" on Saturday, Samak appeared fairly relaxed during Sunday's meeting and dinner with the SecDef, treating diners to a few songs and reporting he had personally checked out the food preparations and the band. During Samak's weekly TV/Radio broadcast that morning, he also denied he had issued an ultimatum to the protesters. ¶7. (C) Ambassador spoke on Sunday to former PM Thaksin, then in China; various reports have credited Thaksin with intervening with current officials to ensure there was no crack-down on peaceful demonstrators. Thaksin assured Ambassador there would be no violence,and encouraged the USG to continue to articulate its strong support for democratically elected government. COMMENT -------------- ¶8. (C) No one really came out well from this latest round of guerrilla theater. The PAD appears to have overplayed its hand with its threats to overturn the government. They can steadily turn out crowds somewhere in the range of 5,000 to 20,000, but recent developments, like the resignation of controversial minister Jakrapob, tended to diminish their momentum. They can hold their intersection, but cannot take Government House with numbers like that. Like in 2006, they need their adversaries to do something outrageous and provocative to tempt demo-weary Bangkok into the streets. Samak, for his part, is probably the biggest loser. Either his Saturday TV appearance was complete unplanned bluster run amok, or he really intended to crack heads, but couldn't get his government, the police or the military to support him. The weekend's events have fed rumors that the coalition may be looking for a way to ease Samak out, with speculation that Thaksin's brother-in-law, Minister of Education Somchai Wongsawat, is next in line for the dubious honor of being Thaksin's proxy PM. JOHN