DEMARCHE DELIVERED: THAI POSITION ON AID TO HORN

C O N F I D E N T I A L BANGKOK 002026 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/03/2018 TAGS: EAID PREL PREF DJ ER ET KE SO TH SUBJECT: DEMARCHE DELIVERED: THAI POSITION ON AID TO HORN OF AFRICA REF: A. STATE 69644 (DEMARCHE REQUEST) ¶B. BANGKOK 1833 (PROTESTS ALL AROUND) ¶C. 07 BANGKOK 247 (ABDUCTED FISHERMAN) Classified By: Acting DCM Anne Casper, reason: 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) Acting POL Section Chief on July 2 delivered ref A points to Panyarak Poolthup, MFA Deputy Director General of the Department of South Asia, Middle East and African Affairs. Panyarak said the RTG would consider the USG request to provide aid to Horn of Africa countries, although he gave us little cause for optimism. Our conversation took note of recent protests in Thailand associated with rising commodity prices, and popular demands for increased government subsidies (ref B). Panyarak noted, however, that Thailand has brought a small number of Kenyans and Somalis to Thailand for "train the trainers" programs focused on agriculture, education, and fisheries. ¶2. (C) Panyarak encouraged the USG to raise our concerns about the Horn of Africa in a UN forum, or to focus our efforts on oil-rich Middle Eastern countries. Panyarak tangentially noted that the RTG had successfully obtained the release of a Thai fisherman abducted in Somalia (ref C) by obtaining the assistance of Qatar; he remarked Qatar seemed to have a special relationship with at least some Horn of Africa countries. JOHN