EXBS: THAILAND/VIETNAM ADVISOR MONTHLY REPORTING

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BANGKOK 002394

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR ISN/ECC YWONG, ACHURCH, RMOODY, EAP/MLS
DRICHELSOPH, BBLACKSHAW
CBP/INA FOR BMCCRAY
DEPT OF ENERGY FOR NNSA TPERRY
AMEMBASSY HANOI FOR JBOCKLAGE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ETTC KNNP KSTC MNUC PARM PREL TH VN
SUBJECT: EXBS: THAILAND/VIETNAM ADVISOR MONTHLY REPORTING
CABLE - JULY 2008

SUMMARY


1. (U) EXBS held a Technical Introduction to Licensing
Workshop in Hanoi, July 9-11, and a National Control List
Workshop in Bangkok, July 22-24. EXBS donated six Toyota
Landcruisers to the Vietnamese Border Guards on July 10.
EXBS coordinated with the Defense Attache Office (DAO) to
send a Thai Customs official to a course at the Asia-Pacific
Center for Security Studies (APCSS),July 8-30. Advisor
completed interviews on July 17-18 for an EXBS Program
Management Assistant FSN in Vietnam - expected start date is
Sep. 3. Advisor met with EU Biosecurity officials on July 7.
EXBS program is providing technical expertise to Thailand's
interagency Export Control Working Group (XCWG). Thai
officials and EXBS FSN will attend the Export Control
Academy, August 11-15, in Athens, GA. Tracker User training
will be conducted in Hanoi, August 11-14. EXBS Advisor will
be in US for semi-annual consultations and personal leave,
Aug 31 - Sep 13.

SITE ASSESSMENTS AND MEETINGS


2. (U) EXBS Advisor met with biosecurity officials from the
European Union on July 7. EU officials were on a
fact-finding mission regarding potential cooperation with
Thailand on CBRN risk preparedness and mitigation,
particularly regarding bio-threats, and were interested in
determining what cooperation already exists between Thailand
and other countries. Also in attendance was the
Biosafety/Biosecurity Officer from the U.S. Armed Forces
Research Institute of Medical Science (AFRIMS) located in
Bangkok. AFRIMS has a number of cooperative programs
ongoing, which were of great interest to the EU officials.
EXBS Advisor also provided the officials with contact info
for ISN/CTR subject matter experts.

TRAINING CONDUCTED


3. (U) EXBS conducted a Technical Introduction to Licensing
Workshop in Hanoi, July 9-11, with instructor support from
the Department of Energy. Twenty-eight participants from
seven agencies attended, with Customs, the Ministry of
Industry and Trade, the Agency for Radiation and Nuclear
Safety and Control (VARANSAC),the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs, and the Ministry of Defense the key organizations.
The agenda focused on three main areas: foundations of a
strategic trade control system, structure of the EU Control
Lists, and risk analysis methodology. Although Vietnam is
not currently pursuing adoption of a national control list,
it likely will soon as its industries continue to develop and
its ASEAN counterparts strengthen their trade control
systems. This was the second time this particular format was
used, following a very successful workshop in Thailand. A
welcome addition to the agenda was munitions controls, though
probably less time and detail is needed for future such
workshops.


4. (U) EXBS sponsored a National Control List Workshop in
Bangkok, July 22-24, with instructor support from
Commonwealth Trading Partners (CTP). There were 18
participants from seven RTG organizations, including Customs,
the Ministries of Commerce, Industry and Defense, the
National Security Council, the Board of Trade and the Office
of Atoms for Peace. (Note: A Ministry of Foreign Affairs
official was scheduled to come, but was prevented from doing
so by urgent duties at the time. Although the Board of Trade
representatives were very engaged, the expected
representative of the Thai Federation of Industries did not
attend. Our planned Enterprise Outreach event in October
will hopefully improve industry's level of interest and
support.)


5. (U) EXBS coordinated with the Defense Attache Office (DAO)
to send a Thai Customs official to the "Comprehensive
Security Response to Terrorism" course at the Asia-Pacific
Center for Security Studies (APCSS),July 8-30, in Honolulu,

BANGKOK 00002394 002 OF 002


HI. The course provided participants with the operational
and strategic-level skills necessary to enhance their
nation's ability to combat terrorism and cooperate with other
regional nations. This fully supports the EXBS program's
emphasis on WMD nonproliferation as a collective security
effort. Our Thai Customs official graduated with 68 other
military and civilian officials from 35 countries.

EQUIPMENT DELIVERED


6. (U) Six Toyota Landcruisers were donated to the
Vietnamese Border Guards on July 10. The Commander of the
Border Guards and Embassy Hanoi's Deputy Chief of Mission
were the presiding officials.

IMMINENT TRAINING/EQUIPMENT UPDATE


7. (U) Thai EXBS FSN will escort Thai officials from
Customs, the Ministry of Commerce and the Ministry of
Industry to the University of Georgia's Export Control
Academy, August 11-15 (the Customs official will stay for the
full two weeks, as the second week focuses on enforcement).
Tracker user training will be conducted in Hanoi, August
11-14. Licensing officials and system administrators from
the Ministry of Industry and Trade and the Agency for
Radiation and Nuclear Safety and Control (VARANSAC) will
attend.

SIGNIFICANT DEVELOPMENTS


8. (U) The Royal Thai Government set up an inter-agency
Export Control Working Group (XCWG) in March 2008. The
Working Group consists of representatives from 19 agencies
and is chaired by the Director General of the Department of
Foreign Trade, Ministry of Commerce. Core agencies include
the Ministry of Commerce, Ministry of Industry, Office of
Atoms for Peace, Ministry of Public Health, and Customs. The
National Security Council and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
are also members whose influence might be important. The
Ministry of Commerce and Royal Thai Customs are the EXBS
program's most important interlocutors. Officials from these
agencies have attended many EXBS events, including our
Legal-Regulatory, Strategic Trade Control Licensing and
National Control List workshops. After our NCL workshop in
July, two participants from the Board of Trade were added to
the Working Group. The EXBS program is currently working
with members of the XCWG on an Enterprise Outreach event for
the fall, and hope to conduct a Trade Control Infrastructure
workshop in support of the Group's efforts as well.
JOHN