Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08BANGKOK3470
2008-11-25 10:45:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Bangkok
Cable title:  

PEACEFUL PROTESTS CONTINUE AT BANGKOK AIRPORT,

Tags:  PGOV ASEC CASC TH 
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DE RUEHBK #3470 3301045
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 251045Z NOV 08
FM AMEMBASSY BANGKOK
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 5178
INFO RUEHZS/ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATIONS PRIORITY
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING PRIORITY 6542
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO PRIORITY 1207
RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL PRIORITY 5083
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA PRIORITY 9229
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON PRIORITY 1795
RUEHCHI/AMCONSUL CHIANG MAI PRIORITY 5895
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY
RHHMUNA/USCINCPAC HONOLULU HI PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RHHMUNA/CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L BANGKOK 003470 

SIPDIS

NSC FOR DENNIS WILDER AND LIZ PHU

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/25/2018
TAGS: PGOV ASEC CASC TH
SUBJECT: PEACEFUL PROTESTS CONTINUE AT BANGKOK AIRPORT,
MILITARY HQ

REF: A. BANGKOK 3454 (DEMO STARTS STRONG)

B. BANGKOK 3080 (QUEEN SUPPORTS PROTESTS)

Classified By: DCM James F. Entwistle, reason: 1.4 (b and d).

C O N F I D E N T I A L BANGKOK 003470

SIPDIS

NSC FOR DENNIS WILDER AND LIZ PHU

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/25/2018
TAGS: PGOV ASEC CASC TH
SUBJECT: PEACEFUL PROTESTS CONTINUE AT BANGKOK AIRPORT,
MILITARY HQ

REF: A. BANGKOK 3454 (DEMO STARTS STRONG)

B. BANGKOK 3080 (QUEEN SUPPORTS PROTESTS)

Classified By: DCM James F. Entwistle, reason: 1.4 (b and d).


1. (SBU) Several thousand anti-government People's Alliance
for Democracy (PAD) supporters continued to demonstrate
peacefully at Bangkok's Don Muang (domestic) airport on
November 25, without disrupting airport operations. While
most PAD sympathizers appear intent on remaining at Don Muang
until at least November 26, thousands moved in the
mid-afternoon to the Royal Thai Armed Forces Supreme Command
headquarters, seemingly to complain about the Army's refusal
to intervene against the government on PAD's behalf. Army
Commander Anupong Paojinda reiterated publicly that the Army
will not stage a coup but will help to keep order and seek to
prevent rival groups from clashing. In the late afternoon,
it appeared that the crowd at the Supreme Command
headquarters was dispersing, and many PAD supporters were
heading to Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi (international) airport.
We are monitoring the situation there and will issue warden
messages, as necessary.


2. (SBU) Parliamentary opposition leader Abhisit Vejjajiva
has expressed willingness to act as a mediator between the
RTG and the PAD, according to media reports. The PAD seems
to have rebuffed this prospect, insisting Prime Minister
Somchai Wongsawat must resign. Somchai has publicly
reaffirmed his intent to remain in office; he is scheduled to
return from the APEC summit in Peru on November 26. PAD
appears likely to try to confront Somchai on his return.


3. (C) Comment: The RTG continues to show extraordinary
tolerance of the PAD's activities, including the group's four
month occupation of the Government House compound, the
official seat of government. In this latest street action
(begun November 24 -- ref A),the PAD has used incendiary
rhetoric, but its actions have been relatively restrained
compared to greater aggression in late August and early
October. With a number of media outlets increasingly
critical of the PAD and no clear path to achieve its goal of
ousting the government, it is unclear whether this round of
demonstrations will remain restrained and taper off, or
whether significant escalation lies ahead.
JOHN