Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08BANGKOK609
2008-02-26 10:21:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Bangkok
Cable title:  

CODEL PRICE'S MEETINGS IN BANGKOK

Tags:  PREL PGOV PHUM KDEM ECON EINV KHIV TH BM 
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C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 BANGKOK 000609 

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E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/26/2018
TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM KDEM ECON EINV KHIV TH BM
SUBJECT: CODEL PRICE'S MEETINGS IN BANGKOK

REF: BANGKOK 340 (DISCUSSION WITH SAMAK)

BANGKOK 00000609 001.2 OF 003


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

SUMMARY
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C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 BANGKOK 000609

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E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/26/2018
TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM KDEM ECON EINV KHIV TH BM
SUBJECT: CODEL PRICE'S MEETINGS IN BANGKOK

REF: BANGKOK 340 (DISCUSSION WITH SAMAK)

BANGKOK 00000609 001.2 OF 003


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

SUMMARY
--------------


1. (C) Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej told CODEL Price on
February 22 that he favored multilateral talks on Burma, and
he viewed China as a communist country "in name only." Samak
addressed domestic criticism that he recently trivialized a
traumatic event in Thai history, acknowledging his
relationship with the media was poor. The Ambassador and the
CODEL pressed House Speaker Yongyuth Tiyapairath to advocate
democratic reforms in Burma. Yongyuth expressed a desire to
correct slanderous accusations against deposed Prime Minister
Thaksin Shinawatra. Democrat Party Leader Abhisit Vejjajiva
briefly discussed the investment climate, possible
constitutional amendment, Burma, HIV/AIDS, and the Election
Commission's ongoing investigation of alleged election
improprieties by Yongyuth. End Summary.

PRIME MINISTER
--------------


2. (C) Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej received CODEL Price,
accompanied by the Ambassador, on February 22. Samak
welcomed the CODEL's visit as an encouraging sign that
Thailand was returning to normal after the 2007 elections.
He said the Election Commission had performed its duties
"very well," and he considered the election fair. Recalling
widespread popular support for the Thai Rak Thai party (TRT)
prior to the 2006 coup, Samak said his government would
pursue TRT's populist policies.


3. (C) CODEL members expressed their appreciation for Samak's
receiving them and explained the value they placed on the
U.S.-Thai relationship. They asked about Samak's foreign
policy priorities, including his view of Burma and China.
Alluding to private advice given him by his Foreign Ministry,

Samak said he would communicate the government's foreign
policy views through the MFA, to avoid misunderstandings; he
also said that, as an ASEAN country, Thailand would have to
consult its neighbors on Burma policy.


4. (C) Nevertheless, Samak then departed from his script and,
citing EAP Assistant Secretary Hill by name and his efforts
on North Korea, suggested multi-party talks on Burma,
involving Singapore, Japan, China, India, Thailand, and
Burma, thereby placing "soft pressure" on the Burmese junta.
Samak said UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon should have
engaged directly with the Burmese, rather than leaving this
task to UN Special Envoy Gambari. Samak also raised the
example of Cuba, noting the U.S. had tolerated a communist
dictatorship in its backyard for many decades, implying the
USG should not criticize the RTG for failing to apply strong
enough pressure on the Burmese junta.


5. (C) Turning to China, Samak said he was sensitive to
reasonable Chinese concerns about national unity and
secessionist movements. He said China had come reasonably
far in its development and now was communist in name only.
Samak told the CODEL he felt it was not necessary to push the
Chinese to adopt democratic reforms.


6. (C) Demonstrating sensitivity to widespread criticism that
he had misrepresented facts relating to the RTG's response to
political demonstrations in October 1976, Samak gave a
lengthy defense of his earlier remarks to a journalist. He
admitted he had been advised to improve his relationship with
journalists, but he conceded, "They don't like me, I don't
like them." Nevertheless, he added that after his meeting
earlier in the month with the Ambassador, he had noticed the
positive press the Ambassador had received when he went out
and met with the media. In the future, Samak said, he would
try to folow this example and build a better relationship

BANGKOK 00000609 002.2 OF 003


with reporters.

HOUSE SPEAKER
--------------


7. (C) In a February 22 call on House Speaker Yongyuth
Tiyapairath, the CODEL members explained their work with
other parliaments in the region, highlighted the value of
peer-to-peer exchanges, and said they would welcome a
reciprocal visit to the U.S. by Thai legislators. Yongyuth
said he was grateful for U.S. support, as he had spent much
time in Texas following the 2006 coup d'etat. He explained
that, following the elections, Thailand was hoping to restore
international confidence in its political and economic
systems. He said the legislature would support the Samak
administration but, at the same time, not neglect its "check
and balance" role.


8. (C) The CODEL asked Yongyuth's view of Burma. Yongyuth
said that Burma needed support from the world community, and
he would support economic cooperation with Burma.
Congressman Price observed that the Burmese draft
constitution would exclude Aung San Suu Kyi from holding
political office; that indicated the Burmese junta was not
working with its critics in good faith, and friendly
approaches were not sufficiently effective. Yongyuth replied
that Thailand could not act as Burma's "big brother," but
China and India might have more influence over the Burmese.
The Ambassador pressed for Thai public statements about the
need for democracy in Burma, noting that many of those in
Yongyuth's position immediately after the 2006 coup in
Thailand had welcomed USG statements urging a restoration of
democracy. The Ambassador recommended that Yongyuth
empathize with current day Burmese democracy advocates as he
considered the best approaches for Thailand.


9. (C) As the meeting came to a close, Yongyuth requested the
CODEL's help to repudiate some "wrong information" that he
believed was circulating around Washington. Specifically, he
said that the previous administration had made false
accusations against deposed Prime Minister Thaksin
Shinawatra, and Yongyuth believed it was important to correct
the record, to protect Thaksin's "human rights."

OPPOSITION LEADER
--------------


10. (C) The CODEL concluded its substantive meetings with a
February 22 lunch with Democrat Party (DP) Leader Abhisit
Vejjajiva. During remarks to the group, Abhisit said he was
pleased with the return to power of an elected government.
He hoped the Samak administration would move quickly on the
Foreign Business Act (presumably rejecting draft amendments)
and on capital controls (presumably removing them) in order
to regain foreign confidence. He also pledged the DP stood
ready to cooperate with the government, if the government
desired, to address the conflict-ridden southern border
provinces.


11. (C) Abhisit said the 2007 constitution was not
dramatically different from the 1997 version, but some issues
remained for the current parliament to address (presumably
through amendment),including the power and composition of
the Senate. When Congressman Farr requested an assessment of
Burma, Abhisit said that ASEAN was the key forum for dealing
with the bilateral relationship. He added, however, that he
was disappointed with the low level of pressure that Thailand
placed on the junta; the last Democrat-led administration had
been tougher and clearer with its neighbor.


12. (C) The Ambassador asked how the USG might support
Thailand's political development. Abhisit replied that poor
governance could leave Thailand moving from one crisis to
another. He hoped Thailand's international friends would
confront the RTG in the event that human rights, the rule of
law, and the integrity of government institutions come under

BANGKOK 00000609 003.2 OF 003


pressure from the new administration.


13. (C) Congressman McDermott asked about Thailand's progress
in the fight against HIV/AIDS. Abhisit said Thailand was
becoming complacent, a victim of its earlier success. Now,
proportionately more people not in traditional high risk
groups were becoming infected. Abhisit added that, as Prime
Minister, former DP Leader Chuan Leekpai had chaired the
RTG's AIDS committee. This committee hardly met during the
Thaksin administration, however, and Abhisit did not believe
that the current government had a comprehensive plan for
HIV/AIDS.


14. (C) Congressman Conaway asked what might happen if the
Election Commission were to determine at the conclusion of
its ongoing investigation that House Speaker Yongyuth had
engaged in improper election-related behavior. Abhisit said
this initial conclusion could prompt the dissolution of the
People's Power Party, although pursuing that end would
require further investigation, and party dissolution would be
an extreme measure.


15. (C) CODEL Price did not have an opportunity to clear this
cable.
JOHN