EXBS: THAILAND/VIETNAM ADVISOR MONTHLY REPORTING

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BANGKOK 000997 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR ISN/ECC YWONG, ACHURCH, KCROUCH, ROWEN, EAP/MLS DRICHELSOPH, BBLACKSHAW CBP/INA FOR BMCCRAY DEPT OF ENERGY FOR NNSA TPERRY AMEMBASSY HANOI FOR PECKSTROM AMEMBASSY KUALA LUMPUR FOR RMOODY E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ETTC KNNP KSTC MNUC PARM PREL TH VN SUBJECT: EXBS: THAILAND/VIETNAM ADVISOR MONTHLY REPORTING CABLE - MARCH 2008 SUMMARY ¶1. (U) US Customs and Border Protection conducted an International Seaport Interdiction Training (ISIT) course, March 3-7, in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement conducted an Export Control Enforcement Training course, March 10-14, in Bangkok Thailand. Advisor met with representatives of the World Customs Organization (WCO),Australian Customs and New Zealand Customs to assess potential areas for collaboration or deconfliction. SITE ASSESSMENTS AND MEETINGS ¶2. (U) Advisor met with representatives of the World Customs Organization (WCO),Australian Customs and New Zealand Customs to assess potential areas for collaboration or deconfliction. Mr. Takashi Matsumoto, Director of the WCO's Regional Office for Capacity Building (ROCB),explained that his office maintains relationships with 32 countries in the Asia-Pacific region. Twenty-four of these countries are the recipients of ROCB assistance, including Thailand and Vietnam. Mr. Matsumoto explained that details of each country's ROCB Action Plan are held in confidence with each country, but that he would be happy to advise us of any overlap or areas for targeted assistance. Donor organizations include the Asian Development Bank (ADB),World Bank, UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP),UN Environmental Program (UNEP),the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA),and others. ¶3. (U) Mark O'Toole, New Zealand's Customs Liaison Officer for Southeast Asia, explained that most of his country's assistance is directed at several Pacific Island nations which pose a threat by drug trafficking. No assistance is being given at this time to Thailand or Vietnam. Sandra Caligari, Australia's Customs Counselor, said that her program's focus is on strengthening inter-agency cooperation among border agencies, particularly in the maritime environment. She is planning a command post exercise for the end of the year. TRAINING CONDUCTED ¶3. (U) US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) conducted an International Seaport Interdiction Training (ISIT) course, March 3-7, in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Twenty nine Vietnamese officials participated, from the Border Army, Customs, Maritime Bureau, and Port Authority. The U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) special agent posted in Ho Chi Minh City also attended many of the sessions. The Vietnamese agencies brought in officials from offices around the country, to ensure that CBP's best practices would receive wide distribution. The training was well-received, and strengthened the working relationship between our respective border security agencies. ¶4. (U) U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) conducted an Export Control Enforcement Training course, March 10-14, in Bangkok Thailand. Twenty-one Thai officials participated, from Customs, Police, Immigration and Port Authority. Officials from the Office of the Attorney General also participated in a session on the Investigator-Prosecutor relationship. Particular interest was shown in the case studies and practical exercises. Additional training was requested in controlled delivery techniques, computer-related crime, port of entry investigations and investigative equipment. Participants were also interested in a more thorough comparative discussion of Thai and American laws affecting investigations. EQUIPMENT DELIVERED ¶6. (U) None. BANGKOK 00000997 002 OF 002 IMMINENT TRAINING/EQUIPMENT UPDATE ¶7. (U) A Legal-Regulatory Seminar will be conducted, April 8-10 in Hanoi, Vietnam. A major equipment donation for Vietnamese Customs and Border Army is tentatively scheduled for April 25. Thailand celebrates its New Year (Songkran) in mid-April; the next Thai training event will be a Strategic Trade Controls Licensing Workshop by DOE in May. SIGNIFICANT DEVELOPMENTS ¶8. (U) None. JOHN