Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09BANGKOK1217
2009-05-19 08:41:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Bangkok
Cable title:
THAILAND RESPONSE TO ACTION REQUEST ON CUBA REVIEW
how-toVZCZCXRO7667 PP RUEHCHI RUEHCN RUEHDT RUEHHM DE RUEHBK #1217 1390841 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 190841Z MAY 09 FM AMEMBASSY BANGKOK TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7061 INFO RUEHZS/ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATIONS RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 7055 RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 9677 RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL 5499 RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 1620 RUEHWL/AMEMBASSY WELLINGTON 2677 RUEHUB/USINT HAVANA 0010 RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC RHHMUNA/HQ USPACOM HONOLULU HI RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC
C O N F I D E N T I A L BANGKOK 001217
SIPDIS
STATE FOR WHA/CCA - ZAMBRANO
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/18/2019
TAGS: ETRD ETTC PREL CU TH
SUBJECT: THAILAND RESPONSE TO ACTION REQUEST ON CUBA REVIEW
FOR SUSPENSION OF TITLE III OF LIBERTAD ACT
REF: STATE 48487
Classified By: POL Counselor George Kent, reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
C O N F I D E N T I A L BANGKOK 001217
SIPDIS
STATE FOR WHA/CCA - ZAMBRANO
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/18/2019
TAGS: ETRD ETTC PREL CU TH
SUBJECT: THAILAND RESPONSE TO ACTION REQUEST ON CUBA REVIEW
FOR SUSPENSION OF TITLE III OF LIBERTAD ACT
REF: STATE 48487
Classified By: POL Counselor George Kent, reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
1. (SBU) Summary: Thailand does not have significant
economic or political interests in Cuba. Nevertheless, we
provide information on Thai-Cuban ties below, as requested
reftel. End summary.
2. (C) Response:
(a) - Has the host country, in Post's opinion, worked to
promote the advancement of democracy and human rights in Cuba?
Thailand has not specifically worked to advance democracy and
human rights in Cuba; this is in keeping with Royal Thai
Government (RTG) policy not to intervene in the domestic
affairs of a sovereign nation unless prompted by the UN or
other multilateral fora, according to MFA Latin AMERICA
Division official Trit Kiriratnikom.
(b) - Has the host country made public statements or
undertaken other governmental actions, such as resolutions in
the national assemblies condemning human rights abuses in
Cuba; or actions in support of civil society in Cuba through
host country's diplomatic missions or other fora?
Because of the above-mentioned policy and lack of significant
relations, Thailand has not made public statements or taken
other actions supporting civil society in Cuba or condemning
human rights abuses in Cuba.
(c) - Have there been any high-level diplomatic visits
between Cuba and the host country in the past six months?
No.
(d) - What is the nature of investments (and names, if known)
that host country businesses have in Cuba?
The Bank of Thailand (BOT) reports no investment from
Thailand to Cuba. Commercial banks are required to report to
the BOT all foreign currency transactions that come into or
go out of Thailand, including any involving Thai investments
overseas.
(e) - Are there any bilateral trade agreements or other
cooperative agreements between host country and Cuba?
There are no trade agreements between Thailand and Cuba, but
there is some limited bilateral trade between the two. In
2008, the total trade was less than $10 million. The primary
Thai export to Cuba was rubber ($3.6 million) and the primary
import from Cuba was tobacco products ($0.7 million). In
2007 total trade was $7.1 million, and in 2006 total trade
was $31.63 million.
(f) - Are there any exchange programs between host country
and Cuba, including but not limited to: scholarships for
host country nationals to study in Cuba; Cuban-paid medical
travel for host country nationals; and Cuban doctors working
in host country?
Limited exchange programs do exist between Cuba and Thailand,
according to Trit. Cuban experts come to Thailand for
agriculture and fisheries training and, in return, Thai
students go to Cuba for physical education courses. The
coaches of the 1996 and 2000 Thai Olympic boxing teams were
Cubans. There were also attempts to establish cooperation in
the area of medical vaccines, but nothing has materialized.
JOHN
SIPDIS
STATE FOR WHA/CCA - ZAMBRANO
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/18/2019
TAGS: ETRD ETTC PREL CU TH
SUBJECT: THAILAND RESPONSE TO ACTION REQUEST ON CUBA REVIEW
FOR SUSPENSION OF TITLE III OF LIBERTAD ACT
REF: STATE 48487
Classified By: POL Counselor George Kent, reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
1. (SBU) Summary: Thailand does not have significant
economic or political interests in Cuba. Nevertheless, we
provide information on Thai-Cuban ties below, as requested
reftel. End summary.
2. (C) Response:
(a) - Has the host country, in Post's opinion, worked to
promote the advancement of democracy and human rights in Cuba?
Thailand has not specifically worked to advance democracy and
human rights in Cuba; this is in keeping with Royal Thai
Government (RTG) policy not to intervene in the domestic
affairs of a sovereign nation unless prompted by the UN or
other multilateral fora, according to MFA Latin AMERICA
Division official Trit Kiriratnikom.
(b) - Has the host country made public statements or
undertaken other governmental actions, such as resolutions in
the national assemblies condemning human rights abuses in
Cuba; or actions in support of civil society in Cuba through
host country's diplomatic missions or other fora?
Because of the above-mentioned policy and lack of significant
relations, Thailand has not made public statements or taken
other actions supporting civil society in Cuba or condemning
human rights abuses in Cuba.
(c) - Have there been any high-level diplomatic visits
between Cuba and the host country in the past six months?
No.
(d) - What is the nature of investments (and names, if known)
that host country businesses have in Cuba?
The Bank of Thailand (BOT) reports no investment from
Thailand to Cuba. Commercial banks are required to report to
the BOT all foreign currency transactions that come into or
go out of Thailand, including any involving Thai investments
overseas.
(e) - Are there any bilateral trade agreements or other
cooperative agreements between host country and Cuba?
There are no trade agreements between Thailand and Cuba, but
there is some limited bilateral trade between the two. In
2008, the total trade was less than $10 million. The primary
Thai export to Cuba was rubber ($3.6 million) and the primary
import from Cuba was tobacco products ($0.7 million). In
2007 total trade was $7.1 million, and in 2006 total trade
was $31.63 million.
(f) - Are there any exchange programs between host country
and Cuba, including but not limited to: scholarships for
host country nationals to study in Cuba; Cuban-paid medical
travel for host country nationals; and Cuban doctors working
in host country?
Limited exchange programs do exist between Cuba and Thailand,
according to Trit. Cuban experts come to Thailand for
agriculture and fisheries training and, in return, Thai
students go to Cuba for physical education courses. The
coaches of the 1996 and 2000 Thai Olympic boxing teams were
Cubans. There were also attempts to establish cooperation in
the area of medical vaccines, but nothing has materialized.
JOHN