EXBS: THAILAND/VIETNAM/CAMBODIA ADVISOR MONTHLY

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BANGKOK 001651

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR ISN/ECC YWONG, ACHURCH, ROWEN, LSPRINGER, EAP/MLS
DRICHELSOPH, BBLACKSHAW, AWEST
CBP/INA FOR BMCCRAY
DEPT OF ENERGY FOR NNSA TPERRY
AMEMBASSY HANOI FOR JBOCKLAGE
AMEMBASSY KUALA LUMPUR FOR PZARESK
AMEMBASSY PHNOM PENH FOR MSWEENEY
AMEMBASSY JAKARTA FOR PVALDEZ

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ETTC KNNP KSTC MNUC PARM PREL TH VN CB ID
SUBJECT: EXBS: THAILAND/VIETNAM/CAMBODIA ADVISOR MONTHLY
REPORTING CABLE - JUNE 2009

REF: BANGKOK 1569

BANGKOK 00001651 001.2 OF 002


SUMMARY


1. (U) Advisor attended the annual EXBS Advisor Conference in
Tbilisi, Georgia, June 1-4. Advisor and Program Assistant
visited Thai border crossings with Cambodia, June 17-19.
Advisor briefed Cambodian officials on proposed EXBS program,
June 23. Officials from Thailand and Vietnam attended the
Tenth International Export Control Conference in Istanbul,
June 25-27. Advisor conducted coordination visit with
Interdict/RADACAD staff in Richland, WA, on June 26.
Wisconsin Project staff will conduct training in Bangkok,
July 12-14. Advisor will conduct event coordination meetings
in Jakarta, July 16-17. Advisor will escort a delegation of
Vietnamese officials to Interdict/RADACAD training, July
27-31.

SITE ASSESSMENTS AND MEETINGS


2. (U) Advisor, Program Assistant and embassy Political
Officer visited Thai border crossings with Cambodia, June
17-19 (see REFTEL). Meetings were held with officials at
Aranyaprathet, Baan Laem and Klong Yai crossing points.
Representatives from Customs, Immigration, the military and
police attended. Aranyaprathet had been the site of
International Border Interdiction Training (IBIT) in
September, 2007. Officials briefed on their skill
sustainment training program and use of their donated
equipment. Party also met with the Commandant of the Royal
Thai Marine Corps at Sattahip Naval Base. The Marine Corps
has overall responsibility for border security in Trat and
Chantaburi provinces. The main concerns currently are
illegal drugs and smuggling, but these border stations will
become more important as sub-regional trade increases through
Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) infrastructure projects and
Thai and Vietnamese nuclear power programs develop.


3. (U) Advisor briefed members of the Cambodian National
Counterterrorism Commission on the proposed EXBS program on
June 23. Officials agreed with the suggested activities. In
discussions with post, it appears that early October will be
the best time to conduct the first event, a 1540
Implementation Workshop. Maritime-related training will
supplement post,s current efforts in assisting the Cambodian
government to establish a national Maritime Security Working
Group. Advisor also joined a meeting between post and
Japanese embassy officials to discuss collaborative efforts
for maritime security training under the aegis of the
US-Australia-Japan trilateral partnership.


4. (U) Advisor conducted a coordination visit on June 26 with
Interdict/RADACAD staff of the Hazardous Materials Management
and Emergency Response (HAMMER) Training Center, part of
DOE,s Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) complex
in Richland, WA. Advisor observed a class of Jordanian
officials, and discussed training arrangements for a group of
senior and working-level Vietnamese officials who will attend
July 27-31.

TRAINING CONDUCTED


5. (U) Officials from Thailand and Vietnam attended the Tenth
International Export Control Conference in Istanbul, June
25-27. Delegates from Vietnam included representatives of
the Office of Government (Prime Minister,s Office),the
Agency for Radiation and Nuclear Safety (VARANS) and the
National Chemical Agency. Delegates from Thailand included
officials from Customs and the Ministries of Commerce and
Foreign Affairs.

EQUIPMENT DELIVERED


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6. (U) Silver Sea, Rapiscan,s Vietnamese subcontractor,
installed the electrical generator in the mobile x-ray van in
Hue. Training for the operators was also conducted.


7. (U) Advisor and ECC are working to facilitate the transfer
of surplus chemical analysis equipment (gas chromatography -
mass spectrometry) from DEA to the Vietnam Ministry of Public
Security,s Forensic Science Department. In addition to
giving the Vietnamese police the capability to identify
illegal drugs, the equipment can also be used to analyze
suspected WMD chemical compounds. Introductory training will
occur in conjunction with the RADACAD course in July; Advisor
and PNNL will work with ISN/ECC to develop follow-on
technical training in-country.

IMMINENT TRAINING/EQUIPMENT UPDATE


8. (U) Wisconsin Project staff will conduct training in
Bangkok, July 12-14. Advisor will conduct training and
equipment coordination meetings in Jakarta, July 16-17.
Advisor will escort a delegation of Vietnamese officials to
Interdict/RADACAD training in Washington State, July 27-31.

SIGNIFICANT DEVELOPMENTS


9. (U) None.


10. (U) Points of contact for the EXBS Program are: William
Comley, Regional Advisor, comleywa@state.gov, (66-2)
205-4621; Kamolrat Chotesungnoen (Dao),Thai Program
Assistant, Kamolrat@state.gov, (66-2) 205-4403; Nguyen Thi
Huong Giang, Vietnam Program Assistant, NguyenGH@state.gov,
(84-4) 3850-6241.
JOHN