FIRST U.S.-THAI-LAO DISCUSSION ON LAO HMONG IN

C O N F I D E N T I A L BANGKOK 002042

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR PRM/ANE AND PRM/A; EAP/MLS
GENEVA FOR RMA

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/17/2019
TAGS: PREF PREL PHUM SMIG TH LA
SUBJECT: FIRST U.S.-THAI-LAO DISCUSSION ON LAO HMONG IN
PETCHABUN

REF: BANGKOK 2041

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

Classified by: Deputy Chief of Mission James F. Entwistle,
for reasons 1.5 (b) and (d).


1. (C) DCM and RefCoord traveled to Petchabun on August 7
to participate in closed discussions with Royal Thai Armed
Forces (RTARF) Deputy Chief of Joint Staff General Vorapong
Sa-nga-net, Director of Border Affairs Lt. General Nipat, and
Lao counterparts Brigadier General Bouaxieng Champaphahn and
MFA spokesperson Khenthong Nuanthasing. The first-ever
tripartite meeting on the Lao Hmong was the result of an
invitation extended by the RTARF's LTG Nipat to PRM PDAS
Samuel Witten during the latter's July 28-August 1 visit to
Thailand (reftel). DCM noted U.S. interest in the issue as
emanating from history, and concern by U.S. advocacy groups
and Congress over those Hmong in Thailand who have valid
protection concerns. The DCM advocated for a role for IOM in
the Thai repatriation process, and greater international
access to the return and reintegration process by the Lao. BG
Bouaxieng stated his view that the issue would continue to be
handled bilaterally between the RTG and GOL, but that he
welcomed the U.S. "as a helpful friend" in the inaugural
informal meeting. Bouaxieng noted that the U.S. and Thailand
were close allies, and that U.S. - Lao bilateral relations
were improving rapidly. When DCM raised the issue, however,
neither the RTG nor GOL was willing to discuss how the
"screened in" group would be handled,indicating that the
sensitive issue would be addressed later - once most of the
Petchabun group had been persuaded to return voluntarily.
(Comment: It was unclear if the two delegations had discussed
the screened in group among themselves in an earlier, private
meeting: RTARF Lt. General Nipat later asserted to RefCoord
that it had, but a Thai MFA representative present in the
meeting said it had not come up. However, according the MFA
"the GOL already knows about the group, we just don't discuss
it officially." End comment.)


2. (SBU) On the dame day, DCM Entwistle participated in a
separate meeting with Lao Hmong leaders, the opening stages
of which were also attended by the media. Echoing the
statment made by PDAS Witten on July 30, the DCM emphasized
that there was no Wat Tham Krabok-style resettlement program
planned. (Comment: we resisted RTG and GOL entreaties that
the public statement rule out any possibility at all for
resettlement from Petchabun. An Embassy press release the
same day noted that the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program
accepts individual referrals of vulnerable individuals,
normally from UNHCR. End Comment.) Lao General Bouaxieng
read a list of promises to Hmong returnees, including
reintegration assistance, and an amnesty to drug abusers and
"wife beaters." The Lao delegation included two Hmong who
had been repatriated from Petchabun to the GOL site at Ban
Pha Lak, Laos. The returnees stated they had not been
persecuted upon return. Reaction by the Hmong leaders was
more agitated than in the meeting with PDAS Witten, with
several partially disrobing to show scars they claimed were
inflicted by Lao soldiers. In response, Lao General Bouaxieng
lectured the Hmong on "behaving properly" and obeying the law
once they returned to Laos. The DCM did not accompany Lao BG
Bouaxieng to the camp fence line where he addressed a small
rain-soaked crowd directly by megaphone, repeating promises
of GOL amnesty and assistance. A semi-comedic attempt by the
Thai and Lao delegations to convince one large family to
return to Laos on the Lao army helicopter to Vientiane failed
when the husband and wife quarreled over the decision, a
family drama played out in full view of the assembled press.

JOHN