THAILAND'S MARCHING SEASON: BRAWL NEAR BORDER

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BANGKOK 002405 SIPDIS STATE FOR EAP/MLS, NSC FOR BADER, WALTON E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/21/2019 TAGS: PREL PGOV TH SUBJECT: THAILAND'S MARCHING SEASON: BRAWL NEAR BORDER CONTRASTS WITH PEACEFUL DEMONSTRATION IN BANGKOK REF: A. 08 BANGKOK 3032 (POLITICAL CRISIS RETURNS TO THE STREETS) ¶B. BANGKOK 983 (THAI PM ABHISIT BRIEFS AMBASSADORS) ¶C. BANGKOK 2386 (RED SHIRTS PREPARE TO MARCH ) ¶D. BANGKOK 2369 (THAI-CAMBODIAN BORDER DISPUTE) BANGKOK 00002405 001.2 OF 002 Classified By: POL Counselor George Kent, reason 1.4 (b,d) ¶1. (SBU) Summary: September 19 proved to be a day of dueling political rallies in Thailand. The United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD),aka "the red-shirt" supporters of fugitive former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, gathered in Bangkok to mark the third anniversary of the military coup which removed Thaksin from office. The rally, which featured a phone-in from the fugitive billionaire, was peaceful; the crowd dispersed shortly after midnight. Members of the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD),aka "the yellow-shirts," marched in Sisaket Province near the disputed Preah Vihear temple on the Cambodian border to protest what they see as Cambodian encroachment on Thai territory. A reported twenty people were injured in clashes between PAD supporters and local red-sympathetic villagers before officials negotiated a compromise which allowed PAD leaders to issue a statement from a hilltop near the Preah Vihear temple. The main column never reached closer than three kilometers to the Thai-Cambodian border. ¶2. (C) Comment: In marked contrast to the violent demonstrations that rattled Thailand from August-December 2008 and March-April 2009 (REF B),security forces in Bangkok and Sisaket held their lines and prevented protesters from both the red and yellow camps from reaching their stated destinations (General Prem's residence and the border hilltop, respectively). While Bangkok braced for possible trouble from red-shirts that ultimately failed to materialize, the real action this past weekend took place in Sisaket, with the first red-yellow direct clashes since late ¶2008. In addition, elements of the so-called "blue shirt" supporters of coalition party de facto leader Newin Chidchob played an ambiguous and potentially provocative role, and the police failed to keep locals and PAD marchers separate, but the military eventually ensured the PAD march stopped well short of the border. End summary and comment. ALL QUIET ON THE BANGKOK FRONT... -------------- ¶3. (SBU) The red rally in Bangkok was peaceful as advertised (REF C). An afternoon rainstorm scattered the early arrivals, but by 9:00 p.m., when Thaksin addressed the crowd by videolink, Bangkok police estimated there were about 32,000 people at Sanam Luang. Speeches by Thaksin and other UDD leaders addressed the usual litany of red-shirt grievances: the economy was doing worse; the judiciary was politicized; Prime Minister Abhisit was feckless; and Privy Council chair Prem was to blame for all of it, often-times characterized in crude and profane terms. Thaksin again played coy about his eventual return, concluding: see you in Thailand, though I don't know when. ¶4. (SBU) The rally continued for several hours after Thaksin spoke, breaking up at around 12:30 a.m. Thanks to concerted police action to block the streets leading to Prem's residence nearby, the red-shirts did not follow-through on their previously stated intent to march to Prem's home. ...BUT A HOT TIME IN SISAKET NEAR PREAH VIHEAR -------------- - ¶5. (SBU) In contrast, the PAD march in Sisaket province near the Preah Vihear temple and Cambodian border turned nasty. PAD secondary leader Veera Somkwamkid led an estimate 4,000 PAD supporters (note: none wearing yellow; they were clad in either the black of the self-styled "Sri Vichaya warriors" or the blue of the civilian followers of the Santi Asoke sect, end note) to demand Cambodia withdraw its presence from the disputed territory around the Preah Vihear temple site and to protest Thai government and army inaction in the face of Cambodian actions. BANGKOK 00002405 002.2 OF 002 ¶6. (SBU) Local authorities and up to 2000 red-sympathetic villagers were in no mood to facilitate the march, however, and formed a blockade in a town roughly 10 km from Pha Mo I Daeng hill, the PAD intended destination. At about 1320, the PAD marchers broke through the police line, and the PAD marchers and villagers began a rolling brawl which lasted on and off for three hours. Veera subsequently claimed to us the local authorities paid the intoxicated villagers 300 baht each. ¶7. (C) As captured on film and published in the next day's papers, both sides were armed with rudimentary weapons: sticks, rocks, clubs, machetes, and slingshots -- the most dramatic shot showed a machete-ared villager looking to slash a barefoot PAD marcer sprawled on his back in a field; twenty peopl were injured in the melee. Human Rights Watch consultant Sunai Phasuk said that "blue shirt" brawlrs associated with Newin, the political godfathe of Sisaket province, played a role in sparking he clash, as they allegedly did in Pattaya with ed-shirts in April (note: Newin's faction was allied with Thaksin and part of the red-shirt movemet until December. End note). Sisaket Governor aphi Phongbunphakit, a political ally of Newin, old us that five of those injuries warranted an ovrnight stay in the hospital, without specifying to which faction they belonged. PAD leader Veera nsisted that 15 of those wounded were PAD supporers. ¶8. (SBU) Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thuasuban authorized acting National Police Chief Thnee Sombounsap to negotiate with the PAD on behalf of the government. Thanee participated via phoe, while Governor Raphi, the second area army comander and Sisaket deputy police chief, negotiated face-to-face with Veera and the PAD. Raphi toldus the resulting agreement permitted a limited group of PAD members to climb Pha Mo I Daeng hill o Sunday, September 20 to read the PAD statement.The army steadfastly refused to let the main PADcolumn get within three kilometers of the border. The reading of the PAD statement took place without incident September 21, and the PAD protesters dispersed. JOHN