THAI-CAMBODIAN SPAT: EXTRADITION REQUEST REJECTED,

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 BANGKOK 002887

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/12/2019
TAGS: PREL PGOV PBTS TH CB
SUBJECT: THAI-CAMBODIAN SPAT: EXTRADITION REQUEST REJECTED,
THAI GOVT MULLS OPTIONS AS THAKSIN LECTURES IN CAMBODIA

REF: A. BANGKOK 2849

B. BANGKOK 1822

C. PHNOM PENH 832

Classified By: Deputy Chief of Mission James F. Entwistle, reasons 1.4
(b) and (d)


1. (C) Summary: Fugitive former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin
Shinawatra reportedly criticized the current Abhisit
administration for encouraging false patriotism during a
November 12 address in Phnom Penh to Cambodian business
leaders and government officials in his role economic advisor
to Hun Sen. Thaksin's address came one day after the Royal
Thai Government (RTG)'s extradition request of Thaksin was
rebuffed by Cambodia. In response to Phnom Penh's actions,
the RTG began a review of bilateral cooperation that will
apparently put in jeopardy soft loans and financial
assistance to Cambodia. The Thai media continued its strong
support for the government's actions, with some criticism
directed at what has been termed selfish behavior on the part
of Thaksin. End Summary.


2. (C) Comment: It should come as no surprise that Thaksin
did more than deliver an economics lecture in Phnom Penh,
using the neighborly venue to attack the RTG just as many
Thai expected he would; his trip was never primarily about
providing economic advise to Cambodia, but was intended to
increase pressure on Abhisit's government and set a precedent
of open travel to a neighboring country. The Thai government
appears committed to trying to utilize diplomatic measures to
maintain pressure on Hun Sen and to leverage Thai public
backing for its actions so far into more solid support,
without escalating the spat further into the economic or
security spheres. We are encouraged that the strains between
Abhisit and Hun Sen have apparently not resulted in border
tensions, as it appears the two militaries are actively
finding avenues to promote coordination and understanding.
The next act to this drama likely will come on the ground in
Thailand in the coming weeks, as Thaksin has promised to ramp
up red-shirt protests against the Abhisit government. End
comment.

THAKSIN GIVES SPEECH AFTER EXTRADITION REQUEST REJECTED
-------------- --------------


3. (U) As expected, the Cambodia government November 11
rejected a Thai request for the extradition of former Prime
Minister Thaksin Shinawatra as soon as it was delivered.
According to Thai media reports and a copy of Phnom Penh's
response which was printed in Thai-daily The Nation, Cambodia
rejected the request because Thaksin had been appointed as an
economic advisor to Hun Sen, since Cambodia considered the
prosecution of Thaksin to be politically motivated, and
because Thaksin had been the victim of the 2006 coup.


4. (U) As planned, Thaksin November 12 addressed members of
the Cambodian business community and government, according to
press reports. Thai media reported that at least one Puea
Thai member of parliament attended the speech. AFP reported
that Thaksin told the gathering that those in the Thai
government who did not share his vision were promoting false
patriotism; Thai media reported Thaksin suggesting that the
RTG should promote partnership between the two countries,
rather than misleading the Thai people to hate Cambodia.

RTG REVIEWS ASSISTANCE PROJECTS
--------------


5. (U) The Thai government has initiated a review of
Thai-Cambodian projects in response to Cambodian rejection of
the extradition request. An executive session of the
National Security Council led by PM Abhisit met November 12
to review potential actions in regard to Cambodia. Speaking
publicly after the meeting, Abhisit said the government
sought peaceful measures in solving the conflict and asserted
that the conflict would not be brought to ASEAN's attention.
Deputy Finance Minister Pruttichai Damrongrat said Abhisit
had at the meeting ordered the Finance Ministry to review a
soft loan to Cambodia worth approximately $31 million for
constructing a road from Surin Province through Cambodia
(Note: Thailand recently completed a long road project in

BANGKOK 00002887 002 OF 003


Cambodia initiated by the Thaksin government but finished by
recent administrations. End note). In addition, Deputy
Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban said the Cabinet would not
consider a prior proposal to provide Cambodia with $1 million
in financial assistance.


6. (C) Ambassador Surapong Jayanama, Advisor to the Foreign
Minister and an influential actor in the formulation of
policy on Cambodia, told us November 12 that the most
immediate objective for the RTG would be to mitigate threats
brought about by actions of Thaksin and Hun Sen. Surapong
characterized the recall of the Thai Ambassador to Phnom Penh
and other Thai actions so far as normal diplomatic reactions.
Going forward, Thailand would need to take a firm stand
towards Cambodia and further Thai measures would depend upon
Hun Sen's actions, Surapong said. That said, all options
remained at the discretion of the government, Surapong said,
but the RTG would implement actions incrementally and
proportionately to show the international community that
Thailand was not the instigator of the current tensions and
that Thailand would pursue foreign policy, especially towards
neighboring countries, with prudence and reason.

WORKING TO BUILD MORE DURABLE PUBLIC SUPPORT
--------------


7. (C) Admitting that the current conflict was an opportunity
for the Abhisit administration, Surapong said the task for
the government would be to transform positive public opinion
over the incident as quickly as possible into more permanent
public support for the Abhisit government. Surapong said
that Thaksin's planned departure from Cambodia November 13
would not bring about a rapid improvement in relations.
Rather, ties would stabilize at their present state pending
Cambodian actions.

OPPOSITION MPS AND RED SHIRTS TO CAMBODIA
--------------


8. (C) While the Thai press reported November 12 that one
hundred Puea Thai MPs would travel to Cambodia to meet with
Thaksin, Puea Thai MP Pracha Prasopdi, a coordinator of the
visit, told us that only ten or so MPs would travel to
Cambodia November 13 after the close of the current
Senate-House joint session. According to Pracha, the trip
was still being planned, and it was unclear when or where the
MPs would be able to meet with Thaksin, since he was being
provided tight security by the Cambodian government. A Thai
official at the Aranyaprathet border crossing told us
November 12 that approximately thirty or so red-shirt
supporters had crossed into Cambodia this morning.

MEDIA CRITICAL OF THAKSIN
--------------


9. (U) Continuing the generally solid media support for
Abhisit's actions so far, editorials in a range of Thai
dailies November 12 strongly criticized Thaksin and Hun Sen.
An editorial in the Thai Rath, the most read Thai-language
newspaper, called on Thaksin to not collude with foreign
countries for his own benefit, but also cautioned Abhisit to
not use the conflict to gain popular support at the expense
Thai interest. The Daily News, the second most read Thai
daily, asserted that Thaksin's moves reflected selfish
behavior, as the former Prime Minister appeared to want to
raise tensions because the Thai Supreme Court was likely to
rule in December on whether to permanently seize 76 billion
baht from Thaksin.

NEW GROUP STAGES PROTESTS AT CAMBODIAN EMBASSY
-------------- -


10. (U) Underscoring the fluid nature of Thai domestic
politics and the affect the conflict appears to have on Thai
public opinion, approximately one hundred members of a
previously unknown group by the name of Rak Chart (Love the
Nation) conducted a peaceful demonstration November 12 at the
Cambodian Embassy in Bangkok. The group called for Cambodia
to stop interfering in the internal affairs of Thailand; it
peacefully dispersed by mid-morning.


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THAI-CAMBODIAN SPORTS DAY AT THE BORDER
--------------


11. (U) In an attempt to promote coordination and prevent a
border conflict, Thai Army Commander General Anupong Paojinda
made use of the Thai military's traditional sports day on
Thursdays by ordering the Thai 2nd Army to sponsor a
Thai-Cambodian sports day for troops on both sides of the
border stationed near the Preah Vihear temple, according to
the Bangkok Post. Thai and Cambodian troops reportedly would
engage in a range of activities including volleyball and
tug-of-war in order to ease tensions.
JOHN