REDSHIRTS PROTEST AT CONSULATE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 CHIANG MAI 000106

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

FOR EAP/MLS, EAP/EX AND DS/IP

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ASEC PGOV PREL TH
SUBJECT: REDSHIRTS PROTEST AT CONSULATE

REF: A. CHIANG MAI 96 (REDSHIRTS TARGET PUBLIC HEALTH MINISTER)

B. CHIANG MAI 59 (COMMUNITY RADIO STATIONS)

C. CHIANG MAI 32 (REDSHIRTS SPOIL TWO RALLIES)

D. CHIANG MAI 24 (REDSHIRTS, BY-ELECTIONS AND MIGRANTS)

E. CHIANG MAI 18 (TOUGHER TIMES AHEAD)

F. CHIANG MAI 3 (REDSHIRTS FLEX)

G. 08 CHIANG MAI 178 (PRO AND ANTI-THAKSIN GROUPS)

H. 08 CHIANG MAI 168 (POLITICAL TEMPERATURE)

CHIANG MAI 00000106 001.2 OF 002


Sensitive but unclassified; please handle accordingly.

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Summary and Comment
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1. (SBU) On July 20, representatives of a local
anti-government redshirt group displayed placards peacefully
expressing their disapproval of Thailand's current governing
coalition and its chairmanship of the on-going ASEAN/ASEAN
Regional Forum meetings in front of the Consulate. They also
hand-delivered a letter critical of the Secretary's decision to
participate in the meetings. Many of the placards referred to
Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva as a "dictator" and "fascist,"
and to Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya as a "terrorist." The
demonstration took place without incident, and the group
disbanded peacefully after roughly 50 minutes. Contrary to
information provided last week by local Thai authorities, the
redshirts did not demonstrate at the Japanese Consulate in
Chiang Mai. We do not yet know if they protested at the Chinese
and Indian Consulates.


2. (SBU) Comment: The last protest at Consulate General
Chiang Mai took place more than six years ago, focusing on the
invasion of Iraq. That incident did not receive much press
coverage, nor did it serve as a catalyst for further
demonstrations. If today's protest garners significant media
attention, we cannot rule out similar future incidents. End
Summary and Comment.

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What Happened
--------------


3. (SBU) At approximately 1120 HRS local time on July 20, a
group of redshirt protestors opposed to Thailand's current
governing coalition began gathering in front of the Consulate.
Their intension, as conveyed to us by local Thai authorities,
who warned us on July 16 that the redshirts might demonstrate at
the Consulate, was to deliver a letter critical of Thailand's
chairmanship of the on-going Association of Southeast Asian
Nations (ASEAN) and ARF (ASEAN Regional Forum) meetings on the
resort island of Phuket. At approximately 11:30 HRS, the group,
which numbered roughly 30 (including some 10 photographers)
notified us that it wanted to deliver a letter to Pol/Econ
Chief, who its members requested by name. (Note: The requester
was the former chairman of the Rak Chiang Mai 51 group - the
redshirt group that has demonstrated a propensity for violence
(Reftels),with whom Pol/Econ Chief met once previously. The
group with which he is currently affiliated, and which led the
July 20 demonstration, appears to have the closest links to the
United Front for Democracy Against Dictatorship of all the
redshirt groups in Chiang Mai.)


4. (SBU) RSO staff informed the redshirts that the Consulate
had to follow certain procedures in such cases, and that the
group would not be able to meet with Pol/Econ Chief. After
demonstrating peacefully for an additional 30 minutes, the group
expressed its readiness to deliver the letter, at which point
Acting CG instructed Post's summer intern to take possession of
the document inside the outer perimeter of the Consulate where
photographs could not be taken. Three representatives of the
group were escorted through the outer Consulate door, where they
were permitted to read and deliver the letter to the intern.
The envelope contained a letter in Thai with a poor English
translation. An unofficial Consulate translation of the Thai
letter follows at para 6.

--------------
Atmospherics
--------------


5. (U) The protestors carried several signs in both English and
Thai. One participant sported a pot on his head, which is a
customary Thai way of expressing such profound embarrassment at
something as to be unwilling to show one's face in public. One
sign in English read "Abhisit Back Up Terrorists and Kasit!
Stop and Get Out! Go to Hell"; others read "Abhisit is a
Fascist and a dictator" and "Kasit You Are Terrorists"
(references to Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya, who has been
charged with Terrorism for his Role in the 2008 closure of
Bangkok's two airports by the People's Alliance for Democracy).

CHIANG MAI 00000106 002.2 OF 002


According to unofficial Consulate translations, two signs in
Thai read "The Red Grassroots Confederation does not recognize a
tyrant, bandit government" and "We Don't want a government that
practices lip service."


6. (U) Begin unofficial Consulate translation of letter:

Red Grassroots Confederation, Chiang Mai
July 20, 2009

Re: Objecting to the Thai Government at the ASEAN Summit in
Phuket
Attention: U.S. Ambassador to Thailand (through U.S. Consulate
General Chiang Mai)

The Red Grassroots Confederation as a part of the Thai
population would like to oppose the foreign ministerial ASEAN
Summit in Phuket that the Thai Government is hosting and in
which the U.S. Secretary of State will participate on the
following grounds.


1. As the Prime Minister of the Thai Government, Mr.
Abhisit Vejjajiva is unacceptable as the national leader on the
grounds that he assumed the position illegitimately and
undemocratically.

2. As a member of the Thai Cabinet, Foreign Minister
Kasit Piromya is one of the international terrorists who took
part in the siege of Suvarnabhumi International Airport.

3. In recognition of the role of the United States
of America in counterterrorism and its achievement in the
democratic system, we suggest that the U.S. review its
participation in the said summit.

The Confederation hereby wishes to state its opposition and ask
that the U.S. Government reconsider its position toward
participating in the meeting

Sincerely,
Red Grassroots Confederation
ANDERSON