EXBS: THAILAND/VIETNAM/CAMBODIA ADVISOR MONTHLY

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BANGKOK 000367 SIPDIS DEPT FOR ISN/ECC JFRIEDMAN, ACHURCH, ROWEN, LSPRINGER, EAP/MLS DSMITH, MFORINO, AWEST CBP/INA FOR BMCCRAY DEPT OF ENERGY FOR NNSA TPERRY AMEMBASSY HANOI FOR JBOCKLAGE AMEMBASSY KUALA LUMPUR FOR MMCNAMARA AMEMBASSY PHNOM PENH FOR MSWEENEY E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ETTC KNNP KSTC MNUC PARM PREL TH VN CB SUBJECT: EXBS: THAILAND/VIETNAM/CAMBODIA ADVISOR MONTHLY REPORTING CABLE - JANUARY 2010 SUMMARY ¶1. (U) Advisor participated in a Thai Office of the Narcotics Control Board (ONCB) border trip to Chiang Mai, Jan. 11-13. Advisor met with Royal Thai Armed Forces (RTArF) Director, Department of Border Affairs, on Jan. 15 regarding December's International Border Interdiction Training (IBIT) in McAllen, TX. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) conducted an Export Control Enforcement Workshop in Hanoi, Jan. 19-22. Advisor briefed Vietnam Ministry of Foreign Affairs officials on EXBS program activities on Jan. 20. Advisor attended a World Customs Organization (WCO) awards ceremony at Royal Thai Customs Headquarters on Jan. 26. Advisor met with officials from Thailand's Internal Security Operations Command (ISOC) on Jan. 28. The Department of Energy (DOE) will conduct a Commodity Identification Training (CIT) workshop in Cambodia, Feb. 17-19. Royal Thai Customs requested postponement of the initial National Commodity Identification Training workshop. Advisor and DEA Attache Hanoi are coordinating a hand-over ceremony in March for chemical analysis equipment for Vietnam's Ministry of Public Security. SITE ASSESSMENTS AND MEETINGS ¶2. (U) Advisor participated in a Thai Office of the Narcotics Control Board (ONCB) border trip to Chiang Mai, Jan. 11-13. Twenty-six foreign law enforcement attaches from thirteen countries and thirty-two Thai officials from the ONCB, Police Narcotics Suppression Bureau, Customs and Anti-Money Laundering Office participated. Advisor discussed common interdiction interests in both counterdrug and nonproliferation programs, and will follow up in planning for EXBS airport interdiction and national commodity identification training programs. ¶3. (U) Advisor met with RTArF LTG Nipat Thonglek, Director, Department of Border Affairs, on Jan. 15 regarding December's International Border Interdiction Training (IBIT) in McAllen, TX. LTG Nipat had shared information during the IBIT training regarding the North Korean weapons seizure four days before. He is also influential in all border security issues. He expressed his appreciation for the training, and was particularly impressed by the interagency cooperation he observed in conducting border security operations. He said he was interested in arranging a briefing for the Chief of Defense Forces. Advisor will continue to follow up. ¶4. (U) Advisor briefed Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs officials on EXBS program activities on Jan. 20. They were pleased with the assistance being provided. This year will likely be favorable for nonproliferation cooperation, as Vietnam has just assumed the ASEAN Chair from Thailand, and it is also the fifteenth anniversary of the restoration of US-Vietnam diplomatic relations, which the government hopes to highlight via various diplomatic activities. ¶5. (U) Advisor and post CBP Attache attended a World Customs Organization (WCO) awards ceremony at Royal Thai Customs Headquarters on Jan. 26. Customs attaches from Australia, Japan, the United Kingdom and New Zealand also attended. Advisor met several EXBS contacts. ¶6. (U) Advisor met with officials from Thailand's Internal Security Operations Command (ISOC) on Jan. 28. ISOC is the inter-agency organization responsible for security issues, and reports to the Prime Minister. ISOC was recently given responsibility for nonproliferation security issues, so our background information was much appreciated. ISOC is sympathetic to the security rationale for strategic trade management, and as a senior-level body can be useful in promulgating government policy decisions. We will continue to solicit ISOC participation in EXBS activities. BANGKOK 00000367 002 OF 002 TRAINING CONDUCTED ¶7. (U) ICE conducted an Export Control Enforcement Workshop in Hanoi, Jan. 19-22. Thirty-four officials from Vietnamese Customs, Border Army, Ministry of Public Security (MPS), Marine Police and Supreme People's Procuracy attended. This was the first time a significant number of MPS and Procuracy officials had participated in an EXBS event, creating significant new links to the law enforcement and justice sectors. ICE Attaches from Bangkok and Ho Chi Minh City also attended. EQUIPMENT DELIVERED ¶8. (U) None. IMMINENT TRAINING/EQUIPMENT UPDATE ¶9. (U) DOE will conduct a Commodity Identification Training (CIT) workshop in Cambodia, Feb. 17-19. The Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Finance, and U.S. Ambassador, will deliver opening remarks. ¶10. (U) Advisor and DEA Attache Hanoi are coordinating a hand-over ceremony in March for DEA chemical analysis equipment for Vietnam's Ministry of Public Security. EXBS provided support in the foreign grant assistance process. EXBS will also coordinate with DOE for WMD technical training for MPS Forensic Institute technicians. ¶11. (U) Royal Thai Customs requested postponement of the initial National Commodity Identification Training workshop in order to better organize and prepare for the project. This should not significantly affect implementation of the program. ¶12. (U) The final phase of Vietnam's Tracker Demonstration Project has been postponed pending approval of VAT exemption for grant assistance by the GVN. A visit by Vietnamese officials to Korea for briefings on the YesTrade export control system is still being planned. SIGNIFICANT DEVELOPMENTS ¶13. (U) None. ¶14. (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 Coordinator, Kamolrat@state.gov, (66-2) 205-4403; and Nguyen Thi Huong Giang, Vietnam Program Coordinator, NguyenGH@state.gov, (84-4) 3850-6241. JOHN