This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BANGKOK 002255 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PHUM TH NRC
SUBJECT: NATIONAL RECONCILIATION COMMISSION ANNOUNCED 
 
REF: BANGKOK 1528 
 
 ¶1. (U) Summary:  On March 28, Prime Minister Thaksin 
officially appointed a broad-based 48-member National 
Reconciliation Commission (NRC) to explore solutions to the 
ongoing separatist turmoil in Thailand's predominantly Muslim 
southern provinces.  NRC Chairperson and former Prime 
Minister Anand Panyarachun, who is not a political ally of 
Thaksin, expressed satisfaction at the Prime Minister's 
immediate acceptance of the list of recommended members he 
submitted.  Anand told the press that he had tried to 
assemble a diverse group and noted that some members were 
critics of Thaksin's policies.  Local observers have praised 
the composition of the NRC for its balance of government, 
academic, NGO, military and political opposition 
representatives.  About one third of the NRC's members are 
Muslims.  Anand counseled patience to the public, saying that 
the NRC will likely need a full nine months to finish its 
work and present policy recommendations.  The first meeting 
of the Commission is slated for April 8.  The NRC membership 
follows in para 2. 
 
¶2. (U) National Reconciliation Commission Members are: 
 
 
Chairman: Anand Panyarachun - Former Prime Minister 
 
Deputy:   Prawese Wasi - Noted social critic and Ramon 
Magsaysay winner for Government Service (1981) 
 
Civilian Representatives (from the South): 
 
      Gen. (retd.) Narong Dejudom - Former 4th Army Commander 
 
      Netr Chantharasami - Businessman and department store 
owner in Hat Yai 
      Bancha Pongpanich - Former Rector of Walailak 
University, Nakhon Si Thammarat Province 
      Prasit Meksuwan - Secretary-General of the Teachers 
Confederation in five southern provinces 
      Piya Kitthavorn - Faculty of Humanities and Social 
Science, Prince of Songkhla University, Pattani 
      Petdao Tohmena - Medical Doctor and daughter of Senator 
Den Tohmena 
      Maryam Samoh - Director of the Orphanage Center in 
Pattani Province 
      Muhamad Adam - Director of the Narul Islam Bhumi School 
in Pattani Province 
      Ratiya Salae - Lecturer, Thaksin University, Songkhla 
Province 
      Woravit Baru - Vice-Rector, Prince of Songkhla 
University, Pattani 
      Aedueramae Mamingli - Chairman of the Pattani Islamic 
Committee 
      Ananchai Thaiprathan - Advisor to the Young Muslim 
Association 
      Ismail Lutfi Japakiya - Rector of Yala Islamic College 
      Abduirohmae Jehsae - Chairman of the Yala Islamic 
Committee 
      Abduraman Abdulsamad - Chairman of the Narathiwat 
Islamic Committee 
      Asmadsomboon Bualuang - Lecturer, Prince of Songkhla 
University 
 
Civilian Representatives (from other regions of Thailand): 
 
Chaiwat Satha-anand - Lecturer and Director of the Peace 
Information Center, Foundation for Democracy and 
                      Development Studies 
Dejudom Krairit - President of the Law Society of Thailand 
Naree Charoenpolpirlya - Instructor at the Peace Information 
Center 
      Pichai Rattanpol - Chairman of the National Security 
Council's Non-Violent Strategy Committee 
      Piphob Thongchai - Advisor to the Campaign for Popular 
Democracy 
      Paisal Promyong - Deputy Secretary-General of the 
Central Islamic Committee of Thailand 
      Phra Paisal Visaro - Abbot of Wat Pasukato, Chayaphum 
Province 
      Mark Tamthai - Director of the Religious and Cultural 
Studies Center, Pyap University 
      Srisak Wallipodom - Historian and Archaeologist 
      Saowanee Chitmuad - Lecturer Rajabhat University 
      Ammar Siamwala - Honorary Advisor to the Thailand 
Development and Research Institute (TDRI) 
 
Political Representatives: 
 
      Kanchana Silpa-archa - Chart Thai Party MP from 
Suphanburi Province 
      Chaturon Chaisaeng - Deputy Prime Minister 
      Pol.Gen. Chitchai Wannasathit - Deputy Prime Minister 
and Interior Minister 
      Prasert Pongsuwansiri - Democrat Party MP from Yala 
Province 
      Pongthep Thepkanchana - Thai Rak Thai Party-List MP and 
Government Head Whip 
      Surin Pitsuwan - Democrat Party Deputy Leader and 
former Foreign Minister 
      Sophon Supapong - Bangkok Senator 
 
Government: 
 
      Kittipong Kityarak - Director-General of the Probation 
Department, Ministry of Justice 
      Jiraporn Bunnag - Deputy Secretary-General of the 
National Security Council, The Prime Minister's Office 
      Pornnipa Limpapayom - Secretary-General of the Office 
of the Basic Education Commission, Ministry of Education 
      Vichai Thienthawom - Permanent Secretary, Ministry of 
Public Health 
      Lt.Gen. Weipote Srinual - Assistant Chief-of-Staff, 
Royal Thai Army 
      Sirachi Choterat - Deputy Director-General of the 
National Intelligence Agency, The Prime Minister's Office 
      Pol. Lt.Gen. Somsak Khwaengsopa - Commissioner of the 
Border Patrol Police 
      Gen. Sirichai Thanyasiri - Director-General of the 
Southern Border Provinces Peace Promotion Center 
      Sucharit Patchimnant - Director-General of the 
Provincial Administration Department, Ministry of Interior 
 
National Reconciliation Commission Secretariat Office: 
 
      Bavornsak Uvanno - Secretary-General of the Southern 
Border Provinces Peace Promotion Center 
      Gothom Ariya - Lecturer, Peace Solution Studies and 
Development Center, Mahidol University 
      Surichai Wankaeo - Lecturer, Political Science Faculty, 
Chulalongkorn University 
 
A DIVERSE GROUP 
 
¶3.  (SBU)  As noted above, Anand recruited a diverse group of 
nationally-known academics, government officials, opposition 
politicians, and social activists to the NRC.  For example, 
Police General Chitchai Wannasathit is the senior Deputy 
Prime Minister, Interior Minister, a close personal associate 
of Thaksin and his designated overseer of security activities 
in the south.  Dr. Surin Pitsuwan, on the other hand, is a 
nationally-regarded opposition Democrat Party Member of 
Parliament (MP), a Muslim, and former foreign minister in 
Chuan Leekpai's government.  He has sharply criticized the 
Thaksin Administration's policies in the South.  Prawet Wasi 
is a sharp-tongued social commentator and frequent Thaksin 
critic. Ammar Sianwalar is an Advisor to the Thailand 
Development Research Institute, and Gothom Ariya was Chairman 
of Forum Asia, the regional human rights NGO.  Mark Tamthai 
is a prominent academic and senior advisor to the Thai 
National Security Council (NSC) on southern issues.  Ismael 
Lutfi Japakiya is the highly controversial Rector of Yala 
Islamic College.  Many of the NRC civil society members 
strongly criticized Thaksin for seeking to establish a 
"zoning policy" in southern Thailand, that would have 
punished villages in "red" areas for "cooperating" with 
separatist groups.  Widespread opposition to this zoning 
policy eventually led to Thaksin's formation of the 
Commission and selection of Anand to head it (Reftel).  More 
detailed bio material on NRC members will be provided septel. 
 
NOW ANAND HAS HIS MISSION 
 
¶4. (SBU) Comment:  Thaksin's choice of the widely-regarded 
former Prime Minister Anand Panyarachun to head the 
high-profile NRC was a surprise.  During a meeting March 29 
with visiting A/S Designate Chris Hill and the Ambassador 
(Septel), opposition MP and commission member Surin noted 
Anand's ability to openly criticize Thaksin, even as the NRC 
is just being formed. "The Prime Minister may regret that he 
appointed Anand to head this commission," Surin said.  Some 
cynics say that Thaksin wants to pass the responsibility for 
solving the chronic troubles in the South to Anand and his 
Commission, while others have insisted that Thaksin, 
realizing that he's hit a dead end in resolving the violence 
is sincerely hoping Anand and the NRC come up with a workable 
plan. We lean towards the latter characterization of the 
Prime Minister's attitude.  For now, all eyes will be on the 
commission at the outset of what will be a long and difficult 
process to find ways to peacefully resolve the increasingly 
bloody conflict in the Muslim south. 
BOYCE