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

UNCLAS BANGKOK 001445 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV TH SNAP
SUBJECT: THAILAND POLITICAL UPDATE: MORE CALLS FOR 
THAKSIN'S RESIGNATION 
 
REF: BANGKOK 1408 AND PREVIOUS 
 
 ¶1.  (U)  Summary:  The People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) 
has threatened to call a boycott of Singapore goods if the 
Singapore government does not scrap the takeover of Shin Corp 
by Temasek Holdings.  A prominent Monk has issued a strong 
call for Thaksin to resign while the National Police 
Spokesman has suggested that Thaksin should leave the scene. 
The latest ABAC poll shows that close to half of those polled 
in Bangkok want Thaksin out.  End summary. 
 
PAD WANTS SINGAPORE INVESTMENT FIRM TO BACK OUT 
 
¶2.  (SBU)  The People's Alliance for Democracy yesterday 
called on the Singapore government to scrap the Shin Corp 
deal or face a boycott of Singapore products in Thailand. 
The group's leadership has reportedly submitted a letter to 
the Singapore Embassy demanding that Prime Minister Lee 
cancel the takeover of Shin Corp by Temasek Holdings, an 
investment arm of the Singapore government, by March 9.  The 
letter claims that the deal was seen as threat to Thailand's 
security as it would allow Singapore to control several 
important sectors of Thailand's infrastructure, including 
mobile phone and television networks, satellite 
communications and airlines.  It also said that if the 
Singapore government failed to do as requested, Singapore 
would face boycott of its products and would be seen as 
interfering with security of Thailand.  One of the PAD 
leaders, announced that on March 9, thousands of 
demonstrators would march to the Singapore Embassy to step up 
pressure on the Singapore government to scrap the Shin Corp 
deal. (Comment: There does not seem to be any chance of this 
happening. End comment.) 
WELL-KNOWN MONK CALLS FOR THAKSIN'S RESIGNATION 
¶3. (U)  Mincing no words in an address at a temple in 
northeastern Thailand on March 7, popular monk Lungta Maha 
Bua called on Thaksin to resign.  Lungta told his audience 
that Thaksin has become "absolutely tainted...his rotten body 
being unable to do anything else but breathing."  He appealed 
for Thaksin to step down, saying that "the country has 
suffered enough" under his administration. A former supporter 
of the PM from a TRT region, this monk was one of the early 
defectors from Thaksin's camp last year. 
 
NO COINCIDENCE THAT THAKSIN CABINET APPROVES PAYOUTS TO 
VICTIMS OF THE OCTOBER 1973 UPRISING 
¶4.  (SBU) In a thinly-veiled bid for support, Thaksin has 
compared himself to victims of the October 1973 uprising. The 
cabinet on March 7 approved compensation for the victims and 
relatives of the October 1973 student uprising -- over 30 
years after the fact.  At a meeting afterwards with 
representatives of the uprising victims, Thaksin said that 
"These people have fought for democracy at the cost of their 
life.  As the product of democracy, I really recognize their 
value."  Thaksin told the group that "What I,m fighting for 
today is to maintain the democracy that you all have created 
at the cost of your life.  I can,t bear seeing a group of 
people trying to destroy it.  Me too, I,m ready to uphold 
democracy at the cost of my life." 
 
POLICE SPOKESMAN BREAKS RANKS -- CALLS FOR THAKSIN TO STEP 
ASIDE 
¶5. (U)  Police Department Spokesman Pol. Gen. Achirawit 
Suwanphesat, after having earlier complained about effects 
the constant demonstrating was having on the police, called 
for both sides to reconsider their stances. He said that for 
the sake of national unity Thaksin should temporarily 
withdraw from politics and that the opposition should 
participate in the April general election. Achirawit also 
called the general public to turn on their cars, headlights 
during the daytime to support his demand. 
 
BANGKOK POLL NOT FAVORABLE TO THAKSIN 
¶6. (U)  According to an ABAC poll, some 48 percent of those 
polled in Bangkok want Thaksin to resign and 35 percent want 
him to stay on.  The poll of 2,175 Bangkok residents was 
published on March 7.  According to the survey, 46 percent 
would be in favor of a royally-appointed Prime Minister. 
Suan Dusit Poll on the other hand, has announced its 
suspension of polling activities, claiming that political 
opinions are so sharply drawn that conducting a poll would be 
dangerously divisive. 
 
 
 
BOYCE