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C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BANGKOK 000653 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
NOFORN 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/01/2017 
TAGS: PREL PINR PGOV TH
SUBJECT: THAI UPDATE: KING'S HEALTH, SINGAPORE SPAT 
 
REF: A. SINGAPORE 221 (DUSTUP) 
     ¶B. OSC REPORT SEP20070130116019 (MAHATHIR) 
     ¶C. BANGKOK 524 (MEETING WITH NITYA) 
 
Classified By: Ambassador Ralph L. Boyce, reason: 1.4 (b) and (d). 
 
SUMMARY 
------- 
 
¶1. (C) The King appeared mentally alert if only moderately 
energetic and able to engage in a sustained discussion when 
the Ambassador observed him in a discussion with visiting 
Mahidol Prize Award winners.  A Singaporean diplomat told us 
her Embassy was consumed with efforts to minimize recent 
damage to Singapore's bilateral relationship with Thailand. 
A Thai MFA official, however, downplayed the significance of 
recent contentious exchanges between Singapore and Thailand. 
End Summary. 
 
UPDATE ON KING'S HEALTH 
----------------------- 
 
¶2. (C) The Ambassador attended January 31 ceremonies in honor 
of the recipients of this year's prestigious Prince Mahidol 
Awards for outstanding achievement in the field of public 
health.  In a private session with the recipients (three of 
the four of whom were Americans), King Bhumiphol not 
uncharacteristically spoke so softly that even those close to 
him had difficulty hearing what he said.  However, once he 
began discussing soil projects and other issues of 
longstanding interest to him, the King was actively engaged 
in the conversation, which continued for an hour.  He still 
walks shakily, with a cane, but his overall health seems 
stronger than when the Ambassador last saw him, in early 
December. 
 
SINGAPORE-THAI SPAT 
------------------- 
 
¶3. (C/NF) A Singaporean diplomat told us on January 31 that 
her embassy was currently consumed with efforts to minimize 
the damage to the bilateral relationship caused by Thai 
denunciation of deposed Prime Minister Thaksin's recent visit 
to Singapore, and allegations that Singaporeans could monitor 
communications on networks owned by Singaporean firms (ref 
A).  The diplomat noted that Singaporeans considered the 
latter charge by far the more serious, as it pertained to 
violations of Thai sovereignty. 
 
¶4. (U) A prominent Thai journalist seemed happy to stoke the 
controversy by airing an interview with former Malaysian 
Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, in which Mahathir, with the 
reporter's encouragement, denounced Singaporeans as 
self-centered and uncaring (ref B).  Mahathir agreed that 
Singapore owed Thailand an apology for the reception given to 
Thaksin, and he thought it quite likely that the Singaporeans 
were eavesdropping on Thai communications. 
 
¶5. (C/NF) The Singaporean diplomat said that the recent 
controversy had cast a serious chill over the bilateral 
relationship, which was unlikely to improve significantly 
during the term of Surayud's administration -- despite her 
government knowing well Surayud and other key figures. 
Citing MFA Permanent Secretary Krit Garnjana-Goonchorn's 
prior close ties to Thaksin, she speculated that Krit might 
have found bashing Singapore a convenient way to demonstrate 
his loyalty to the interim administration. 
 
¶6. (C/NF) The Singaporean diplomat noted that, although the 
Thai lack a tradition of soccer hooliganism, she was 
monitoring with concern the upcoming ASEAN Championship 
soccer matches between the Singaporean and Thai national 
teams.  Singapore -- the home team -- won the January 31 
match, which featured the Thai team temporarily abandoning 
the field to protest a penalty.  The second match will take 
place in Bangkok on February 4. 
 
¶7. (C) A Thai official in MFA's East Asia Department offered 
a much less alarmed view, claiming the current friction did 
not represent a serious rift.  However, our MFA contact 
highlighted Foreign Minister Nitya's discussions with his 
Singaporean counterpart in Cebu (ref C), and the sensitivity 
of any matter involving Thaksin.  The Thai official said 
Nitya remained actively engaged in managing relations with 
 
BANGKOK 00000653  002 OF 002 
 
 
Singapore.  Our contact added the Thai Police were concerned 
about the upcoming soccer game and would heighten security 
for the Singaporean players. 
BOYCE