VZCZCXRO1123
OO RUEHCHI RUEHCN RUEHDT RUEHHM
DE RUEHBK #2343/01 2141025
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 011025Z AUG 08
FM AMEMBASSY BANGKOK
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3895
INFO RUEHZS/ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATIONS PRIORITY
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA PRIORITY 8928
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO PRIORITY 0949
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING PRIORITY 6216
RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL PRIORITY 4805
RUEHCHI/AMCONSUL CHIANG MAI PRIORITY 5517
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 5364
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC PRIORITY
RHHMUNA/CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RHHMUNA/USCINCPAC HONOLULU HI PRIORITY

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BANGKOK 002343 
 
SIPDIS 
 
NSC FOR PHU 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/01/2018 
TAGS: PREL PGOV PINR PREF PARM KJUS UNSC UNGA ASEAN
TH, CB 
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR AND THAI FM TEJ DISCUSS POTUS VISIT, 
PREAH VIHEAR, PSI, LAO HMONG, AND OTHER ISSUES 
 
REF: A. BANGKOK 2294 (MFA ON TEMPLE TALKS) 
     ¶B. BANGKOK 2276 (TEJ APPOINTED) 
     ¶C. STATE 79734 (PROTECTING LAO HMONG) 
     ¶D. STATE 72078 (63RD UNGA) 
 
BANGKOK 00002343  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
Classified By: Ambassador Eric G. John, reason: 1.4 (b) and (d). 
 
SUMMARY 
------- 
 
¶1. (C) The Ambassador and newly-appointed Foreign Minister 
Tej Bunnag agreed in a July 31 courtesy call that all 
arrangements were proceeding smoothly for the upcoming visit 
to Thailand of President Bush.  Tej expressed appreciation 
for USG assistance in preventing the UN Security Council from 
formally considering Thai-Cambodian tension over the Preah 
Vihear temple.  He said the RTG hoped to ensure quick Thai 
ratification of the ASEAN Charter.  Tej took on board points 
the Ambassador made on Lao Hmong, PSI, and the Viktor Bout 
extradition case.  Tej confirmed he and Prime Minister Samak 
would travel to New York for the upcoming UNGA.  End Summary. 
 
POTUS VISIT 
----------- 
 
¶2. (C) The Ambassador on July 31 paid a courtesy call on 
newly-appointed Foreign Minister Tej Bunnag.  The Ambassador 
and Tej agreed that arrangements for the upcoming visit of 
President Bush were proceeding smoothly.  The Ambassador 
expressed regret that it had proven logistically impossible 
to arrange an audience with King Bhumibol during the upcoming 
visit. 
 
PREAH VIHEAR 
------------ 
 
¶3. (C) Tej explained how, on hearing of his impending 
appointment as Foreign Minister, he rushed home from overseas 
and hurried to prepare for talks with his Cambodian 
counterpart on the situation in the vicinity of the Preah 
Vihear temple.  He thanked the Ambassador for USG assistance 
in preventing this situation from coming formally before the 
UN Security Council. 
 
ASEAN 
----- 
 
¶4. (C) The Ambassador asked Tej's plans for Thailand's term 
as ASEAN Chair.  Tej said the government would seek 
Thailand's parliamentary ratification of the ASEAN Charter as 
soon as possible.  He did not indicate he was aware of any 
specific objections legislators might have to the Charter, 
but he quipped that "everything is a political problem now." 
He looked forward to the Charter coming into force, noting 
that this would help to put ASEAN "firmly on the world map." 
He predicted ASEAN would move toward integration in a fashion 
similar to Europe's.  The Ambassador stressed USG support for 
ASEAN, highlighting for Tej the recent appointment of EAP DAS 
Marciel as Ambassador for ASEAN Affairs. 
 
PSI 
--- 
 
¶5. (C) The Ambassador raised the Proliferation Security 
Initiative, urging that the Thais participate as soon as 
their political situation might allow.  Tej acknowledged the 
Ambassador with a nod but offered no verbal reply. 
 
BOUT EXTRADITION 
---------------- 
 
¶6. (C) The Ambassador thanked Tej for the RTG's assistance in 
the arrest of Russian arms trafficker Viktor Bout, 
emphasizing that this case remained important at the highest 
levels of the U.S. Government.  The Ambassador explained that 
the Embassy was tracking the case as it moved through 
 
BANGKOK 00002343  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
Thailand's courts.  Tej acknowledged the USG's interest. 
 
LAO HMONG 
--------- 
 
¶7. (C) Conveying ref C's points, the Ambassador emphasized 
USG concern over the disposition of Lao Hmong in Thailand and 
the need for a transparent screening process that meets 
international standards.  The Ambassador explained that the 
USG would work with the Thais on resettlement abroad of Lao 
Hmong who merit refugee status.  Tej said the USG and RTG had 
worked together on refugee matters for more than three 
decades, and the USG would receive good cooperation from all 
concerned RTG agencies. 
 
UNGA PLANS 
---------- 
 
¶8. (U) Tej confirmed that he, Prime Minister Samak, and 
advisor Manaspas Xuto would travel to New York for the 
upcoming UNGA.  Samak would arrive in the U.S. following a 
visit to Europe.  Tej indicated the MFA had not yet been able 
to finalize its UNGA preparations.  (Post will continue to 
seek information on the Thai UNGA delegation, per ref D 
instructions.) 
 
COMMENT 
------- 
 
¶9. (C) An experienced diplomat, Tej appears to be well suited 
for the role of Foreign Minister and someone with whom we can 
work easily.  He related to the Ambassador that his parents 
had first met in Washington, D.C., and he said that, 
consequently, he considered himself "very attached 
sentimentally" to the United States, and particularly to 
Washington. 
JOHN