VZCZCXRO7763
PP RUEHCN RUEHDT RUEHHM
DE RUEHCHI #0147/01 2770943
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P R 030943Z OCT 08
FM AMCONSUL CHIANG MAI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0852
INFO RHEHAAA/NSC WASHINGTON DC
RUEHZS/ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATIONS
RUEHCHI/AMCONSUL CHIANG MAI 0924

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 CHIANG MAI 000147 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
NSC FOR PHU 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM SOCI KDEM TH
SUBJECT: PM'S VISIT TO CHIANG MAI: NOT AS SMOOTH AS SILK 
 
REF: CHIANG MAI 145 (VIOLENT CLASH) 
 
CHIANG MAI 00000147  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
Sensitive but unclassified; please handle accordingly. 
 
------------------------------------ 
Summary and Comment 
------------------------------------ 
 
¶1. (SBU) Despite concerted efforts by provincial and local 
officials, Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat's October 1-2 visit 
to Chiang Mai met with some unwelcome disruptions.  Meanwhile, 
tensions between the anti-government People's Alliance for 
Democracy (PAD), and the pro-government United Front of 
Democracy Against Dictatorship (UDD) that manifested themselves 
in the September 28 clash (reftel) remain high. 
 
¶2. (SBU) Comment: Though Chiang Mai -- which is former PM 
Thaksin's home province -- and northern Thailand in general 
remain strongholds of the governing People's Power Party (PPP), 
the September 28 clash between the PAD and UDD, and the PAD's 
ability to disrupt PM Somchai's visit make it clear that 
anti-government forces in northern Thailand are not without the 
ability to express their views, even if they do so in an 
unorganized manner.  While we would be surprised if the PPP or 
its successor party suffered serious setbacks in northern 
Thailand in a subsequent election, the PAD's ability to organize 
in northern Thailand appears to be improving, and may pay some 
dividends in future polls.  End Summary and Comment. 
 
--------------------------------------------- ----------------- 
Somchai Gets Off on the Right Foot, but... 
--------------------------------------------- ----------------- 
 
¶3. (SBU) According to press reports and several Consulate 
contacts, including a journalist who covered the PM's entire 
visit, PM Somchai's arrival in Chiang Mai on the evening of 
October 1 went off without a hitch.  That trend continued into 
the morning of October 2, when the PM met with supporters and 
senior government officials from northern Thailand outside his 
Chiang Mai residence, and during his stop in former PM Thaksin's 
home district to pay homage to his wife Yaowapha's (Thaksin's 
sister) ancestors.  Most of the rest of the trip, however, was 
anything but uneventful. 
 
¶4. (SBU) The same journalist told us that at Chiang Mai's famous 
Doi Suthep temple, two women were able to get close to the 
heavily-guarded PM.  One waved a plastic hand-clapper (commonly 
used by PAD supporters) at him, and the other presented him with 
two wrapped hand-clappers and a letter of protest.  PM Somchai's 
lunch at a well-known restaurant was also disrupted when he was 
unexpectedly greeted by a group of approximately 20 men 
appearing to be patrons at the restaurant, some of whom our 
contact recognized as university lecturers and government 
officials.  The group waived their hand-clappers at him and 
asked him about the status of former PM Thaksin's diplomatic 
passport. 
 
--------------------------------------------- ------------- 
What Happened to the PM's Protection? 
--------------------------------------------- ------------- 
 
¶5. (SBU) According to one of Chiang Mai's vice governors, these 
incidents were quite embarrassing, particularly given the 
significant efforts made by police and Ministry of Interior 
officials to ensure smooth sailing for the PM during his visit. 
He told us the provincial governor's office earlier instructed 
each of Chiang Mai's 22 district offices to mobilize as many as 
200 to 500 pro-government supporters to welcome the PM at his 
various stops on October 2.  They were asked not to wear the 
now-common yellow shirts (representing allegiance to the King) 
for fear of being confused with yellow-shirted PAD supporters. 
 
¶6. (SBU) Meanwhile, under the direction of the Region Five 
Police Commissioner, who was a Police Academy classmate of 
former PM Thaksin, police officials reportedly called on leaders 
of the local pro-PAD and pro-UDD groups to appeal for calm, at 
least long enough for the PM's visit to remain peaceful. 
However, we noted the presence of police squads along with 
groups of the red-shirted pro-UDD members, in addition to 
supporters from outlying districts, at various locations the PM 
visited. 
 
¶7. (SBU) Media contacts told us the PM's interaction with his 
entourage immediately prior to his departure left them with the 
impression that the disruptions to his schedule had upset 
Somchai.  Moreover, a key local PAD leader noted that Somchai 
could have been more embarrassed had he and his group followed 
through with plans to "welcome" the PM.  He told us they decided 
not to go through with the plan due to what he called the 
"premature" street demonstration by a competing PAD group on 
 
CHIANG MAI 00000147  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
Sunday, September 28 (Reftel), which led to the clash between 
PAD and UDD supporters that evening, making any organized 
activities to disrupt the PM's visit unsafe for the participants. 
 
------------------------- 
An Uneasy Truce 
------------------------- 
 
¶8. (SBU) Meanwhile, tensions between the pro-PAD and pro-UDD 
groups that clashed on September 28 remain high.  On Monday, 
September 29, PAD supporters went to the police station to file 
charges against the UDD group, which greeted them at the station 
armed with swords.  The police intervened, and no one was 
injured, but both groups filed charges against the other 
resulting from the September 28 confrontation.  The UDD members 
have been charged with assault, trespassing, and causing damage 
to private property, while the PAD group faces charges of 
assault, since some UDD members claim they too were injured in 
the Sunday confrontation.  On Tuesday September 30, the leaders 
of both groups were summoned to the regional police headquarters 
by the regional commissioner, who brokered an agreement not to 
disrupt PM Somchai's visit.  He was, however, unable to convince 
them to drop the competing charges.  We will continue to monitor 
the situation. 
 
¶9. (U) This cable was coordinated with Embassy Bangkok. 
MORROW