R 101030Z NOV 08
FM AMEMBASSY BANGKOK
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 4982
AMCONSUL CHIANG MAI 
INFO ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATIONS
HQ USPACOM HONOLULU HI

UNCLAS BANGKOK 003342 
 
DEPT PLEASE PASS EAP/PD, EAP/MLS, DRL 
RPC MANILA 
 
STATE FOR EAP/PD (KSTOLZ); EAP/PD (SBREMNER); EAP/PD (SHINTON); 
A/LM/PMP/DPM (QMCNUTT AND SFARRELL); A/ISS/GPS/EAP 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KPAO PGOV OIIP PREL SCUL OPRC TH
SUBJECT: U.S. ELECTION WATCH IN THAILAND DRAWS RECORD CROWD 
 
REF: Bangkok 3298 
 
Summary 
------- 
 
¶1. Summary: U.S. Mission Thailand directly engaged over 2,000 
members of the public through three simultaneous Election Watch 
events held in Bangkok and Chiang Mai on November 5.  Media interest 
was intense and Post estimates that approximately 25-35 million 
Thais were reached through the widespread coverage of the three 
events.  Ambassador John hosted Embassy Bangkok's seven-hour 
Election Watch extravaganza during which 1,800 invited guests, 
including Prime Minster Somchai Wongsawat (see reftel), Bangkok 
Governor Apirak Kosayothin, key contacts and over 1,000 students, 
joined in the excitement.  The Ambassador gave interviews to all six 
national television networks, which covered the event live, as well 
as local cable stations, radio, and major print dailies.  Consulate 
General Chiang Mai held two simultaneous election events, one on 
Consulate grounds for 80 close contacts and a second broader event 
held offsite for 130 university students and faculty.  These 
celebrations offered the Thai public, key Mission contacts, and Thai 
young people an opportunity to witness and get greater insight into 
this historic and exciting election.  End summary. 
 
¶2. Comment:  Guest feedback on the U.S. Mission's Election Watch 
events was resoundingly positive, as was the news coverage.  Guests 
and commentators drew comparisons between America's peaceful and 
celebratory democratic transition and recent tumultuous events in 
Bangkok, including clashes between the government and opposition. 
The election and Election Watch events, which dominated the news on 
November 5, provided a unique opportunity for us to highlight key 
policy messages on the importance of democracy.  In a Bangkok Post 
article entitled, "U.S. Election - Some Lessons for Thailand," the 
Ambassador was quoted as saying, "The rule of law and the 
Constitution are very important and the most important thing is 
(that) it's perfectly appropriate that people along opposite 
sides...disagree about issues and resolve them peacefully."  This 
was a clear underlying theme throughout the day and the Election 
Watch events an outstanding vehicle to convey this message to Thais. 
 End Comment. 
 
Bangkok Election Watch Attracts Record Numbers 
----------------------------- 
 
¶3.  On November 5, Ambassador Eric John hosted a record crowd at the 
U.S. Embassy's Bangkok Election Watch 2008, organized by Public 
Affairs with support from over 80 Embassy volunteers.  Around 1,800 
guests including government leaders and officials, academics, media, 
business leaders, diplomats, civil society, students and politicians 
from across Thailand attended this highly-anticipated election event 
that featured a wide range of informational activities designed to 
showcase the U.S. democratic system in action. 
 
¶4.  Guests were already lined up to enter the event when the doors 
opened at 7:00 a.m. and the grand ballroom -- decked out in red, 
white and blue Americana decor -- was packed as the first vote 
tallies came trickling in shortly thereafter.  Ambassador John 
opened the event with welcome remarks to a crowded ballroom in which 
he highlighted the longevity, resilience and tenacity of the U.S. 
system of democracy.  Thailand's Prime Minister and Bangkok's 
Governor (and deputy leader of the opposition Democrat Party) both 
made special appearances at the event to congratulate the United 
States on a successful election, demonstrating that American 
democracy in action could even bring Thailand's political 
adversaries together for the same cause, at least for one day. 
 
Continuous "Edutainment" 
------------------------ 
 
¶5. Additional highlights of the Bangkok event included live 
discussions via satellite with the Voice of America Thai Service, 
dozens of informative posters designed and produced by Embassy 
Bangkok's own Information Resource Center (IRC), a mock election, 
and plenty of photo-ops for guests with cardboard cutouts of the 
presidential candidates and a live "Uncle Sam."  The IRC's "election 
reference desk," complete with a collection of election-related 
resources and giveaways, received significant traffic. 
 
¶6.  In addition, the American Chamber of Commerce (Amcham) in 
Thailand and representatives from Democrats Abroad and Republicans 
Abroad also participated actively in the event manning busy 
information tables and engaging guests in interactive 
election-focused activities. (Note: The Chair of Republicans Abroad 
Thailand remarked to one PA staff member that the event "was a great 
opportunity to dispel many myths about the Republican Party" for the 
students.  End Note.)  With four jumbo screens displaying non-stop 
coverage of election results and analysis combined with well-timed 
stage announcements and a special "election music playlist," the 
room was imbued with excitement throughout the entire seven-hour 
program. 
 
Focus on Youth 
-------------- 
 
¶7. Embassy Bangkok made a special push to engage youth in its 
Election Watch event, reaching out to thousands of students in 
advance of the November 5 party.  The effort paid off and more than 
1,000 students from across 32 educational institutions in Thailand 
attended the Bangkok event during which they were actively engaged 
in a series of specially-designed interactive activities, including 
election-related quizzes, a digital video conference with students 
at four American Corners (Khon Kaen, Pattani, Yala, and Nakhon Si 
Thammarat), an "info-scavenger hunt," and special election briefings 
by senior Embassy officers.  Guests also enjoyed watching dynamic 
home videos made by Thai AFS students currently in the United 
States, in which they interviewed host family and friends for their 
views on this historic election. 
 
Lights, Camera, Democracy in Action! 
------------------------------------ 
 
¶8. Bangkok's Election Watch 2008 attracted every one of Thailand's 
six national television stations, all of whom reported live 
throughout the day from the event.  Thai cable and international 
Bangkok-based news agencies, including TNN (TrueVision), The Nation 
Channel, NHK, NPR and VOA also did reporting from the venue.  Five 
national daily papers (Naew Na, Daily News, Krungthep Thurakit and 
the English-language Bangkok Post and The Nation) sent reporters and 
photographers.  More than 100 press passes were distributed to the 
media. 
 
¶9. Broadcast media coverage began in advance of the program with the 
IO granting a pre-event interview the evening before the party. 
Event day coverage began at 7:00 a.m. local time and continued 
non-stop until 1:15 p.m. when the Ambassador concluded his final, 30 
minute interview with local cable operator TNN.  The Ambassador, as 
well as senior Embassy officers, gave several dozen interviews to 
the assembled media, including many that were broadcast live from 
the ballroom.  The Ambassador granted interviews to each television 
network and a handful of print outlets in attendance, fielding 
questions on a wide range of issues including: implications of the 
election outcome on U.S.-Thai relations, free trade, and the global 
financial crisis.  The DCM answered questions about what an Obama 
presidency would mean for America and the world; the Commercial, 
Economic and Political Counselors discussed trade and political 
issues respectively; and the IO explained why U.S. embassies around 
the world were hosting election watch events. 
 
¶10.  Over 30 clips totaling more than 200 minutes of total airtime 
were broadcast from the Election Watch event throughout the day, and 
ranged from 30-second live spots to 20-minute features that included 
interviews, in-depth analyses from local political experts, and 
reactions from both the Thai and American public.  (Note: Several 
local Thai broadcast outlets sent reporters to the United States to 
provide on-the-ground coverage of the elections.  With the help of 
the Foreign Press Center, the Embassy assisted three separate teams 
of television reporters from Channel 3, Channel 9, and TPBS in 
reporting from the United States.  End Note.)  Post estimates that 
approximately 20-25 million Thais viewers saw at least one report 
about Election Watch 2008, and several million more heard coverage 
on Radio Thailand (estimated listenership of 12 million 
nationwide). 
 
¶11.  Print media coverage was also widespread.  Combined circulation 
numbers for the newspapers is more than six million readers.  The 
day after the election, every national paper mentioned the Election 
Watch party in their reporting on the U.S. election results. 
"Citizen journalists" and bloggers were also present, including The 
Nation senior editor Kavi Chongkittavorn who, with his handheld 
video recorder, captured several key moments of the event for his 
blogspot, including the first interview of the day with Ambassador 
John.  Student journalists from Thammasat University also joined 
their professional colleagues in lining up to interview the 
Ambassador and others. 
 
¶12.  An online news summary of coverage from the Bangkok Election 
Watch Event is available on OpenNet at: 
Http://bangkok.state.gov/content/ 
pdweb/internal/news/2008/elections08/index.ht m. 
 
CG Chiang Mai Brings the Celebration to the North 
----------------------------- 
 
¶13.  Not to be left out of the fun, Consulate General Chiang Mai 
held two simultaneous Election Watch events for Mission contacts and 
friends in Northern Thailand.  First, there was an Election Watch 
event hosted at the Consulate for approximately 80 Thai, Burmese, 
and American contacts.  Prominent guests included the Vice Governor, 
Mayor, Chairman of the Election Commission of Thailand's (ECT) 
Chiang Mai provincial office, and Commanding General of the Royal 
Thai Army 33rd Military Circle.  Several electronic and print 
journalists were also in attendance.  NBT aired two slots of its 
coverage of the event on its national news broadcast.  The 
six-minute piece included an interview with Consul General Morrow on 
the U.S. presidential electoral process.  Coverage also included 
commentary from the provincial ECT Chairman.  Radio MCOT and Channel 
7 also conducted interviews with the Consul General from the event 
for later broadcast. 
 
¶14. ConGen Chiang Mai hosted a second event at Payap University the 
morning of Election Day for university students in the Chiang Mai 
area.  More than 130 students, faculty, and staff from Chiang Mai 
University, Payap University, and Far Eastern University attended, 
as well as some American students currently on exchange programs in 
Thailand.  The event featured a panel debate, mock election, trivia 
contests, and a live performance of American patriotic music by 
visiting Oklahoma violinist Kyle Dillingham. 
 
¶15.  Special kudos to IIP, GPS Manila, IBB/VOA, the Diplomatic Pouch 
and Mail Division for going above and beyond the call in support of 
Mission Thailand's Election Watch events. 
 
JOHN