VZCZCXRO8776
OO RUEHCHI RUEHDT RUEHHM RUEHNH
DE RUEHBK #3561/01 3390958
ZNR UUUUU ZZH (CCY ADX00066DCC LOP2265)
O 040958Z DEC 08
FM AMEMBASSY BANGKOK
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 5309
INFO RUCNASE/ASEAN MEMBER COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING IMMEDIATE 6600
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA IMMEDIATE 9275
RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL IMMEDIATE 5131
RUEHGP/AMEMBASSY SINGAPORE IMMEDIATE 5024
RUEHCHI/AMCONSUL CHIANG MAI IMMEDIATE 5948
RUEHHM/AMCONSUL HO CHI MINH CITY IMMEDIATE 0862
RHHMUNA/CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI IMMEDIATE
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE
RHMFIUU/DEPT OF HOMELAND SECURITY WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE
RULSDMK/DEPT OF TRANSPORTATION WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RHMCSUU/FAA NATIONAL HQ WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE
RHMFIUU/TSA HQ WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BANGKOK 003561 
 
      C O R R E C T E D  C O P Y       CHANGE TO PAR1 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EAP/MLS, CA, EEB, DS 
TRANSPORTATION FOR TSA 
STATE PASS TO USTR 
TREASURE FOR OASIA 
COMMERCE FOR EAP/MAC/OKSA 
SINGAPORE FOR FINATT BAKER 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ASEC CASC CMGT EAIR EFIN PGOV PREL ETRD TH
SUBJECT: DECEMBER 4: UPDATE ON THAILAND'S AIRPORTS AND 
AIRLINES 
 
REF: A. BANGKOK 3532 (DECEMBER 2: UPDATE) 
     ¶B. BANGKOK 3540 (DECEMBER 3: UPDATE) 
     ¶C. BANGKOK 3519 (THAILAND: ECONOMY SUFFERS) 
     ¶D. BANGKOK 3530 (THAI BANKS REMAIN STRONG) 
 
BANGKOK 00003561  001.5 OF 002 
 
 
¶1.  (SBU)  Summary.  U.S. Transportation Security 
Administration (TSA) representatives began assessing the 
security conditions at Suvarnabhumi on December 4.  TSA is 
working with U.S. air carriers and Thai officials to ensure 
that all safety and security regulations are met prior 
to U.S. air carriers being able to fly to the 
United States.  U.S. air carriers have agreed not to 
resume flights until December 6 at the earliest. 
At the same time, the Thai Department of Civil Aviation 
has decided airport conditions are good enough 
for the resumption of non-U.S. bound flights on December 3, 
although check-in continues to be located off-site.  Several 
airlines are flying out of the airport to international 
destinations, although not yet directly to the U.S.  Due to 
low interest, the U.S. Embassy has decided a chartered flight 
for Amcits is no longer necessary.  On the economic front, 
repercussions from the airport seizure have been felt most 
visibly in the tourism industry.  Occupancy rates at major 
hotels in Bangkok are below 25 percent.  The exact costs of 
the airport seizure are hard to determine, but there is no 
doubt that Thailand's image has suffered greatly.  End 
Summary. 
 
Airport Security Conditions 
--------------------------- 
¶2.  (SBU)  TSA accompanied officials from the Airports Of 
Thailand, as well as United Airlines and Northwest Airlines 
reps, on December 4 to Suvarnabhumi in order to conduct a 
preliminary security assessment of the airport. TSA began 
with a walk through of the perimeter of the airport and 
anticipates viewing the rest of airport operations throughout 
the night and possibly into the weekend.  TSA also heard 
presentations from the U.S. airlines on the status of their 
operations and security procedures.  TSA will prepare a 
report for its Washington headquarters upon completion of its 
assessment.  Due to the size and complexity of the airport, 
TSA cannot give an exact timeline for completion of the 
assessment, but it seems unlikely to be completed before 
December 5. 
 
¶3.  (SBU)  The Thai Department of Civil Aviation (DCA), 
accompanied by ICAO reps, is also inspecting the airport to 
determine safety and security conditions there.  A DCA 
official told the Embassy on December 4 that DCA began 
inspections immediately after protesters left and expect to 
conclude their work later this week.  In the meantime, DCA 
stated that the flight side of the airport, such as runways 
and the control tower, were not affected.  Therefore, flights 
are allowed to take off while the inspection of the interior 
of the airport continues.  Check-in, baggage inspection, and 
immigration control are still being done off-site, primarily 
at the BITEC Convention Center. 
 
Airline and Cargo Flights 
------------------------- 
¶4.  (SBU)  Executives at United and Northwest told the 
Embassy that they have decided to postpone resumption of 
flights until December 6 at the earliest.  The airlines had 
previously made public announcements that they would resume 
flights on December 5.  However, the airlines determined that 
additional time would be needed in order to ensure flight 
operations were safe and secure. TSA advises that while 
necessary assessments may be completed by this weekend, it is 
not yet clear when United and Northwest will resume flights 
 
BANGKOK 00003561  002.4 OF 002 
 
 
out of Bangkok. 
 
¶5.  (SBU)  Thai Airways has announced several international 
flights departing from Suvarnabhumi. None of these are bound 
for the U.S. Thai Airways executives told the Embassy on 
December 4 that they will continue check-in at the BITEC 
Convention Center and then bus passengers to plane-side at 
Suvarnabhumi.  Thai Airways has ceased operations at U-Tapao, 
the military airfield it had been using during the airport 
occupation.  According to TSA, Thai Airways will resume 
flights to the United States only when the airline has 
performed all necessary security checks. 
 
¶6.  (SBU)  Cargo operators such as UPS informed the Embassy 
on December 4 that cargo loading areas at Suvarnabhumi had 
been cleared and appeared to be in good condition.  UPS is 
ready to begin operations out of Suvarnabhumi December 5 
provided they have satisfied all security requirements. 
Federal Express said that they have begun flights into 
Suvarnabhumi.  Thai businesses and industries, such as the 
Thailand Post Office, reported to the press they are 
beginning to shift the bulk of their cargo operations back to 
Suvarnabhumi. 
 
Consular Assistance 
------------------- 
¶7.  (SBU)  The Consular Section received approximately fifty 
responses to an Embassy announcement concerning the 
possibility of a chartered flight.  However, when contacted, 
most Amcits decided they would wait for commercial flights. 
Consular distributed a follow-up message indicating there 
will not be a charter flight.  Consular continues to assist 
Amcits and answer calls twenty-four hours a day. 
 
Economic Repercussions 
---------------------- 
¶8.  (SBU)  Executives at five-star hotels, including Marriot, 
Hilton, and Hyatt reported to the Embassy on December 3 that 
their occupancy rates are 25 percent or lower, the lowest 
ever recorded.  Travel agents feel confident the tourism 
industry in Thailand is resilient and has survived shocks 
before.  However, industry executives speculate it will take 
at least six months for convention and business related 
bookings to pick up in Bangkok. 
 
¶9.  (SBU)  Since the airport seizure just over a week ago, 
ratings agencies have revised their outlook for Thailand to 
negative but have not adjusted the ratings themselves; and 
growth rate projections have been revised downward (see 
reftels C and D). 
 
¶10.  (SBU)  Thai Airways announced to the press it plans to 
seek legal redress against anti-government protesters for 
losses suffered during the airport shutdown. 
 
¶11.  (SBU)  Septel discusses a joint demarche to the MFA 
expressing concern over airport security delivered by the 
U.S. Ambassador and other ambassadors. 
JOHN