VZCZCXRO0507
RR RUEHCHI RUEHDT RUEHHM RUEHNH
DE RUEHBK #3579/01 3430606
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 080606Z DEC 08
FM AMEMBASSY BANGKOK
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 5316
RHMFIUU/US CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION WASHINGTON DC
RHEBAAA/DEPT OF ENERGY WASHDC
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHINGTON DC
RULSJGA/COMDT COGARD WASHDC
INFO RUCNASE/ASEAN MEMBER COLLECTIVE
RUCNEXC/EXPORT CONTROL AND RELATED BORDER SECURITY
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC
RUEAWJA/DEPT OF JUSTICE WASHDC
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHINGTON DC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BANGKOK 003579 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR ISN/ECC YWONG, ACHURCH, ROWEN, EAP/MLS 
DRICHELSOPH, BBLACKSHAW, AWEST 
CBP/INA FOR BMCCRAY 
DEPT OF ENERGY FOR NNSA TPERRY 
AMEMBASSY HANOI FOR JBOCKLAGE 
AMEMBASSY KUALA LUMPUR FOR PZARESK 
AMEMBASSY PHNOM PENH FOR MSWEENEY 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ETTC KNNP KSTC MNUC PARM PREL TH VN CB
SUBJECT: EXBS: THAILAND/VIETNAM ADVISOR MONTHLY REPORTING 
CABLE - NOVEMBER 2008 
 
SUMMARY 
 
¶1. (U) Commonwealth Trading Partners (CTP) conducted an 
Interagency Relations and Infrastructure Workshop in Bangkok, 
Nov. 3-5.  ECC Desk Officer Rachel Owen met with Vietnamese 
officials, Nov. 3-4.  Advisor, Vietnam Program Assistant and 
Thai and Vietnamese officials attended the Export Control 
Academy in Athens, GA, Nov. 10-14.  Rapiscan x-ray system 
installation and operator training in Vietnam began November 
27 and is scheduled to be complete in early December.  A 
purchase order has been signed for delivery of an electrical 
generator for the Rapiscan van in Hue.  CTP will conduct a 
National Control List Workshop in Hanoi, Dec. 10-12. 
Suvarnabhumi International Airport in Bangkok was temporarily 
closed during political demonstrations. Advisor will be in 
the U.S. for leave and consultations, Dec. 22 - Jan. 10. 
 
SITE ASSESSMENTS AND MEETINGS 
 
¶2. (U) ECC Desk Officer Rachel Owen met with Vietnamese 
officials in Hanoi on November 3-5.  (Advisor was involved in 
training in Bangkok and could not attend - Ms. Owen was 
accompanied by EXBS Program Assistant.)  Meetings were held 
with the Vietnamese Ministry of Industry and Trade, Customs, 
Radiation and Nuclear Safety Agency, and Ministry of Defense. 
 Topics discussed included updates on Tracker, border 
security, Rapiscan equipment and national control lists. 
Detailed discussions reported separately. 
 
TRAINING CONDUCTED 
 
¶3. (U) Commonwealth Trading Partners (CTP) conducted an 
Interagency Relations and Infrastructure Workshop in Bangkok, 
Nov. 3-5.  Thirty-one participants and observers from twelve 
Thai government and industry organizations attended. At the 
end of the course, the Thai government's Export Control 
Working Group held a 2-hour meeting to discuss progress 
toward a stronger strategic trade management system.  Legal, 
personnel, budgetary and other issues were discussed. 
Industry representatives also attended, arguing for a 
user-friendly system, and for the private sector being kept 
fully informed of any new requirements.  Continued technical 
support via the EXBS program and encouragement at the 
political level via international organizations such as the 
UN, ARF and APEC will be necessary to keep this complex 
process moving forward. 
 
¶4. (U) Advisor and Vietnam EXBS Program Assistant accompanied 
Thai and Vietnamese officials (three from each country) to 
the Export Control Academy in Athens, GA, Nov. 10-14.  Two 
Thai officials remained for the second week of the course. 
This was the first delegation of Vietnamese officials to 
attend the Academy.  Approximately 30 officials from twelve 
foreign countries attended the training.  Participants 
learned a great deal about international nonproliferation 
efforts, and benefited from the interaction with their 
international counterparts. 
 
EQUIPMENT DELIVERED 
 
¶5. (U) On-site installation and operator training for the 
Rapiscan x-ray system in Ho Chi Minh City was conducted on 
November 27-28.  Training for the systems in Hue and Hanoi 
are scheduled for early December.  A purchase order was 
signed for the procurement, delivery and installation of the 
electrical generator for the Rapiscan van in Hue. 
 
IMMINENT TRAINING/EQUIPMENT UPDATE 
 
¶6. (U) CTP will conduct a National Control List Workshop in 
Hanoi, Dec. 10-12.  The assessment visit for the proposed 
Vietnam Tracker system network expansion was postponed from 
December until March for administrative reasons.  The meeting 
of the Council on Security Cooperation in the Asia-Pacific 
 
BANGKOK 00003579  002 OF 002 
 
 
(CSCAP) WMD Study Group, scheduled for Dec. 2-4 in Bangkok, 
was cancelled due to airport closure from political 
demonstrations.  Advisor will be in the U.S. for annual leave 
and consultations, Dec. 22 - Jan. 10. 
 
SIGNIFICANT DEVELOPMENTS 
 
¶7. (U) Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi International Airport was 
closed by political demonstrators on November 25.  The 
airport has since reopened, and the demonstrators have 
disbanded (see post reporting). 
JOHN