VZCZCXRO6992
PP RUEHCHI RUEHCN RUEHDT RUEHHM
DE RUEHBK #3659/01 3510137
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 160137Z DEC 08
FM AMEMBASSY BANGKOK
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5404
INFO RUEHZS/ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATIONS
RUEHCHI/AMCONSUL CHIANG MAI 5976
RHHMUNA/HQ USPACOM HONOLULU HI
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 BANGKOK 003659 
 
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TAGS: PREL PHUM PGOV SCUL KPAO TH
 
SUBJECT:  AMBASSADOR VISIT TO NORTHEAST THAILAND HIGHLIGHTS U.S. 
OUTREACH EFFORTS IN THE REGION 
 
BANGKOK 00003659  001.2 OF 003 
 
 
¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY:  The Ambassador's November 25-26 visit to 
Northeast Thailand highlighted U.S. outreach efforts in the region 
and conveyed the USG's ongoing commitment to building and sustaining 
cultural and economic ties that extend beyond Bangkok to all regions 
of Thailand.  Emphasizing the value of U.S. economic investment in 
Northeast Thailand, the Ambassador met with Coca-Cola executives in 
Khon Kaen province, toured a local bottling facility, and visited 
two water development and conservation projects funded by the 
company.  The trip focused on education as well, with the Ambassador 
visiting a local high school to discuss the recent U.S. Presidential 
election and educational opportunities in the United States.  This 
high school visit and a joint visit by the Ambassador and American 
artist John Domont to a children's hospital for a "therapy through 
art" workshop underscored the Embassy's commitment to strengthening 
U.S.-Thai relations among young people.  An Entry Level Officer 
accompanied the Ambassador on the trip, attending all of the 
meetings and events. END SUMMARY. 
 
 
------------------- 
Economic Investment 
------------------- 
 
¶2. (SBU) Upon his arrival in Khon Kaen on November 26, the 
Ambassador explained in a televised interview that one of his aims 
for the trip was to better understand how the region is developing 
economically and to see first-hand U.S. investment in action.  The 
Ambassador later met with Coca-Cola executives in Khon Kaen and 
toured a bottling plant in a visit that was organized by the U.S. 
Embassy's Foreign Commercial Service.  Coca-Cola has been doing 
business in Thailand since 1949.  The company currently employs more 
than 10,000 people and operates seven bottling plants and over 80 
warehouses.  Thailand represents one of the top 20 markets for 
Coca-Cola worldwide.  The bottling plant in Khon Kaen is owned and 
operated by Thai Nam Thip, an authorized Coca-Cola bottler. 
Coca-Cola has a 49% ownership interest in Thai Nam Thip with the 
remainder owned by local Thai shareholders. 
 
¶3. (SBU) Coca-Cola's investment in Northeast Thailand is not 
strictly economic.  In recognition of the importance of clean water 
to its business, the company has invested in various water 
development and conservation projects in the local communities of 
the area.  The Ambassador visited two such Corporate Social 
Responsibility (CSR) projects in Manchakhiri, one of the poorest 
districts in Khon Kaen province.  The U.S. Embassy's Foreign 
Commercial Service worked with Coca-Cola in arranging the CSR site 
visits. 
 
¶4. (SBU) The Ambassador first visited Bann Huay Huak School in 
Manchakhiri, the site of a water storage tank and pipeline system 
installed by Coca-Cola as part of its "Clean Water for Communities" 
project.  Coca-Cola launched the initiative in June of 2008 in 
partnership with the Population and Community Development 
Association, a Thai nonprofit organization founded by Meechai 
Viravaidya, the well-known former politician and social activist. 
Coca-Cola has installed new water storage tanks and pipeline systems 
for 5,450 households, providing 738,000 liters of clean water to 
over 30,000 villagers. 
 
¶5. (SBU) The Ambassador also toured Coca-Cola's long-term "Chi River 
Conservation" Project, where he planted trees in the Chi River 
watershed with the help of children from the local village. 
Recently, over 150 Coca-Cola staff joined local villagers in 
planting 1000 trees in the area.  The project is a partnership 
initiative between Coca-Cola and the World Wildlife Fund that was 
launched in 2007 and will continue until 2011.  The partnership aims 
to improve the natural environment of the Chi watershed and enhance 
the quality of life of community members. 
 
--------- 
Education 
--------- 
 
¶6. (SBU) The educational component of the Ambassador's visit to 
Northeast Thailand included a visit to Khon Kaen University 
Demonstration School where he discussed the recent Presidential 
election with over one hundred high school students.  The 
Demonstration School, founded in 1970, is part of the Faculty of 
Education at Khon Kaen University and serves as a grade K through 12 
research school for university students and professors.  The 
students' command of English, as well as the depth of their 
questions, was impressive and highlighted the potential of the 
region. 
 
¶7. (SBU) The Ambassador was repeatedly asked during his trip to 
 
BANGKOK 00003659  002.2 OF 003 
 
 
Northeast Thailand about educational opportunities in the United 
States and the U.S. visa process.  The questions revealed an 
apparent misperception among the region's residents that U.S. visas 
are difficult to obtain.  The Ambassador emphasized during 
interviews with the press as well in meetings with Provincial 
Governors that while the screening process for U.S. visas is 
necessarily meticulous, here in Thailand over four out of five 
applicants are successful in their efforts to obtain a U.S. visa. 
He directed the public to the Embassy's website and noted that the 
current wait for an interview appointment was only one working day, 
thereby dispelling another common misconception about the visa 
process. 
 
------------- 
Cultural Ties 
------------- 
 
¶8. (SBU) The Ambassador also joined John Domont, an artist visiting 
Thailand under the auspices of the ART in Embassies Program at U.S. 
Embassy Bangkok, for a "therapy through art" workshop with children 
at Srinakarind University Hospital. Srinakarind is the only research 
and teaching hospital in Northeast Thailand.  The children who 
participated in the workshop are living with HIV/AIDS, cancer, or 
other chronic diseases.  The hospital workshop culminated a very 
successful ten-day official visit by John Domont during which he 
conducted art workshops and seminars throughout Thailand. 
 
------------------------------- 
Visit To DEA and VOA Facilities 
------------------------------- 
 
¶9. (SBU) Finally, the Ambassador traveled to Udorn Thani province 
and visited the Mission's regional DEA office, as well as the 
Thailand transmitting station for Voice of America, now known as the 
International Broadcasting Bureau (IBB).  The DEA in Udorn consists 
of three U.S. agents and a local staff of four personnel.  The 
office works with its Thailand counterparts in investigating and 
targeting the trafficking of drugs within the Northeast border 
provinces of Thailand and along the Mekong River.  It also has 
enforcement responsibilities in Southern Thailand. 
 
¶10. (SBU) The IBB facility, located on 1300 acres in the Ban Dung 
District of Udon Thani province, transmits Broadcasting Board of 
Governors' programs from the Voice of America and Radio Liberty, as 
well as Radio Thailand programs produced by the Royal Thai 
Government.  The facility has been broadcasting since 1994. 
 
------------ 
Media Impact 
------------ 
 
¶11. (SBU) Media interest in the Ambassador's visit to the region was 
high with the Ambassador interacting several times with both print 
and broadcast media during his two-day tour.  This coverage helped 
boost public recognition of the strength and importance of 
U.S.-Thailand bilateral ties, our cultural outreach, and the 
involvement of U.S. companies in CSR projects and the resulting 
positive impact on communities. 
 
¶12. (SBU) In the Ambassador's nearly half-hour interview with the 
provincial branch of the state-owned National Broadcasting of 
Thailand (NBT) on November 26, he discussed U.S.-Thai relations and 
promoted U.S. investment in Thailand by highlighting Coca Cola's 
operations in Khon Kaen.  The Ambassador also underscored the 
importance of educational exchanges to the relationship, and noted 
that Thailand ranks tenth in the world for the number of students it 
sends to the United States.  The Ambassador also deflated some well 
entrenched notions that visas to the U.S. are difficult to come by. 
NBT Khon Kaen broadcasts to several adjoining provinces, and as many 
as five million viewers may have seen the Ambassador's interview 
when it was later broadcast on November 28. 
 
¶13.  (SBU) In both Khon Kaen and Udorn Thani, the Ambassador 
addressed large groups of local reporters after his meetings with 
the respective Governors.  In addition to discussing the purpose of 
his trip and promoting education and trade, the Ambassador made one 
of his first widely reported public comments on the airport seizures 
by PAD protesters.  When asked in Khon Kaen about the situation, the 
Ambassador said:  "The U.S., as a good friend of Thailand, just 
wants to see this resolved peacefully and within the law and the 
Constitution.  When you shutdown the international airport, for 
example, that is going to really negatively impact tourism, 
industry...Maybe it is only shutdown for a day, but it affects it 
for months."  Many Bangkok-based newspapers including the Bangkok 
Post, Matichon, and Krungthep Turakit quoted the Ambassador on this 
 
BANGKOK 00003659  003.2 OF 003 
 
 
point. 
 
¶14. (SBU) Channel 7, Thailand's most watched television station with 
a reach of nearly 10 million nationwide, covered the Ambassador's 
hospital visit and gave the Ambassador the opportunity to shine a 
spotlight on both American compassion for the seriously ill, the use 
of art as a therapeutic tool, and the Art in Embassies program. 
 
JOHN