VZCZCXRO1016
PP RUEHCN RUEHDT RUEHHM
DE RUEHCHI #0003/01 0070659
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P R 070659Z JAN 09
FM AMCONSUL CHIANG MAI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0937
INFO RHEHAAA/NSC WASHINGTON DC
RUEHZS/ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATIONS
RUEHCHI/AMCONSUL CHIANG MAI 1014

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 CHIANG MAI 000003 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
NSC FOR PHU 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PHUM KDEM PROP TH
SUBJECT: REDSHIRTS FLEX THEIR MUSCLE IN NORTH AHEAD OF BY-ELECTIONS 
 
REF: A. 08 CHIANG MAI 178 (PRO AND ANTI THAKSIN GROUPS) 
     ¶B. 08 CHIANG MAI 168 (POLITICAL TEMPERATURE) 
 
CHIANG MAI 00000003  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
Summary and Comment 
------------------------------------ 
 
¶1.  Over the past few weeks, pro-Thaksin (redshirt) protestors 
in northern Thailand have come out in force to show their 
opposition to the current Democrat Party-led coalition 
government, and intimidate its officials and supporters.  Though 
not violent in nature, these protests have included blocking off 
a hotel, a large gathering in front of the Chiang Mai airport, 
vandalizing property, burning a casket in effigy, and attempting 
to blockade a shopping center.  These actions have been carried 
out in advance of by-elections due to be held in two northern 
provinces, where the races could be close. 
 
¶2.  (U) Comment: Northern Thailand continues to be the center of 
redshirt activity, and we can expect to see the redshirts remain 
vocal as long as the governing coalition stays in power.  The 
fact that the two by-election races in the north have the 
potential to be close may be another factor motivating the 
redshirts to come out in numbers at this time.  At the current 
level of intensity, their intimidation tactics may not be as 
successful as they hope.  Resorting to violence, however, as the 
redshirts did on a few occasions last year (Ref B) could change 
the dynamics rather quickly, in ways difficult to predict.  End 
Summary and Comment. 
 
--------------------------------------------- ------------------ 
Reds, Not Yellows, on the March This Time 
--------------------------------------------- ------------------ 
 
¶3.  Several incidents over the past few weeks have highlighted 
the opposition of pro-Thaksin redshirts to the current governing 
coalition.  On December 20, approximately 200 redshirt 
supporters paid an unwelcome visit to the Chiang Mai residence 
of an MP, whose Motherland Party is part of the current 
governing coalition, to protest his vote in the lower house in 
favor of Abhisit's ascension to the post of Prime Minister.  The 
MP himself was not home at the time.  The protestors burned a 
casket in effigy in front of the residence, and handed a letter 
to his assistant demanding that he resign from the Motherland 
Party and join the Democrat Party within seven days.  (Note: The 
Motherland Party joined the pro-Thaksin People Power Party 
coalition after the December 2007 elections.)  The protestors 
threatened to return for a follow-up visit on December 27 if 
their demands were not met.  So far, the MP in question has not 
resigned from the Motherland Party, nor have the redshirts 
marched on his residence. 
 
¶4.  It did not take the redshirts long to reinvigorate 
themselves after the New Year's holiday.  On January 3, they 
blockaded all entrances to the Royal Lanna Hotel in Chiang Mai 
in an attempt to prevent Minister of Labor Phaithoon Kaeothong 
from holding meetings he had scheduled to discuss campaign 
strategy with the Democrat Party's candidate in a by-election 
scheduled for January 11 in Lamphun Province.  During the 
blockade, vehicles were not allowed to leave or enter the 
property without first being checked by the protestors.  The 
group eventually disbanded upon discovering that the Minister 
had left the hotel prior to the redshirts' arrival.  (Note: 
By-elections will be held for 29 seats in 22 provinces, 
including two northern ones, on January 11.) 
 
¶5.  In a separate incident on the same day, redshirts attempted 
to mount a blockade around a shopping center in Lampang that has 
traditionally served as the provincial headquarters of the 
anti-Thaksin Peoples Alliance for Democracy (PAD), as well as a 
PAD rallying site.  Democrat Party MP Somkiat Pongpaiboon was in 
the complex at the time, having traveled to Lampang for PAD 
meetings.  The redshirts were not able to seal off the area due 
to swift action by the police and shopping center staff to lock 
all doors to the complex. 
 
¶6.  On January 6, redshirt supporters harassed former Prime 
Minister and current advisor to the Democrat Party Chuan Leekpai 
on three separate occasions.  Protestors confronted Chuan, who 
was assisting the campaign efforts of DP candidates in Lampang 
and Lamphun provinces, succeeding at hitting him in the face 
with an egg in Lampang, and dousing his car with pig's blood in 
Lamphun.  Protestors also assembled in front of Chiang Mai's 
airport, waiting for Chuan, whom they expected would attempt to 
catch a flight back to Bangkok.  Chuan avoided the protest by 
entering the airport via the military wing, and moving to the 
civilian side only after entering the inner security perimeter. 
At no time did the protests force Chuan to cancel or reschedule 
any of his meetings. 
 
----------------------------------------- 
 
CHIANG MAI 00000003  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
Diplomats and Media React 
----------------------------------------- 
 
¶7.  (SBU) Several journalists have pointed out the degree to 
which the redshirts use pro-Thaksin community radio stations to 
organize their protests, which redshirt contacts confirmed (Ref 
A).  The journalists argue that the politicization of these 
radio stations and the fact that they broadcast slanderous 
rhetoric about the current government during the redshirt 
protests on January 6 underscores the need for Thailand to 
regulate community radio.  (Comment: The pro-PAD radio station 
in Chiang Mai is also a key means of organizing PAD 
gatherings/protests.)  Separately, the wife of a former Foreign 
Ministry official, who is herself an honorary consul, told us 
that she did not want her husband to join the current 
government.  "I don't want the reds burning something in front 
of my house," she commented at a social function.  We will 
continue to keep our eye on the red-yellow conflict, including 
the degree to which both sides employ community radio stations 
to mobilize their supporters. 
MORROW