R 020751Z JUL 09
FM AMEMBASSY BANGKOK
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 7402
USDOC WASHINGTON DC
INFO AMCONSUL CHIANG MAI

UNCLAS  BANGKOK 001573 
 
 
DEPT FOR DS/DSS, DS/DSS/IP, DS/IP/EAP, DS/OSAC 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ASEC TH EAIR
SUBJECT: ROYAL THAI POLICE EFFORTS TO ENHANCE NATIONAL 
AIRPORT SECURITY 
 
¶1.  (U) BEGIN SUMMARY - For eight days during late November 
and into early December 2008, political protesters in Bangkok 
took seizure of both major national airports, stranding 
tourists, local citizens and traveling business people in 
Bangkok, and restricting those travelers attempting to return 
to Bangkok from getting home.  The implications associated 
with not just an action of this magnitude but the fact it 
went on for so many days, caused a great deal of outside 
scrutiny, criticism and fear that the Royal Thai Police (RTP) 
were not capable of protecting their most essential national 
elements.  This international awareness and criticism 
logically generated bi-lateral discussions between the 
various foreign missions including the U.S. Ambassador who 
led the way with a strong voice of concern, and numerous 
Royal Thai Government (RTG) Ministries and contacts.  As a 
result, the Royal Thai Police reached out to the U.S. Mission 
Bangkok RSO Office and requested assistance designing a 
training program to "fix" their airport security.  Those 
efforts have now begun to generate action in the form of RTP 
Training Conferences and DS/ATA creating a major new training 
course that will utilize multi-agency knowledge, skills and 
experience.  END SUMMARY. 
 
¶2.  (U)  During December 2008, the RSO participated in 
several meetings with his highest-ranking RTP contacts, where 
the RSO voiced his concern over the possibility that the lack 
of "crowd control" the airports had experienced, might spill 
over to the sea ports or even the water and power 
institutions, which with food, water and power being 
affected, would or could literally be life-safety disasters. 
The RTP stated they were aware of this consideration and were 
reviewing existing controls but were confident in the 
security measures in-place.  Then, in April 2009, the 
four-star Deputy Commissioner General of the RTP and his 
three-star RTP "number 2," called the RSO and asked him to 
come to a "business lunch" to discuss some matters regarding 
airport security.  Since this seemed like an exceptional 
opportunity, the RSO quickly agreed and advised them he would 
also bring the Post TSA Representative as a subject-matter 
expert on airports.  The topic of the lunch turned out to be 
a request for the RSO to provide the RTP with information on 
methods and systems for properly protecting their airports. 
The enormous window of opportunity seemed as huge as the 
topic itself.  The RSO began by telling them that the subject 
they wanted addressed would probably require insight from 
several agencies/organizations in the USG.  The RSO spent the 
next two hours describing the many areas that would need to 
be addressed and how complex it might become, but assured 
them we would do everything possible to make this happen. 
 
¶3.  (U) RSO Bangkok contacted DS/ATA immediately and they 
began evaluation of the request.  DS/ATA, true to their 
exceptional responsiveness both on the regional management 
level and from ATA managerial oversight, quickly recognized 
the advantages of pursuing this request and a new Airport 
Security Training Course is currently underway with the 
initial evaluation team due in Thailand between July 27 to 
31, 2009. 
 
¶4.  (U) The RTP are very encouraged by the USG responsiveness 
to their request but much to their own credit, they have also 
begun in-house airport security training to create the proper 
mindset for those police who will be actively involved with 
the DS/ATA upcoming training program.  On June 10, 2009, RTP 
Deputy Commissioner General Wichien Poteposri sat as the 
President of a preparation meeting for an in-house airport 
security training series with a table-top exercise.  In this 
preparation meeting there were over 70 high-ranking RTP and 
others from various concerned RTG agencies including 5 
Provincial Police Bureaus, the Central Investigation Bureau, 
the Metropolitan Police Bureau, the Police Education Bureau, 
the airport management entity AOT, the Counter-terrorism 
Operation Center (CTOC), various Provincial Governors, the 
Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation, the 
Ministry of Justice, and the Ministry of Defense.  The Senior 
FSNI for Mission, who has an exceptional relationship with 
the Police establishment, will also serve as an instructor 
for the week-long conferences on the topic of the necessity 
of proper Public Relations during such crises.  The schedule 
for the RTP Airport Security conferences has been set and has 
begun: 
 
- June 29-July 03, 2009 - Chiang Mai International Airport 
(The RSO attended the official opening ceremony as the only 
foreign guest invited to the event.  RSO also took the new 
RSO Chiang Mai for contact establishment) 
- July 03-07, 2009 - Suvarnabhumi International Airport, 
Bangkok. 
- August 10-14, 2009 - Khon Kaen Airport, Khon Kaen Province 
- August 24-28, 2009 - Phuket International Airport, Phuket 
Province 
 
¶5.  (U) Following some serious frustration and fear in the 
aftermath of the prior airport seizures, Mission and RSO are 
encouraged and hopeful that we may be part of a substantive 
upgrading of security for the five principal airports in 
Thailand, the fifth being Don Muang located in Bangkok as 
well.  The support of DS/ATA is greatly appreciated. 
 
JOHN