VZCZCXRO5258
RR RUEHCHI RUEHCN RUEHDT RUEHHM
DE RUEHBK #1763 2050613
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 240613Z JUL 09
FM AMEMBASSY BANGKOK
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 7607
INFO RUEHZS/ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATIONS
RUEHCHI/AMCONSUL CHIANG MAI 6814

UNCLAS BANGKOK 001763 
 
FOR EAP/P, EAP/PD, EAP/MLS, DRL 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KPAO PGOV OIIP PREL SCUL OPRC TH
SUBJECT: SECRETARY CLINTON'S BANGKOK "TOWNTERVIEW": SUBSTANTIVE, 
FUNNY AND WELL-RECEIVED 
 
¶1. Summary: During Secretary Clinton's recent trip to Bangkok she 
participated in a one-hour hybrid media event organized by the 
Embassy Public Affairs Section.  The "Townterview," as some have 
called it, combined both an exclusive interview and a town hall 
setting.  The program was hosted by two of Thailand's leading 
broadcast journalists and will air on Channel 9 and the Nation 
Channel, which has a combined viewership of nearly 2.4 million 
people.  The audience was made up of over 250 people, including 
university students, civil society leaders, government officials, 
and human rights activists -- all of whom were thrilled to see the 
Secretary in person.  The venue for this special event was the 
majestic Thewarat Sapharom Throne Hall, built in 1909 on the grounds 
of the Phayathai Palace by King Rama V, which also served as a 
residence for Kings Rama VI and VII.  The event received 
overwhelmingly positive media coverage, not only for its substantive 
policy discussions, but also due to the witty banter between 
Secretary Clinton and the co-hosts that created a comfortable, 
at-ease atmosphere that had the audience erupting in laughter 
throughout the Townterview.  End Summary. 
 
¶2. On July 22, the Secretary participated in a unique hybrid 
media/town hall event at the Phyathai Palace in Bangkok, Thailand. 
This "Townerterview," which was hosted by well-known television 
personality Suthichai Yoon and his co-host Veenarat Laohapakakul, 
gave the Thai public in-depth insight into President Obama's foreign 
policy and highlighted the strong relationship between the U.S. and 
Thailand.  Secretary Clinton provided an impressive overview of U.S. 
policies around the world with a focus on the ASEAN region, and 
served to reinforce the Secretary's comment the previous day that 
"the United States is back."  The discussion also exemplified 
Secretary Clinton's warmth and personality, allowing her to raise 
important foreign policy matters and underscore key points that 
resonated with Thais, all with a delivery that showcased her clever 
wit and well-placed humor. 
 
¶3. During the interview, the Secretary said that the key message to 
ASEAN "is that President Obama and I are giving great importance to 
this region."  When asked about working for a President who was a 
former competitor, the Secretary commented "...in our country, when 
the election is over, we try to work together for the good of the 
country.  And in our system, when the President asks you to serve, 
you feel that you really should because you want to help the 
President succeed." 
 
¶4. Cultural and student exchanges were also highlighted during the 
interview when a student in the audience asked Secretary Clinton 
about U.S. policies that impact Thailand and Thai education. 
Secretary Clinton responded that educational and student exchanges 
are among the most important U.S.-Thai initiatives in this regard, 
and noted that she would like to see even more American students and 
faculty coming to Thailand, and Thai students and faculty going to 
the United States. One of the co-hosts then asked if this would mean 
more scholarships to send Thai students to the U.S. to which the 
audience laughed and applauded.  The Secretary laughed in return and 
then responded that she would "like that very much." 
 
¶5. Media coverage of Secretary Clinton's interview with Suthichai 
Yoon was generous and positive with four local broadcast and seven 
local print outlets making mention of the event in their respective 
news coverage.  Channel 9 aired a special 30-minute program of the 
interview during its July 22 evening lineup, while an additional 30 
minutes of short news segments on the interview were aired 
throughout the day on Channel 9, Thai PBS, Channel 5, and The Nation 
Channel (combined viewership of approximately 4.6 million).  The 
Secretary's interview received front page placement in the July 23 
editions of five local dailies: Matichon, The Nation, Kom Chad Luek, 
Naew Na, and Krungthep Turakit (combined estimated circulation of 
approximately 380,000).  Additional mention of the interview was 
made in top-circulating daily Thai Rath (estimated circulation of 1 
million) and local daily ASTV Phujatkarn (estimated circulation of 
80,000).  Print news coverage ranged from half-page columns with 
photos and translated excerpts of the interview to short 
three-paragraph summaries of the hybrid media event.  The 
Secretary's comments on Burma and North Korea received particular 
attention in print media, while broadcast media coverage touched on 
softer topics including her choice of a blue suit for the event and 
good-humored comments she made about her attempt at winning the U.S. 
presidency. 
 
John