VZCZCXRO1656
PP RUEHCHI RUEHDT RUEHHM RUEHNH
DE RUEHBK #2655/01 2890805
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 160805Z OCT 09
FM AMEMBASSY BANGKOK
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8639
RHMFIUU/DEPT OF HOMELAND SECURITY WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
INFO RUEHCHI/AMCONSUL CHIANG MAI 7158
RUCNASE/ASEAN MEMBER COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BANGKOK 002655 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: ASEC EAIR KHLS TH
SUBJECT:  Bangkok Airport Receives Good Marks Despite Remaining 
Unresolved Security Issues 
 
REF: BANGKOK 3492 
 
BANGKOK 00002655  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
¶1.  (SBU) SUMMARY:  Officials from the U.S. Transportation Security 
Administration (TSA) conducted an assessment of Bangkok's 
Suvarnabhumi International Airport (BKK) at the end of September. 
TSA noted that Airports of Thailand (AoT) has made noticeable 
progress with security measures in the past year, especially in 
passenger screening, access control, and physical security 
structures.  Since late 2008, political protests and media reports 
about shakedowns of tourists have been a source of public 
embarrassment for the RTG, as Thailand struggles to restore its huge 
tourism industry amid the global economic downturn.  Although some 
serious security issues remain at BKK, the results of the assessment 
show that the work of TSA and AoT has been productive so far.  END 
SUMMARY. 
 
---------------------------- 
Progress on Airport Security 
---------------------------- 
 
¶2.  (SBU) Aviation security concerns took center stage in late 2008 
with the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) movement's takeover 
of Bangkok's airports (reftel).   Thousands of protestors against 
the government of then-Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat seized the 
passenger terminal building of Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi International 
Airport (BKK) on November 25, 2008, shutting it down for 11 days. 
The airport re-opened for service on December 5, 2008, albeit with 
extensive cancellations and delays.  In the aftermath of the 
shutdown, U.S. Transportation Security Administration (TSA) 
officials conducted extensive technical visits in December 2008 and 
February 2009 to ascertain the airport's level of compliance with 
international standards for aviation security.  The visits 
identified a number of aviation security weaknesses requiringQ 
significant commitment to achieve compliance with international 
standards. 
 
¶3.  (SBU) Working closely with the Embassy's TSA Representative, the 
Airports of Thailand Public Company Limited (AoT) and Thai 
Department of Civil Aviation (DCA) have since taken significant 
steps to achieve security improvements.  Examples of the assistance 
TSA has provided to the AoT and DCA include:  re-design of 
checkpoints and the screening process, training in aviation security 
quality control and inspections, and analysis and re-drafting of the 
Thai National Civil Aviation Security Program (NCASP) against 
international standards (NOTE: The International Civil Aviation 
Organization (ICAO) requires every signatory country to develop an 
NCASP in order to outline a strategy to reach ICAO standards on 
security.  END NOTE.)  TSA also facilitated the travel of a 
delegation of AoT officials and screening contractors to San 
Francisco International Airport (SFO) in June to observe efficient 
and effective aviation security practices and to consult with 
TSA-SFO management. 
 
¶4.  (SBU) Marked improvements towards mitigating deficiencies 
identified through consultations with TSA have been evident since 
May 2009.  They include enhancements in airport physical 
infrastructure, implementation of new and more effective detection 
technologies (e.g. to scan for explosives) for the screening of 
passengers and their cabin baggage, and improvements to overall 
airport access control. 
 
------------------------------------ 
Despite the Progress Concerns Return 
------------------------------------ 
 
¶5.  (SBU) Security concerns at the airport returned to public 
attention in recent months with local and international media 
reporting on criminal activity at Suvarnabhumi.  In one instance, a 
British couple claimed they were the victims of an extortion scam 
after being accused of shoplifting from a duty free shop at the 
airport in July 2009.  The media have also reported on tourist 
complaints about illegal taxi drivers and tour operators.  Tourists 
allege that unregistered drivers and operators are harassing them 
upon arrival, and attempting to charge inflated service fees. 
(NOTE: Press reports allege that the reported scam and other crimes 
involve an organized criminal network with ties to officials in the 
AoT.  This allegation has not been substantiated.  END NOTE.) 
 
¶6.  (SBU) According to an AoT spokesman, in the wake of this 
attention, Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva criticized Minister of 
Transport Sohpon Zarum for failing to keep Suvarnabhumi's operations 
in line with international standards.  Prime Minister Abhisit 
ordered that henceforth, tourists accused of stealing be handled 
more transparently and demanded improvements to security and 
response to criminal activity at the airport. 
 
¶7.  (SBU) The AoT and the Royal Thai Police (RTP) responded with the 
arrest of over 1,000 illegal taxi drivers and over 400 illegal tour 
guides.  The civil penalties issued for these infractions are 
 
BANGKOK 00002655  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
equivalent to approximately 30 USD per offense.  In response to 
passenger complaints of theft from checked baggage, AoT issued 
baggage handlers work garments with no pockets in which stolen items 
may be secreted.  These workers are now also being screened prior to 
entering and prior to leaving their assigned work areas.  Finally, 
in late September, Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban approved 
a proposal by the RTP to establish a police substation at BKK 
staffed by approximately 280 police officers.  The substation will 
be under the control of the Tourist Police Division and will address 
law enforcement issues inside the airport; provincial and national 
police will continue to respond to law enforcement matters outside 
the airport. 
 
¶8.  (SBU) Reports of low-level criminal activity at the airport 
highlight areas of continued concern regarding aviation security. 
The primary concern with unregistered taxi drivers and tour guides 
lies in their ability to easily and against airport rules and 
regulations obtain temporary airport passes, allowing them to greet 
arriving passengers in the baggage claim area, normally a restricted 
access area at BKK.  The TSA Representative has repeatedly 
encouraged the tightening of restrictions on the issuance of airport 
access credentials.  He has also provided recommendations for 
enhancing the scope of background checks prior to issuance of access 
credentials, and suggested methods for recurrent verification of 
access privileges, including scrutiny of workers with possible 
financial troubles.  (NOTE: The TSA Representative notes that 
workers willing to steal for monetary gain represent a security 
weakness because they may be influenced to conduct other illegal 
activity.  END NOTE.) 
 
----------------------------- 
Results of the TSA Assessment 
----------------------------- 
 
¶9.  (SBU) In compliance with its mandate under Title 49 U.S.C. 
Subsection 44907, TSA conducted an assessment of BKK from September 
28 through October 5, 2009.  The assessment focused on five vectors 
critical to security:  passengers and cabin baggage, hold baggage, 
cargo, catering, and access control.  TSA evaluates threats in the 
context of the location of the airport.  Bangkok, as a key transit 
point in mainland Southeast Asia, is regarded as a higher risk 
location than most of its neighbors. 
 
¶10.  (SBU) TSA officials noted significant improvements in the 
re-design and execution of certain security measures at BKK, 
including:  more effective screening of passengers, enhanced 
prevention of mingling of screened and unscreened passengers, 
increased lighting of sensitive areas of the airport perimeter and 
operations area, and more consistent access control identification. 
These accomplishments reflect the work of extensive consultations 
with TSA since the airport closure in November 2008. 
 
¶11.  (SBU) Among the areas for improvement, TSA officials observed 
that AoT officials could achieve greater security at a more 
efficient cost by fine-tuning their approach.  For example, in 
response to both security concerns and illegal activity, airport 
officials have installed closed-circuit TV (CCTV) cameras as the 
solution.  However, they have not hired additional personnel to 
monitor the CCTV cameras, nor have they implemented an action plan 
to respond in a timely manner to an incident detected by them. 
 
¶12.  (SBU) COMMENT:  The positive assessment is a welcome sign for 
the RTG after a difficult year at Suvarnabhumi.  Nonetheless, 
significant work remains for the AoT and the DCA.  Most importantly, 
the DCA must fulfill its role as the regulator, including gaining 
approval for the NCASP.  This document will serve as the basis for 
ensuring that the DCA has the appropriate legal framework and is 
adequately funded to fulfill its obligations.  The RTG must also 
conduct a risk assessment of BKK.  Appropriate authorities to 
accomplish this would include AoT, DCA, and national intelligence 
officials.  END COMMENT 
 
JOHN