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RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA IMMEDIATE 2174
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C O N F I D E N T I A L BANGKOK 003044 
 
SIPDIS 
 
GENEVA FOR RMA 
DEPT FOR PRM/ANE AND PRM/A; EAP/MLS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/02/2019 
TAGS: PREF PHUM SMIG TH LA
SUBJECT: LAO HMONG: AMBASSADOR PUSHES THAI FM ON NO FORCED 
RETURNS, BUT FM MAKES CLEAR THAI MOVING FORWARD 
 
REF: A. STATE 122622 
     ¶B. VIENTIANE 553 
 
Classified By: Ambassador Eric G. John, reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) 
 
¶1. (C) The Ambassador, in a meeting with Foreign Minister 
Kasit Piromya the evening of December 1 at the Foreign 
Ministry, stressed that the Thai government should not 
forcibly repatriate Lao Hmong at Phetchabun and Nong Khai, 
per Ref A.  Recalling Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva's 
assurances to Secretary Clinton in July that there would be 
no forced returns, the Ambassador stressed to Kasit that U.S. 
would take a forced return very seriously, particularly 
considering that the Hmong at Nong Khai had been recognized 
by the UNHCR as being in need of protection and that the RTG 
had made its own determination that some of those at 
Phetchabun were in need of protection.  Kasit responded that 
the RTG was cognizant of the USG position. 
 
¶2. (C)  Kasit told the Ambassador that Royal Thai Armed 
Forces Headquarters Director of Border Affairs Lieutenant 
General Nipat Thonglek had earlier on December 1 met his Lao 
counterpart in order to maintain close cooperation as the two 
governments planned for the return of the Hmong.  While a 
schedule to send back those at Phetchabun and Nong Khai had 
not yet been fixed, the Foreign Minister would travel with PM 
Abhisit to Vientiane December 9 for a visit expected to 
further bilateral planning on the Hmong issue (Note: We 
believe the visit is connected to the start of the Southeast 
Asian Games). 
 
¶3. (C) The Ambassador emphasized to Kasit the need to share 
with the U.S. the list of those at the Phetchabun camp who 
had been screened-in by the RTG.  Sharing the list would go 
far in facilitating the safety of those at Phetchabun if they 
were returned to Laos. 
 
¶4. (C) Note: LTG Nipat confirmed his meeting with his Lao 
counterpart in Udorn in a late December 1 evening telcon with 
PolCouns.  Nipat indicated that the Thai would "abide by the 
commitments previously made in meetings between the Thai and 
Lao Prime Ministers."  Intimating that a final resolution of 
the status of the Phetchabun Hmong was imminent, Nipat said 
that there would likely be an interagency Thai meeting late 
on December 2 or early December 3 to agree on the way 
forward, and that he would be willing to talk to us again 
after that meeting.  PolCouns reiterated to Nipat our 
standing request for the list of Hmong the RTG had 
screened-in; Nipat demurred, but suggested the Lao had 
expressed a willingness to cooperate with the U.S. on persons 
of concern.  We will take Nipat up on his offer to meet later 
in the week.  End note. 
 
¶5. (C) Comment: Given Ref B indication that the GOL is 
willing to work with us on the proposal for the return of the 
Nong Khai group, we should consider whether it makes sense 
for the USG to encourage the RTG to go slow on the return of 
that group while we (reluctantly) accept that the Phetchabun 
train is leaving the station. End comment. 
JOHN