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FM AMCONSUL CHIANG MAI
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INFO RUEHZS/ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATIONS
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 0093
RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL 0035
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 0062
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 0071
RHEHAAA/NSC WASHINGTON DC
RUEHCHI/AMCONSUL CHIANG MAI 1330

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 CHIANG MAI 000003 
 
SIPDIS 
 
GENEVA FOR RMA 
DEPARTMENT FOR EAP, DRL AND PRM 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL:  1/5/2020 
TAGS: PREF PREL PHUM SMIG CH KN KS TH
SUBJECT: NORTH KOREAN REFUGEE PIPELINE CONTINUES TO RUN THROUGH 
NORTHERN THAILAND 
 
REF: A. 08 CHIANG MAI 185 (THAILAND-NORTH KOREA REFUGEE) 
     ¶B. 09 RANGOON 10 (FOREIGN MINISTER DISCUSSES) 
 
CHIANG MAI 00000003  001.2 OF 003 
 
 
CLASSIFIED BY: Alex Barrasso, Chief, Pol/Econ, CG Chiang Mai. 
REASON: 1.4 (b), (d) 
-------------------------- 
 
Summary and Comment 
 
-------------------------- 
 
 
 
¶1.  (C) During a late 2009 trip to Thailand's northern province 
of Chiang Rai, contacts told us that: North Korean asylum 
seekers continue to enter the province at a rate of 350-400 per 
year, mostly in the March-May and October-November timeframes; 
field-level cooperation to intercept would-be arrivals with 
Burmese and Lao counterparts is good; and that smuggling 
techniques have improved .  We also visited the Mae Sai IDC, 
where conditions appeared good, and spoke with a South Korean 
Missionary, who provided new details about migratory patterns. 
 
 
 
¶2.  (C) Comment: As long as Thailand facilitates DPRK 
resettlement to third countries, asylum seekers will continue to 
make their way here in search of a better life.  Nonetheless, 
local authorities lack resources to handle the growing caseload, 
and appear reluctant to do more than absolutely necessary to 
assist North Koreans in search of better opportunities in South 
Korea and the U.S.  End Summary and Comment. 
 
 
 
------------------- 
 
Numbers, Routes 
 
------------------- 
 
 
 
¶3.  (C) According to police officials in Chiang Rai, would-be 
North Korean refugees continue to enter northern Thailand 
through the province at an average rate of 350-400 per year - a 
trend they say has stayed consistent since 2005.  Without 
revealing precise figures, immigration officials told us local 
authorities had arrested more North Korean asylum seekers in 
2009 than 2008.  They continue to arrive via China and Laos as 
reported Reftel, our contacts reaffirmed, with most arriving in 
the months of March-May and October-November.  Separately, 
despite earlier assertions by various contacts that North 
Koreans were favoring other routes of entry into Thailand, such 
as through Nong Khai Province, contacts in that northeastern 
province told us that the Marine Police there arrested a total 
of 47 North Korean asylum seekers between January 2008 and March 
¶2009.  (Note: In 2007, Chiang Rai provincial authorities rounded 
up a total of 924 North Korean asylum seekers.) 
 
 
 
¶4.  (C) A South Korean missionary who used to regularly provide 
succor to North Korean asylum seekers in Chiang Rai confirmed 
the local authorities' suspicion that South Korean brokers are 
involved.  The North Koreans pay upwards of $3,000 to be 
smuggled, he said.  If they have family in the U.S. or ROK who 
can pay the broker, they only spend a short time in China before 
heading to Thailand, he asserted.  Those less fortunate work a 
long time in China in order to repay the debt, he observed.  The 
fact that some North Korean arrestees speak fluent Chinese leads 
police and immigration officials with whom we spoke to believe 
that a number spend years in China.  Some marry and have Chinese 
families, though when they arrive in Thailand, they bring their 
DPRK, not Chinese relatives, the officials stated. 
 
 
 
¶5.  (C) The Missionary, Reverend Oh, went on to say that most 
enter Thailand through the ports of Chiang Khong and Chiang 
Saen, which are separated from Laos by the Mekong River.  Police 
and immigration contacts corroborated this statement, noting 
that most North Korean refugees surrender to Thai authorities as 
soon as possible after entering Thailand,, and often go so far 
as to create situations that would cause them to be arrested. 
Some opt to travel directly to Bangkok and get arrested there in 
the hope of spending less time in immigration detention before 
 
CHIANG MAI 00000003  002.2 OF 003 
 
 
resettling, they stated.  Rev. Oh acknowledged that he used to 
proactively assist asylum seekers with this journey, adding that 
he now only assists if refugees take the initiative to seek him 
out. 
 
 
 
--------------------- 
 
Cuffed, Then What? 
 
--------------------- 
 
 
 
¶6.  (C) Once North Korean asylum seekers are arrested, they are 
taken to the nearest police station for interrogation and 
pre-trial detention of up to 48 hours, according to police and 
immigration contacts.  When they are taken to court on 
immigration charges, they do not contest the charges, and choose 
to spend a few days in custody at the court house  in lieu of 
paying a fine.  Officials told us fines are roughly equivalent 
to $30, and those who can/will not pay typically spend a day or 
two in custody. They are then transferred to the Mae Sai IDC. 
Once they have a big enough group that is ready to travel to 
Bangkok, immigration officials make arrangements for their 
transfer.  They do not send refugees one by one because it is 
not cost effective, our contacts asserted. 
 
 
 
¶7.  (C) Police officials described working-level cooperation 
with their Lao and Burmese counterparts as good, noting however 
that coordination at the central government level is lacking. 
They cited a case in early 2009 in which they cooperated with 
Burmese authorities to receive a group of 19 North Korean 
defectors (Ref B), and process their subsequent resettlement 
applications.  Local authorities told us they would prefer not 
to see humanitarian NGOs set up shop in the province, fearing 
that their presence will create a "pull factor." 
 
 
 
--------------------------- 
 
Legal Process Inadequate 
 
--------------------------- 
 
 
 
¶8.  (C) Police and immigration contacts pointed to several legal 
and logistical difficulties they face in trying to process North 
Koreans.  They claim they do not have a budget to cover the cost 
of feeding and sheltering the refugees once they are arrested, 
nor do they have Korean-speaking staff.  The ROK Embassy assists 
them with interpretation when requested, but can often not 
respond immediately, they lamented.  Due to the need to process 
many asylum seekers without an officer from the ROK Embassy 
present, most refugees sign legal documents without 
comprehending them.  Additionally, they observed that South 
Korean brokers are taking advantage of Thai laws that allow 
Koreans to enter Thailand and stay for 90 days without obtaining 
a visa. 
 
 
 
------------------------------ 
 
Not All IDCs are Unsanitary 
 
------------------------------ 
 
 
 
¶9.  (C) While at the Mae Sai Immigration Office, we requested 
and received permission to view the IDC where North Koreans were 
held.  The Center consists of two chambers separated by gates at 
a distance of a few yards from each other.  One room is for male 
detainees, and the other for female.  Detainees in different 
chambers can talk to each other easily through the fences and 
can see each other, but are not permitted to have physical 
contact.  Inmates in both chambers were conversing, looking 
after family members, and hanging out laundry. 
 
CHIANG MAI 00000003  003.2 OF 003 
 
 
 
 
 
¶10. (C) We observed bathroom facilities in both chambers, as 
well as neatly-stacked and recently washed food service trays. 
Ventilation was more than adequate, and the walls of both 
chambers appeared to have been recently painted.  Immigration 
officials told us that there were a total of 24 North Korean 
inmates at the time -- four male and 20 female.  This number 
nearly doubled in early November due to the arrest of an 
additional 19 North Koreans, but was reduced to zero two days 
later, when officials transferred the entire contingent of 43 
North Korean detainees to Bangkok. 
MORROW