US embassy cable - 05BANGKOK608

C O N F I D E N T I A L BANGKOK 000608 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR EAP (EVANS REVERE AND MARIE HUHTALA), 
EAP/BCLTV, EAP/K 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/24/2015 
TAGS: PREF, PREL, PGOV, ASEC, TH, Asylum, LAOS, North Korea (DPRK), Refugee 
SUBJECT: THAI MFA AND THE NORTH KOREAN IN VIENTIANE 
 
REF: VIENTIANE 97 
 
Classified By: DCM Alexander A. Arvizu.  Reason:  1.4 (b, d) 
 
 1. (C) On January 24, Polcouns sought clarifications 
regarding the Royal Thai Government (RTG) positions in the 
matter of An Kyong-Su, the North Korean asylum seeker in 
Embassy Vientiane, from MFA's Paisit Boonparlit, Director for 
Political Affairs in the Americas Department, and Suraphan 
Boonyamanop, Director for Division IV (Indonesia, Korea, E. 
Timor and Mongolia) in the East Asia Department. 
 
2. (C)  Both officials confirmed that the basic RTG stance -- 
elaborated by East Asia Director General Nopadol Gunavibool 
last week, and reiterated to the Ambassador by Permanent 
Secretary Krit Garnjana-Goochorn -- remains:  a) openness to 
 
SIPDIS 
transit of An through Thailand by air via Don Muang airport 
(as long as he is escorted and onward bound, and even if he 
lacks documents); and b) opposition to his entering Thailand 
by land. 
 
3. (C)  Polcouns asked whether, if the air option became 
possible, the RTG would allow An to stay in Don Muang transit 
for several days for processing by UNHCR and the South Korean 
Embassy.  He also asked whether, if An were to have his South 
Korean travel documents in hand, Thailand would allow him 
entry from Laos by land as a South Korean. 
 
4. (C) Paisit, who has only marginal responsibilities in this 
case, responded that he would pass the questions on to the 
East Asia Department which is handling the case for 
senior-level MFA officials.  Interestingly, he inquired 
whether the U.S. had considered flying An out of Laos aboard 
the DAO C-12 to a military airport in Thailand.  Surprised to 
hear this idea, which first surfaced with Embassy Vientiane 
(reftel), floated by an MFA official, Polcouns asked whether 
the RTG would agree to such an arrangement.  Paisit said he 
did not know, but speculating on a personal basis, if he read 
the thinking of his colleagues correctly, it might be an 
option. 
 
5. (C) Suraphan said he would discuss Polcouns' two questions 
with DG Nopadol (the key working level official on this case, 
who was not available) and other officials.  He asked what we 
had in mind by "several days" for processing in an airport 
transit, and was told that it probably would require two full 
days.  On the second scenario of An crossing the border 
documented as a South Korean, Suraphan said that he imagined 
our intention would be to move him as quickly as possible to 
Bangkok airport.  Without conceding agreement to a land 
entry, Suraphan then outlined that the fastest method would 
be to cross by land to Nong Khai, travel by car 55 kilometers 
to Udon airport, and then take one of many Udon-Bangkok daily 
scheduled flights.  Polcouns did not raise Paisit's C-12 idea 
with Suraphan. 
 
6. (C) Suraphan said he had been in touch earlier January 24 
with the South Korean Embassy in Bangkok and had been told 
that their policy was to have verification from a "third 
party" of An's North Korean identity and determination from 
that third party that he wanted to go to South Korea. 
Polcouns explained in detail that both requirements had been 
amply met, although UNHCR had not specifically been able to 
interview An because the Lao government will not permit them 
to enter Laos.  Suraphan also said that he had lunched with 
the Lao Ambassador, who claimed not to know anything about 
the matter.  Suraphan said he urged the Ambassador to contact 
the Lao MFA and seek flexibility on departure of An by 
commercial air to Bangkok for onward travel. 
 
7. (C) Comment:  The Thai are holding fast to their basic 
positions on An, but clearly have been actively staying on 
top of developments and seem to be thinking about ways to 
resolve the current impasse.  End Comment. 
BOYCE