US embassy cable - 05BANGKOK704

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BANGKOK 000704 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/20/2015 
TAGS: EAID, MOPS, PREL, TH, POL/MIL 
SUBJECT: PACOM COMMANDER ADMIRAL FARGO MEETING WITH PRIME 
MINISTER THAKSIN, JANUARY 19, 2005 
 
 
Classified By: Ambassador Ralph L. Boyce.  Reason:  1.4 (b and d) 
 
 1.  (C)  Summary:  Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra told 
PACOM Commander Admiral Thomas Fargo that last month's 
tsunami demonstrated the need for increased emphasis on 
 
SIPDIS 
disaster response in future Thai/US military exercises. 
During the January 19 meeting, Thaksin told Fargo that if the 
US needs to maintain its deployment of relief-related forces 
at Utapao a short while past its anticipated 
end-of-February/early March redeployment from Indonesia it 
would be "no problem."  Fargo told the Prime Minister that 
the U.S. is prepared to help Thailand in the establishment of 
a tsunami early warning system.  Turning to Thailand's south, 
Thaksin said that many of the instigators have now been 
identified and that there was no link to the JI or other 
international terrorist organizations.  End Summary. 
 
2.  (U)  Pacific Command Commander Admiral Thomas Fargo 
visited Thailand on January 17-19.  On January 19, Admiral 
Fargo called on Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra. 
 
Participants: 
 
U.S. 
 
Admiral Fargo 
Ambassador Boyce 
PACOM Foreign Policy Advisor Huso 
Chief JUSMAG CO. Dibrell 
US Defense Attache Col. Page 
Executive Assistant Col. Twomey 
Public Affairs Officer Capt. Singley 
Aide-de-Camp LTC Madkins 
PACOM Country Desk Officer Maj. Ton 
Embassy notetaker 
 
Thailand 
 
Prime Minister Thaksin 
Foreign Minister Surikiart 
NSC General Secretary General Winai 
MFA America Director General Nongnuth 
Notetakers 
 
3.  (U)  Prime Minister Thaksin expressed appreciation for 
the assistance the US has provided Thailand following the 
tsunami.  He thanked President Bush for calling him in the 
 
SIPDIS 
aftermath and stated that the U.S. played an especially 
important role in helping Thailand to cope with the disaster. 
 Admiral Fargo thanked Thaksin for his sympathy for those 
Americans killed in the tsunami and offered condolences for 
the Thai victims.  He added that Thailand's willingness and 
ability to participate the international relief effort has 
saved many lives. 
 
NEED TO INCORPORATE DISASTER RELIEF IN EXERCISES 
 
4.  (SBU)  Admiral Fargo attributed the effectiveness of 
Thai-U.S. relief cooperation on the long years of friendship 
and military cooperation, exemplified by the annual Cobra 
Gold exercises.  Thaksin agreed and said that future joint 
exercises such as Cobra Gold should have an increased 
emphasis on disaster relief.  He said that Thailand has had 
"too many incidents" that have highlighted the need for 
better civil-military coordination and disaster drills. 
Fargo said that civic action projects connected with this 
year's Cobra Gold exercise are being moved forward and 
directed towards the areas worst hit by the tsunami.  He 
noted that the Combined Support Group (CSG) that coordinated 
the U.S. relief effort demonstrated that civil and military 
structures can operate in concert.  Fargo added that a 
scenario including mass disaster humanitarian relief will be 
included in the Cobra Gold exercise. 
 
THAKSIN SAYS THAILAND NEEDS CAPACITY BUILDING, NOT FINANCIAL 
ASSISTANCE 
 
5.  (SBU)  Observing that Thailand was not as severely 
damaged as Indonesia and Sri Lanka, Thaksin said that direct 
financial assistance should go to those countries, not 
Thailand.  What Thailand needs is capacity building and 
expertise, especially in establishing a tsunami early warning 
system (EWS) and in rehabilitating damaged natural resources. 
 Thaksin added that other small projects, such as rebuilding 
destroyed village schools, would be welcome.  Fargo told 
Thaksin that the United States can assist in setting up a 
tsunami EWS, having logged considerable experience in 
 
SIPDIS 
operating such a system in Hawaii.  He added that Thailand's 
leadership in pushing for a regional EWS is very important. 
 
DIRECT MILITARY ASSISTANCE WINDING DOWN OVER COMING WEEKS 
 
6.  (SBU)  Fargo told the Prime Minister that direct military 
assistance in Thailand and Sri Lanka should wind up by 
month's end.  He added that a military forensics team can 
remain in country as long as Thailand needs it.  Operations 
in Indonesia, including much-needed helicopter support, 
should end by mid-to-late February.  The relief units should 
all be redeployed from Utapao by the end of February or early 
March.  In response, Thaksin said that if the US needs to 
maintain its deployment of relief-related forces at Utapao a 
short while past its anticipated redeployment from Indonesia 
it would be "no problem." 
 
7.  (C)  Thaksin said that his government is trying to 
expedite the process of identifying and repatriating the 
remains of foreign victims of the tsunami.  He expressed 
concern that relatives of Burmese victims are not showing up 
to claim the remains.  Thaksin commented that it is "a little 
bit more difficult" coordinating with Burmese authorities 
than it would have been if Khin Nyunt was still the PM.  He 
added that he finds that Than Shwe is firmly in control. 
GETTING A HANDLE ON VIOLENCE-WRACKED SOUTH 
8.  (C)  In answer to Fargo's query on the southern 
situation, Thaksin stated that his administration will be 
able to control the violence in the near future.  He said 
that his security agencies have identified a number of the 
instigators of the violence.  Thaksin said that these 
individuals are all Thais and that there are no direct links 
between the separatists and international terrorist groups 
such as the JI.  He added that some of those suspected of 
inciting Thai Muslim youths to violence may have been in 
contact with terrorists while at school abroad, but Thaksin 
emphasized that there were no JI or other international 
terrorists in Thailand.  He added that money donated by 
Muslims from abroad for mosques or schools in Thailand may 
also have been misappropriated by Thai separatists.  Admiral 
Fargo told Thaksin that the U.S. assessment was the same as 
the Prime Minister's - there are no signs of a JI presence in 
Thailand. 
 
9.  (C)  Thaksin said that his government will beef up the 
security forces presence in the deep southern provinces by 
basing a new division there.  Thaksin said that this large 
permanent security force presence will demonstrate that the 
government will be able to protect the general population. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
BOYCE