US embassy cable - 05BANGKOK1969

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BANGKOK 001969 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR EAP/BCLTV 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, PHUM, TH, TRT - Thai Rak Thai 
SUBJECT: THAI PRIME MINISTER SKIPS LUNCH DATE WITH ASSEMBLY 
OF THE POOR 
 
 
 1. (U) SUMMARY: Newly sworn-in Prime Minister Thaksin 
Shinawatra disappointed a three-day gathering of mostly rural 
villagers from the Assembly of the Poor NGO by going on 
vacation in Japan rather than stopping by for lunch.  The 
900-strong peaceful demonstration in front of Thailand's 
Parliament attracted some media attention and some prominent 
political opposition figures, but was mostly ignored by 
Members of Parliament.  A nearly nonstop array of speakers 
addressed the protesters and called for greater public 
participation in decision-making on large scale development 
projects and for Thaksin to make good on promises he made in 
his first administration.  END SUMMARY. 
 
PEACEFUL RALLY FEATURES VARIETY OF SPEAKERS AND ISSUES 
 
2. (U) A group of approximately 900 grassroots demonstrators 
from about 30 of Thailand's 76 provinces gathered for three 
days in front of Parliament in Bangkok to press for a greater 
voice for ordinary people in the democratic process. 
Organized by the NGO Assembly of the Poor and seven other 
local NGOs, villagers traveled to Bangkok from all parts of 
Thailand via bus on the night of March 14 and set up a small 
stage with a few microphones on the sidewalk across the 
double lane street from the front gate of Thailand's 
Parliament building.  They camped out under blue plastic 
tarps on either side of the stage and sat on straw mats 
interspersed with small charcoal grills used to cook pots of 
rice and fish.  They endured temperatures of over 100 degrees 
Fahrenheit, and an unusual heavy rain on the morning of March 
16 added a thick humidity to the already steamy atmosphere. 
The Assembly of the Poor, a nationwide NGO, is comprised of 
over 200 smaller grassroots organizations concerned about 
various government programs that have led to land use 
disputes. 
 
3. (U) Poloff spoke to Assembly of the Poor organizers 
Somkhuan Phromthong and Wannida Tantiwitthayapitak who told 
him that they originally planned to hold the rally in early 
January during the February 6 general election campaign.  But 
the December 26, 2004 tsunami affected many of the member 
groups from Phuket and Phangnga provinces, so the earlier 
plans had to be postponed.  The organizers said that for this 
demonstration they had received good cooperation from the 
City of Bangkok, which provided drinking water and mobile 
toilet facilities.  They also had no complaints about the 
police or other security officials, whom Poloff observed 
taking pictures of his movements and conversations from 
across the street.  Somkhuan did say they had been fined 200 
baht ($5.25) for making too much noise the first day but had 
not been troubled by police since paying the fine. 
 
FAMOUS GRANDMA ACTIVIST MISSES LUNCH WITH THE PM 
 
4. (U)  One of the featured speakers and organizers at the 
rally was a Northeast Thailand legend known as "Yai Hai" or 
Grandma Hai from Ubolratchathani Province.  Her twenty-year 
struggle to reclaim her farm, which she claimed had been 
illegally taken from her for a government dam project, has 
been featured in local and international media as a victory 
for grassroots organizing in rural Southeast Asia.  She asked 
why the Prime Minister had turned down the Assembly's offer 
for lunch remarking, "He likes 'plaa tip' (raw fish, meaning 
sushi) more than 'plaa taek' (Northeastern fish paste)."  The 
Prime Minister had departed for Japan on a family vacation 
the day before and did not stop by the rally or send a 
representative to meet with the villagers.  Yai Hai did 
testify to the House of Representatives Subcommittee on Human 
and Social Welfare about rural economic issues.  Notably 
absent from the rally, according to its organizers, were 
Members of Parliament from any of the provinces or areas 
represented by the demonstrators, except for one Thai Rak 
Thai MP from Lamphun Province.  Some noted Thai Senators, 
such as Thaksin critics Kraisak Choonhavan, Chermsak Pinthong 
and Democrat Party Leader MP Abhisit Vejjajiva did stop by 
the rally to listen and show their support. 
 
KEEPING WATCH ON THAI RAK THAI 
 
5. (U)  The Assembly of the Poor speakers presented a wide 
array of grievances against the government, but all 
reiterated the need for increased citizen participation in 
the democratic process.  Many complained of environmental 
problems associated with locating of coal fired power plants 
or industries, such as paper mills near their homes. Others 
spoke about misuse of development funds and of policies to 
develop the country at the expense of the forests, water and 
other natural resources.  One group opposed the joint venture 
Thai-Malaysia pipeline in southern Thailand, claiming 
government corruption in land allocation for laying the 
pipeline.  Wannida noted that Thaksin's populist policies, 
such as the 2003 war on drugs, or the 30-baht health scheme, 
were quick fixes or "tiger balm" (a soothing Asian medicinal 
rubbing balm) that temporarily allayed public worries but did 
not provide systemic solutions to social problems.  On March 
17, the group will submit recommendations to the Parliament 
and hold a press conference.  They also plan to release a set 
of alternative national policy objectives once the Thaksin 
government reveals its policy planning statement in 
Parliament on March 23.  Most important, the Assembly for the 
Poor will establish a People's Social Policy Monitoring 
Committee to assess the effect of government infrastructure 
projects on villagers in the hope of serving as a check on 
Thaksin's large majority in the Thai parliament. 
 
A MISSED OPPORTUNITY? 
 
6. (SBU)  Comment.  Less than one week after stating in his 
inaugural address that he would seek greater public 
participation in the democratic process in Thailand, Thaksin 
has missed an excellent opportunity to make good on his 
words.  While his snub of the lunch offer from the grassroots 
Assembly of the Poor has not resulted in massive criticism or 
rowdy demonstrations, he has let down a group of down-home 
country Thai folks committed to their families and 
communities and to participating in the future of Thailand. 
New Democrat Party Leader did not miss his chance to 
demonstrate that he will keep an ear open to their critiques 
of Thaksin administration policies.   End Comment. 
BOYCE