US embassy cable - 05BANGKOK2017

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 BANGKOK 002017 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR EAP/BCLTV; HQ USPACOM FOR FPA (HUSO) 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV, TG, Thailand's Week in Politics 
SUBJECT: THAILAND'S WEEK IN POLITICS, MARCH 13-18, 2005 
 
REF: (A) BANGKOK 1819 (B) BANGKOK 1739 (C) BANGKOK 1375 
 
THAKSIN RANK ORDERS HIS DEPUTY PRIME MINISTERS 
 
1.  (SBU)  Prime Minister Thaksin has announced the ranking 
of his six deputy prime ministers and delineated their 
individual oversight authorities.  The Public Administration 
Act allows the Prime Minister to delegate to the deputy prime 
ministers, including designating the order in which they are 
authorized to act on his behalf in his absence from the 
country.  The deputy prime ministers are ranked as follows: 
 
Deputy Prime Minister (and Finance Minister) Somkid 
Jatusripitak - In addition to being first among equals in 
acting on Thaksin's behalf in the event of the Prime 
Minister's absence from Thailand, Somkid is tasked with 
overseeing the Finance Ministry, Tourism and Sports Ministry, 
Commerce Ministry, Industry Ministry, the Budget Bureau, and 
the National Economic and Social Development Board.  In the 
event that Thaksin died in office, Somkid would become acting 
PM in the short period before Parliament would be expected to 
officially chose a new prime minister. 
 
Deputy Prime Minister (and Interior Minister) Pol. Gen. 
Chidchai Vanasatidya, although a newcomer to the Cabinet, is 
second in line to act for Thaksin.  His oversight duties 
include the Defense Ministry, Interior Ministry, Justice 
Ministry, the National Security Council, the National 
Security Agency, and the Royal Thai Police.  He will also 
reportedly act as the ex-officio Chairman of the National 
Security Council, the National Policy Commission, the Police 
Commission, the Narcotics Control Board and the Anti-Money 
Laundering Commission. 
 
Deputy Prime Minister Chaturon Chaisang, third in line, is 
overseeing the Information and Communications Technology 
Ministry, the Education Ministry and the National Buddhist 
Bureau. 
 
Deputy Prime Minister Surakiart Sathirathai, the former 
Foreign Minister, will be fourth in line to act for Prime 
Minister Thaksin.  His oversight responsibilities include the 
Foreign Affairs Ministry, Social development and Human 
Security Ministry and the Labor Ministry. 
 
Deputy Prime Minister Pinij Jarusombat, fifth in line, is 
overseeing the Agriculture and Cooperatives Ministry, the 
Natural Resources and Environment Ministry, the Public Health 
Ministry, the Consumer Protection Board, and the National 
Village and Urban Community Fund. 
 
Wissanu Krea-Ngam, sixth in line, oversees the Transport 
Ministry, the Energy ministry, the Prime Minister's Office, 
the Council of State, the Civil Service Commission, the 
National Economic and Social Advisory Board, and the Office 
of the Civil Service Development Commission. 
 
DEPUTY PRIME MINISTERS ALSO TASKED TO OVERSEE COUNTRY'S 
ADMINISTRATIVE ZONES 
 
2.  (SBU)  Govt Spokesman Pol. Gen. Chaloemdet Chomphunut 
disclosed after the cabinet meeting on March 15 that PM 
Thaksin has also tasked the deputy prime ministers, and one 
minister, to oversee the "overall administration" in 
Thailand's 76 provinces.  To facilitate this goal, the 
Thaksin team reportedly divided the country into 19 
administrative zones, excluding Bangkok, and doled out to 
each deputy PM at least 3 zones for their oversight. 
However, this new system is not as significant a change as it 
might appear.  For example, the deputy prime ministers' new 
provincial "oversight" responsibilities do not give them 
direct authority over the governors or other Thai provincial 
authorities.  Deputy prime ministers must still go through 
the Interior Minister Pol. Gen. Chidchai Vanasatidya, who is 
also a deputy prime minister, to suggest changes to be 
implemented by the governors.  The new responsibility appears 
to amount to each deputy prime minister having a special 
brief to keep on top of developments in certain provinces and 
advise PM Thaksin.  The allocation of zones is as follows: 
 
 
Deputy Prime Minister Somkid Jatusripitak: 
 
Zone 1 (Chiang Rai / Chiang Mai / Nan / Phayao / Phrae / Mae 
Hong Son / Lampang / Lamphun) 
Zone 9 (Chanthaburi / Chon Buri / Trat / Rayong) 
Zone 17 (Krabi / Phang-nga / Phuket) 
 
Deputy Prime Minister Pol. Gen. Chidchai Vanasatidya: 
 
Zone 14 (Yasothon / Si Sa Ket / Amnat Charoen / Ubon 
Ratchathani) 
Zone 18 (Narathiwat / Pattani / Yala) 
Zone 19 (Songkhla / Satun) 
 
Deputy Prime Minister Chaturon Chaisang: 
 
Zone 6 (Kanchanaburi / Nakhon Pathom / Ratchaburi / Suphan 
Buri) 
Zone 8 (Chachoengsao / Nakhon Nayok / Prachin Buri / Samut 
Prakan / Sa Kaeo) 
Zone 11 (Kalasin / Nakhon Phanom / Mukdahan / Sakon Nakhon) 
 
Deputy Prime Minister Surakiart Sathirathai: 
 
Zone 2 (Tak, Phitsanulok / Phetchabun / Sukhothai / Uttaradit) 
Zone 3 (Kamphaeng Phet / Nakhon Sawan / Phichit / Uthai Thani) 
Zone 16 (Trang, Nakhon Si Thammarat / Phattalung)/ 
 
Deputy Prime Minister Pinij Jarusombat: 
 
Zone 10 (Nong Khai / Nong Bua Lam Phu / Loei / Udon Thani) 
Zone 12 (Khon Kaen / Maha Sarakham / Roi Et) 
Zone 13 (Chaiyaphum / Nakhon Ratchasima / Buriram / Surin) 
Zone 15 (Chumphon / Ranong / Surat Thani) 
 
Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam: 
 
Zone 4 (Nonthaburi / Pathum Thani / Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya 
/ Angthong) 
Zone 5 (Chainat / Lop Buri / Saraburi / Sing Buri) 
Zone 7 (Prachuap Khirikhan / Petchaburi / Samut Songkhram / 
Samut Sakhon) 
 
Prime Minister's Office Minister Suranand Vejjajiva has been 
given oversight of the administration of Bangkok. 
 
SPARKS FLY IN FIRST PARLIAMENT BUSINESS SESSION 
 
3.  (SBU)  Opposition Democrat Party (DP) MPs walked out of 
Parliament on February 16 during its first business session 
after Speaker Bhokin Bhalakula ejected one of their fellow 
members following an altercation over voting procedure. 
According to reports, Democrat MP Rangsima Rodrasamee accused 
Thai Rak Thai (TRT) MP Phayap Punket of voting more than 
once, using an absent TRT MP's electronic voting card. 
Phayap demanded an apology from Rangsima.  Rangsima refused. 
After exchanges between government and opposition MPs, Bhokin 
told Rangsima to withdraw her accusation or leave the 
chamber.  Rangsima chose to depart, sparking a walkout by her 
DP colleagues.  The vote that started the bitter 
recriminations was over a disagreement between TRT and DP MPs 
over what time to start the next meeting of the lower 
chamber.  In addition to criticism from DP lawmakers for 
ejecting Rangsima, Bhokin has also reportedly been criticized 
by members of the Wang Nam Yen faction of the TRT Party, who 
accused the Speaker of mishandling the whole situation. 
Former Deputy House Speaker and Chart Thai Party MP Somsak 
Prisanananthakun characterized Bhokin's chairmanship as a 
"rubber stamp." 
 
4.  (SBU) Comment:  Feelings were already raw among DP MPs 
over what they consider the Speaker's blatant lack of 
neutrality.  Bhokin was previously Thaksin's Interior 
Minister and took the untraditional step of voting for 
Thaksin last week when he was formally elected Prime Minister 
(see Bangkok 1739).  By his abrupt decision to eject Rangsima 
from the Parliament chamber he has shown a lack of political 
finesse by ignoring the expectation that the Speaker will 
strive to appear objective and non-partisan.  TRT 
subsequently admitted that several MPs had engaged in 
covering up for absent colleagues by using their electronic 
cards to vote. 
 
REPORTS OF RUMBLINGS IN MAJOR TRT FACTION OVER SPOILS 
 
5.  (SBU)  Members of the Wang Nam Yen (WNY) faction of 
influential politician Sanoh Thienthong are grumbling over 
what they consider a disproportional allocation of 
ministerial and assistant slots to Bangkok MPs rather than to 
the MPs from the other regions of the country, especially the 
Northeast, their bailiwick, which brought in a massive TRT 
seat tally.  His faction members especially complained to 
Sanoh about the following appointments:  former Health 
Minister and Thaksin's Bangkok campaign manager (and TRT 
faction leader in her own right) Sudarat Keyuraphan as 
Agriculture Minister; Suranand Vejjajiva as Prime Minister's 
Office Minister; Phumtham Wechayachai as Deputy 
Communications Minister; Pimon Sriwikorn as Deputy Secretary 
General to Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister 
Chidchai; and Pitipong Temjareon as Secretary to the Foreign 
Minister.  The WNY MPs are also unhappy over the replacement 
of Sanoh as party Chief Whip former Justice Minister Pongthep 
Thianthong, who they view as more junior and less capable. 
Sanoh reportedly told his followers to be patient and see 
what develops over the coming months. 
 
6.  (SBU)  Comment:  Sanoh has been battling to maintain his 
position vis-a-vis other TRT factions over the past three 
years, particularly with the rise in influence of the Wang 
Babuan faction headed by Thaksin's sister Yaowapa Wongsawat. 
He has also seen his star eclipsed by the very low rankings 
that his faction members received on the TRT party list 
compared to those given members of rival factions.  His 
private secretary and confidant Burin Hiranburans, for 
example was ranked no 95 on the list compared to the number 
52 ranking he held in the 2001 election.  In another case, 
close aide Boonthueng Panpanit was ranked 88th this time 
around, compared to 56th in the previous election.  Sanoh's 
followers don't need much more evidence to sense that their 
leader's influence within the TRT is on the wane. 
 
CHUWIT COMES UP WITH HIS OWN COLOR ZONES - FOR THAKSIN'S NEW 
CABINET MEMBERS 
 
7.  (SBU)  In an obvious spoof of Thaksin's use of color 
codes to denote the level of security in Thailand's southern 
provinces' districts (ref. C), outspoken Chart Thai Party 
List (Bangkok) MP Chuwit Kamolwisit, announced on March 16 
his idea of categorizing the Prime Minister's new cabinet 
ministers by color.  Chuwit straight-faced declared that 
under his plan, he would divide all new ministers into 3 
colored groups; "Green" for those with acceptable 
qualifications, "Yellow" for those with doubtful 
qualifications, and "Red" for those with unacceptable 
qualifications.  According to Chuwit, ministers in "Yellow" 
and "Red" groups must be kept under close watch.  He 
identified 9 of Thaksin's new Ministers who in his view 
qualify for the "Red" group. 
 
Chuwit's "Red" list 
 
Pinij Jarusombat (Deputy PM) 
Wissanu Krea-Ngam (Deputy PM) 
Sudarat Keyuraphun (Minister of Agriculture & Cooperatives) 
Suriya Jungrungruengkit (Minister of Transport) 
Pracha Maleenont (Minister of Social Development and Human 
Security) 
Somsak Thepsutin (Minister of Tourism and Sports) 
Adisai Bodharamik (Minister of Education) 
Watana Muangsook (Minister of Industry) 
Newin Chidchob (Deputy Minister of Agriculture & Cooperatives) 
 
8.  (U)  Chuwit added that there are 14 ministers in the 
"Green" group and 12 in the "Yellow" group.   He reportedly 
intends to evaluate all the ministers every 6 months, and 
those with better or more satisfactory performance would be 
re-categorized into a better color group.  (Note: Chuwit did 
not explain if those in the "Green" group would be degraded 
if their performance got worse. End note.) 
 
9.  (SBU) Comment:  Chuwit, the "Massage Parlor Tycoon," 
gained immense public popularity in Bangkok when he 
threatened to reveal the names of police and other officials 
who had demanded bribes and other payoffs from his brothel 
operations over the years.  Chuwit ran for governor last year 
and came in a strong third.  He won a Chart Thai (CT) Party 
List seat in the February general elections.  True to his 
independent image, Chuwit was the only MP to register a vote 
against Thaksin for Prime Minister in the Parliament after 
the other CT members (save CT Leader Barnharn Silpa-archa) 
and the opposition Democrat Party decided to abstain. 
 
 
 
 
BOYCE