US embassy cable - 05BANGKOK3810

UNCLAS BANGKOK 003810 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EAP/BCLTV, L/PM, PM/ISO, INR AND DRL 
PACOM FOR FPA HUSO, JIATF/WEST FOR COMMANDER BUSCH 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: MASS, PREL, PHUM, TH, HUMAN RIGHTS VETTING 
SUBJECT: EMBASSY/STATE DEPARTMENT HUMAN RIGHTS VETTING FOR 
EXERCISE BALANCE TORCH 05-3 
 
REF: A. STATE 108382 
 
     B. BANGKOK 3799 
     C. BANGKOK 3439 
     D. SHAW-LAMBERT EMAILS 
     E. 04 BANGKOK 8237 (DESCRIBES VIDEO FOOTAGE) 
     F. STATE 021314 - GUIDANCE 
     G. 03 STATE 34981 - GUIDANCE 
 
 1.  (U)  As authorized per Ref A, U.S. Embassy Bangkok 
verifies that the Department of State has reviewed its files 
and finds that, as of this date, it possesses no credible 
information of gross violations of human rights by any of the 
units from the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Army Areas identified in 
Para. 3. 
 
2.  (U) With respect to the 4th Army Area, The State 
Department notes that the commanding officer of the 5th 
Infantry Regiment, 4th Army was removed from command and is 
under investigation for his role in the Tak Bai incident. 
However, the State Department has no credible reports of 
human rights abuses attributed to the other 4th Army units 
identified or by any personnel presently assigned to those 
units . 
 
3.  (U) Participants in the exercise: 
 
Royal Thai Army Units 
 
1st Army Area 
--  HQ, 1st AA (approximately 3 pax) 
--  1st Infantry Division (approximately 120 pax) 
--  31st Infantry Regiment (approximately 12 pax) 
 
2nd Army Area 
--  HQ, 2 AA (approximately 3 pax) 
--  6th Infantry Division 
--  16th Infantry Regiment (approximately 120 pax) 
 
3rd Army Area 
--  1st Cavalry Division 
--  3rd Cavalry Regiment (approximately 120 pax) 
 
4th Army Area 
--  5th Infantry Division 
--  5th Infantry Regiment (approximately 20 pax) 
--  15th Infantry Regiment (approximately 40 pax) 
BOYCE