US embassy cable - 05BANGKOK3854

UNCLAS BANGKOK 003854 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR EAP/BCLTV. HQ USPACOM FOR FPA HUSO 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV, PREL, PTER, TH, Southern Thailand 
SUBJECT: THAILAND: MFA BRIEFS ON OIC DELEGATION VISIT TO 
REVIEW SOUTHERN VIOLENCE 
 
 
1.  (SBU)  SUMMARY: On June 9, the Foreign Ministry (MFA) 
briefed the Diplomatic Corps regarding the ongoing visit of a 
delegation from the Organization of The Islamic Conference 
(OIC) looking into the Tak Bai incident and unrest in 
southern Thailand.  The Royal Thai Government (RTG) 
emphasized the cooperative and overall positive tone of the 
visit and in a joint press statement (faxed to EAP/BCLTV), 
the OIC visitors appeared to agree.  However, some Thais are 
concerned that the OIC's visit will result in unfavorable 
comment at the next OIC meeting and bring further unwanted 
attention from the Muslim world to the problem in the South. 
END SUMMARY 
 
2.  (U)  On June 9 the MFA briefed the Diplomatic Corps 
regarding the ongoing visit of a delegation from the OIC to 
Thailand.  The OIC delegation, led by former Egyptian 
diplomat Sayed El-Masry, is on a fact finding mission from 
June 2-13 to look into the ongoing unrest in the Muslim 
majority provinces of far southern Thailand.  MFA Permanent 
Secretary Krit Garnjana-Goonchorn and El-Masry had issued a 
 
SIPDIS 
joint statement to the press on June 7 which highlighted the 
cooperative and positive atmosphere surrounding the visit. 
The MFA briefing, given by Deputy Perm Sec Pisan Manawapat, 
mirrored the content of the press statement, with Pisan 
emphasizing that the delegation had been granted the full 
cooperation of the RTG and had met freely with a wide range 
of people concerned with the southern situation -- including 
the families of Muslim victims of the violence. 
 
3.  (U)  Pisan recalled that the RTG invitation to the OIC to 
visit Thailand followed an OIC statement issued in February, 
2005 which was critical of the RTG's handling of the 
situation in southern Thailand.  Pisan said that statement, 
and previous reports by the OIC, and been unfairly critical 
of the RTG's handling of southern violence and did not 
reflect the true nature of the situation.  Pisan said that 
the OIC delegation had promised to replace all previous 
reports by their organization about Thailand with the report 
generated during this visit.  Pisan claimed the new OIC 
report would show that conditions for Thailand's Muslims are 
"very different from what is negatively portrayed in the 
media."  Pisan said the delegation understood that the unrest 
in the South "does not involve religious conflict."  However, 
not all Thai officials have been so optimistic that the 
report will vindicate the RTG's handling of the conflict. 
Deputy Prime Minister Chitchai Wannasathit told the media 
that, "whether they say they understand now, but express 
negative opinions later, is out of our hands." 
 
4.  (U)  Pisan acknowledged that the delegation had expressed 
concern over excessive force used by Thai security forces -- 
notably during the October 25, 2004 Tak Bai incident which 
resulted in the deaths of over 80 Muslim protesters -- and 
had expressed disappointment over the lenient punishment 
given to the responsible military officers.  Pisan said the 
RTG had expressed its regret for this and other "national 
tragedies" -- and admitted that "grave mistakes" had been 
made -- but hoped that the OIC would see that the RTG is 
seriously working on long-term solutions to the conflict. 
 
5.  (SBU)  COMMENT:  At the end of the briefing, Pisan noted 
that Foreign Minister Kantathi is considering attending the 
next OIC Foreign Ministers' meeting as an observer and said 
that Kantathi has been working the phones with OIC member 
Foreign Ministers to explain the situation in the South. 
While the Thais are hopeful that their openness to the OIC 
will win points with the Muslim world, they are clearly 
worried that the visit could have the opposite effect and 
serve to further highlight the conflict in southern Thailand, 
drawing the attention of the larger Muslim world.  END COMMENT 
 
6.  (U) The text of the MFA-OIC joint press statement has 
been faxed to EAP/BCLTV. 
BOYCE