US embassy cable - 05BANGKOK5018

C O N F I D E N T I A L BANGKOK 005018 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/04/2015 
TAGS: KUNR, PHUM, PREL, PGOV, TH, Demarche 
SUBJECT: DEMARCHE DELIVERED: US PROPOSAL FOR STANDING UN 
HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL 
 
REF: SECSTATE 140191 
 
Classified By: Political Officer Anthony M. Tranchina for reasons 1.4.( 
b) and (d) 
 
1. (U) Poloff delivered reftel demarche to Mr. Peerasak 
Chantavarin, Director, Social Division of the Department of 
International Organizations (IO), MFA, and Mr. Chakkrid 
Krachaiwong, First Secretary, Department of American and 
South Pacific Affairs (AA), MFA.  Thai officials were 
well-versed on the details of the US proposal, having 
received it from their UN Mission in New York. 
 
2. (U) Mr. Vorapun Srivoranart of IO commented that the 
American proposal was very similar to plans that had been 
presented by Canada and Switzerland. While details differed 
somewhat, such as the size of the council, he believed that 
the basic structure and intentions of the Council appeared to 
be the same in all of these proposals. 
 
3. (C) The Thais were skeptical that any new Human Rights 
body would be able to avoid the inherent politicization of 
its much maligned predecessor, the UN Human Rights 
Commission. Thai officials also expressed the view that human 
rights could be better promoted through positive 
reinforcement, rather than by "publicly shaming" individual 
countries.  (Note: RTG officials have brought up their 
concerns about "the public shaming" of individual nations in 
previous demarches on this issue. End Note) 
 
4. (C) While MFA did not voice any major objections to the US 
proposal, they appeared skeptical that the proposed council 
would be a more effective alternative to the current 
Commission. The Thais mentioned competing proposals from 
other Western countries as well as one from the nonaligned 
bloc, although they did not advocate any of these proposals 
as a preferred alternative. Thailand appears to be waiting to 
see if the various competing ideas for the new Council can be 
harmonized into one proposal before staking out a more formal 
position. 
ARVIZU