US embassy cable - 05BANGKOK5454

UNCLAS BANGKOK 005454 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR EB, EB/TRA/AN, EAP, EAP/BCLTV, AND L/EB 
TRANSPORTATION FOR EDWARD OPPLER AND KEITH GLATZ 
COMMERCE FOR ITA:JBENDER AND JKELLEY 
SINGAPORE FOR FAA: HOWARD NESBITT 
STATE PLEASE PASS TO USTR 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAIR, ECON, ETRD, PREL, TH 
SUBJECT: THAILAND CIV AIR: PROPOSAL FOR OPEN SKIES TALKS 
7-8 SEPTEMBER 2005 
 
REF: A. A) BANGKOK 5393 
     B. B) SECSTATE 147598 
     C. C) SECSTATE 155552 
 
1. (U) This cable is an action request. Please see paragraph 
6. 
 
2. (U) As reported in Ref A, Prime Minister Thaksin 
Shinawatra recently proposed sending an Open Skies delegation 
to Washington before his scheduled visit to the United States 
with an eye to be able to announce substantial progress 
toward (or, ideally, conclusion of) an Open Skies Agreement 
when he meets with President Bush in September. 
 
3. (U) In support of this objective, and pursuant to guidance 
set forth in Ref B, Embassy has conveyed the substance of USG 
concerns with respect to the lack of progress to date toward 
an Open Skies Agreement to the office of Minister of 
Transport Pongsak Raktapongpaisal, as well as to working 
level contacts.  It is the Embassy's understanding that the 
Minister of Transport shares the Prime Minister's commitment 
to expediting conclusion of an Open Skies Agreement. The 
Minister is aware that an agreement would not include 
cabotage rights.  He is considering sending a delegation to 
Washington on September 7-8 (with September 9 held in 
reserve) to negotiate an agreement based on the model text. 
Embassy expects to receive formal notification and details of 
such plans from the Ministry at a meeting with the Embassy 
Chief of Mission, currently scheduled for September 2. 
Embassy has passed a copy of the model text of an Open Skies 
Agreement to our contacts within the Ministry.  It is our 
understanding that Thai civil aviation officials are familiar 
with the particulars of the model text. 
 
4. (U) Pusuant to Ref C, Embassy has scheduled consultations 
on aviation safety oversight between the Department of Civil 
Aviation and Federal Aviation Administration officials 
visiting Thailand on August 31.  The FAA delegation consists 
of Larry G. Kephart, David M. Smith, Michael E. Daniel, and 
Robert Andrews Edwards. 
 
5. (U) Post believes that this moment in advance of the Prime 
Minister's visit to the United 
States represents our best hope to conclude an Open Skies 
Agreement.  High-level attention to the issue and senior Thai 
officials' desire for an agreement in the context of the 
Prime Minister's upcoming visit to the United States stands 
out in stark contrast to longstanding resistance at the 
working level from Thai Airways and its allies in the 
bureaucracy. The present government's desire to revitalize 
tourism in the wake of last year's devastating tsunami and 
plans to make Thailand an aviation hub offer compelling 
motive for an agreement at the highest levels.  The window of 
opportunity is likely to be open for only a short time. 
Accordingly, we support accepting the Prime Minister's 
proposal to send a delegation to negotiate an agreement in 
early September. 
 
6. (U) ACTION REQUESTED: Please advise as to Washington 
agencies' views on receiving a Thai Open Skies delegation 
September 7-9 for two days of negotiations, with one day to 
be held in reserve.  Embassy wishes to be able to confirm the 
availability of the above dates in its exchanges with the 
office of the Minister of Transport before the meeting 
scheduled for September 2. 
BOYCE