US embassy cable - 05BANGKOK6953

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BANGKOK 006953 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/03/2015 
TAGS: PREL, PTER, KPOW, TH, CIA Secret Prisons 
SUBJECT: THAI REACT TO "SECRET PRISONS" ARTICLE:  WILL 
THAKSIN SUE THE WASHINGTON POST? 
 
REF: WEYER-COLE EMAIL 11/3/05 
 
Classified By: POLITICAL COUNSELOR SUSAN M. SUTTON reason 1.4 (b) (d) 
 
1.  (C) Summary: The Thai government has issued heated 
denials of the Washington Post report of a secret CIA-run 
prison here, and has sought embassy assistance in responding 
to the accusations.  After a local newspaper identified our 
VOA facility in northeast Thailand as the site of the prison, 
the facility acquiesced to the request of the district 
governor there, and permitted his representative to bring in 
a camera crew to visit the site, ostensibly to preview it for 
the governor's visit next week.  The Prime Minister's press 
spokesman also made inquiries with us about the VOA facility, 
and told the press that the governor would bring journalists 
with him during his visit next week.  According to an MFA 
official, the government is considering whether they should 
sue the Washington Post.  We think that a lawsuit is 
unlikely. end summary. 
 
 
2.  (C)  The Thai government has reacted strongly to the 
Washington Post report of a secret CIA-run prison in 
Thailand.  MFA contacted us on Wednesday, as soon as they had 
seen the report, seeking our assistance in denying the 
allegation.  Post provided MFA with the department guidance 
(in which the spokesman noted that he was "not in a position 
to confirm anything" and stated that questions "are best 
addressed to the CIA or DNI." -  ref email.). 
 
FOCUS ON VOA FACILITY 
--------------------- 
 
3. (C) The Thai and English language press continue to 
highlight the story.  Of greatest concern, one newspaper 
reported that the secret facility was housed on the grounds 
of the VOA facility in Udon Thani, in northeastern Thailand. 
(Comment: this facility has been the target of many unfounded 
rumors in the past, including the allegation that it was the 
site of a secret airfield or clandestine military base.  end 
comment.)  American officials at the facility reported on 
Friday 11/4 that they had received urgent inquiries from 
local officials in Udon requesting further information about 
the activities on the site.  This culminated in a request 
from the district governor to visit the facility early next 
week.  Simultaneously, the Prime Minister's press spokesman 
contacted the embassy and the VOA office and also asked for 
further information about the activities on the site, 
preparatory to his press conference later in the afternoon. 
In each case, US officials noted that the VOA site had 
regularly welcomed visitors from the Thai government and 
public, and had no objection to continuing to do so.  In 
fact, VOA had extended an invitation to the district governor 
asking him to come and see the facilities some time ago. 
 
4. (C)  On Friday afternoon, the district governor sent the 
provincial public affairs officer and a camera crew from his 
office out to the facility, saying that he would like to see 
video of the installation before his visit on Tuesday.  VOA 
decided to admit this group, since they had come directly 
from the district governor, but did not admit any of the 
other reporters who had requested entry.  The crew was given 
a tour, but no interviews.  The Prime Minister's spokesman 
contacted embassy PAO after his press conference and told him 
that the press now had a better understanding of the 
situation. According to news reports, the spokesman announced 
that the district governor would visit next week, and that 
press was welcome to accompany him. 
 
5. (C)  Note: RSO has been in touch with the facility to 
consult on security in light of the press and public 
attention.  end note. 
 
Sue the Washington Post? 
------------------------ 
 
6. (C) Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra and other high 
ranking officials continue to issue heated denials of the 
story.  The MFA announced that it would coordinate with the 
US through the embassy to undertake an investigation into the 
news report.  MFA Permanent Secretary Krit Garnjana-Gooncharn 
called Ambassador today and noted that some officials were 
considering whether the RTG should sue the Washington Post. 
(Opposition party leaders had baited the PM in the press 
today, saying that the government would be criticized if it 
sued Thai papers for allegedly inaccurate stories, but 
ignored false reports in the US press.) 
 
Comment 
------- 
 
7. (C)  News stories tend to flare up fast and die here, as 
the press moves on to the next scandal.  However, the extent 
of the attention, and especially the focus on the VOA 
facility, is extremely unfortunate.  The opposition sees this 
as a good way to attack the PM and will look for ways to keep 
the story alive.  We believe that being open where we can -- 
e.g. possibly allowing limited press to accompany the 
governor when he visits the facility next week -- might be 
one reasonably effective way to tamp down the story.  Efforts 
to conceal or keep the press out will only  make the facility 
more interesting to them.   But there is a downside to being 
overly accommodating, and at some point we may need to draw 
the line and say enough is enough.  As for the threatened 
lawsuit, out guess is that Thaksin and the RTG will not 
follow through and initiate legal action against the 
Washington Post.  But Thaksin can be unpredictable, 
especially if he feels pressured by the opposition and Thai 
media.  end comment. 
BOYCE