US embassy cable - 05BANGKOK7184

C O N F I D E N T I A L BANGKOK 007184 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/18/2015 
TAGS: PGOV, PREL, TH, North Korea (DPRK) 
SUBJECT: EXCELLENT THAI-DPRK RELATIONS NOT SO USEFUL IN 
ABDUCTION CASE 
 
REF: BANGKOK 005627 
 
Classified By: POLITICAL COUNSELOR SUSAN M. SUTTON FOR REASON 1.4 (B,D) 
 
 1. (C) Summary.  Allegations in a new book that North Korean 
abducted a Thai woman working in Macao in 1978 have grabbed 
local headlines and prompted Foreign Minister Kantathi to 
pledge government efforts to return her to Thailand.  Thai 
officials, however, are finding their North Korean 
counterparts less than helpful on the case, but this issue is 
unlikely to derail Prime Minister Thaksin's planned visit to 
Pyongyang next year.  End Summary. 
 
ALLEGED DPRK ABDUCTION OF THAI IN 1978 
-------------------------------------- 
 
2. (SBU) U.S. Army deserter and former North Korean resident 
Charles Robert Jenkins'  Japanese language book "Kokuhaku" 
("To Tell the Truth") alleges that he knew a Thai woman who 
had been abducted by DPRK authorities in the 1970's and 
forced to marry a fellow U.S. Army deserter.  This revelation 
has grabbed local headlines (Note, the Nation newspaper has 
run almost daily stories. End Note) and prompted pressure on 
the RTG to make good on its broad pledge to protect Thai 
citizens abroad. 
 
3. (SBU) Based on Thai Embassy Tokyo's meetings with Jenkins 
and a review of missing persons cases from the 1970's, Thai 
officials believe that the woman in question is Anocha 
Panjoy, a Thai national who went missing in 1978 shortly 
after arriving in Macao to work.  Her brother has been in 
close contact with Thai authorities and Japanese NGO's 
involved in the abduction issue. 
 
SURPRISE! DPRK NOT SO HELPFUL 
----------------------------- 
 
4. (C) MFA officials told Poloff on 17 November that they 
have met with North Korean diplomats to discuss this case, 
but that the DPRK Embassy here denies having any knowledge of 
Anocha.  RTG officials are assiduously avoiding any 
discussion of the "abduction," and in their dealing with the 
North Koreans, refer to the issue as a "missing persons case" 
so as not to offend their interlocutors.  That said, Thai 
officials are hoping that their repeated requests for further 
information checks--in the form of daily phone calls to the 
DPRK mission here--may yet produce some results.  Given the 
heavy press play, both the Foreign Minister and the Prime 
Minister are personally interested in this case.  When asked 
if this issue could impede PM Thaksin's planned trip to 
Pyongyang next year (ref) MFA officials said "not really." 
 
COMMENT 
------- 
 
5. (C) RTG officials make much of their "excellent relations" 
with Pyongyang, often in an attempt to involve themselves in 
such issues as the six-party talks.  This case may highlight 
how unhelpful the DPRK can be, even with "friends," but it 
appears that this will not affect Thaksin's North Korea 
policy. 
BOYCE