UNCLAS BANGKOK 001573
DEPT FOR DS/DSS, DS/DSS/IP, DS/IP/EAP, DS/OSAC
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ASEC, TH, EAIR
SUBJECT: ROYAL THAI POLICE EFFORTS TO ENHANCE NATIONAL
AIRPORT SECURITY
1. (U) BEGIN SUMMARY - For eight days during late November
and into early December 2008, political protesters in Bangkok
took seizure of both major national airports, stranding
tourists, local citizens and traveling business people in
Bangkok, and restricting those travelers attempting to return
to Bangkok from getting home. The implications associated
with not just an action of this magnitude but the fact it
went on for so many days, caused a great deal of outside
scrutiny, criticism and fear that the Royal Thai Police (RTP)
were not capable of protecting their most essential national
elements. This international awareness and criticism
logically generated bi-lateral discussions between the
various foreign missions including the U.S. Ambassador who
led the way with a strong voice of concern, and numerous
Royal Thai Government (RTG) Ministries and contacts. As a
result, the Royal Thai Police reached out to the U.S. Mission
Bangkok RSO Office and requested assistance designing a
training program to "fix" their airport security. Those
efforts have now begun to generate action in the form of RTP
Training Conferences and DS/ATA creating a major new training
course that will utilize multi-agency knowledge, skills and
experience. END SUMMARY.
2. (U) During December 2008, the RSO participated in
several meetings with his highest-ranking RTP contacts, where
the RSO voiced his concern over the possibility that the lack
of "crowd control" the airports had experienced, might spill
over to the sea ports or even the water and power
institutions, which with food, water and power being
affected, would or could literally be life-safety disasters.
The RTP stated they were aware of this consideration and were
reviewing existing controls but were confident in the
security measures in-place. Then, in April 2009, the
four-star Deputy Commissioner General of the RTP and his
three-star RTP "number 2," called the RSO and asked him to
come to a "business lunch" to discuss some matters regarding
airport security. Since this seemed like an exceptional
opportunity, the RSO quickly agreed and advised them he would
also bring the Post TSA Representative as a subject-matter
expert on airports. The topic of the lunch turned out to be
a request for the RSO to provide the RTP with information on
methods and systems for properly protecting their airports.
The enormous window of opportunity seemed as huge as the
topic itself. The RSO began by telling them that the subject
they wanted addressed would probably require insight from
several agencies/organizations in the USG. The RSO spent the
next two hours describing the many areas that would need to
be addressed and how complex it might become, but assured
them we would do everything possible to make this happen.
3. (U) RSO Bangkok contacted DS/ATA immediately and they
began evaluation of the request. DS/ATA, true to their
exceptional responsiveness both on the regional management
level and from ATA managerial oversight, quickly recognized
the advantages of pursuing this request and a new Airport
Security Training Course is currently underway with the
initial evaluation team due in Thailand between July 27 to
31, 2009.
4. (U) The RTP are very encouraged by the USG responsiveness
to their request but much to their own credit, they have also
begun in-house airport security training to create the proper
mindset for those police who will be actively involved with
the DS/ATA upcoming training program. On June 10, 2009, RTP
Deputy Commissioner General Wichien Poteposri sat as the
President of a preparation meeting for an in-house airport
security training series with a table-top exercise. In this
preparation meeting there were over 70 high-ranking RTP and
others from various concerned RTG agencies including 5
Provincial Police Bureaus, the Central Investigation Bureau,
the Metropolitan Police Bureau, the Police Education Bureau,
the airport management entity AOT, the Counter-terrorism
Operation Center (CTOC), various Provincial Governors, the
Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation, the
Ministry of Justice, and the Ministry of Defense. The Senior
FSNI for Mission, who has an exceptional relationship with
the Police establishment, will also serve as an instructor
for the week-long conferences on the topic of the necessity
of proper Public Relations during such crises. The schedule
for the RTP Airport Security conferences has been set and has
begun:
- June 29-July 03, 2009 - Chiang Mai International Airport
(The RSO attended the official opening ceremony as the only
foreign guest invited to the event. RSO also took the new
RSO Chiang Mai for contact establishment)
- July 03-07, 2009 - Suvarnabhumi International Airport,
Bangkok.
- August 10-14, 2009 - Khon Kaen Airport, Khon Kaen Province
- August 24-28, 2009 - Phuket International Airport, Phuket
Province
5. (U) Following some serious frustration and fear in the
aftermath of the prior airport seizures, Mission and RSO are
encouraged and hopeful that we may be part of a substantive
upgrading of security for the five principal airports in
Thailand, the fifth being Don Muang located in Bangkok as
well. The support of DS/ATA is greatly appreciated.
JOHN