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### Viewing cable 05BANGKOK1969, THAI PRIME MINISTER SKIPS LUNCH DATE WITH ASSEMBLY

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Reference ID | Created | Released | Classification | Origin
--- | --- | --- | --- | ---
05BANGKOK1969 | 2005-03-17 08:31 | 2011-06-15 00:00 | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | Embassy Bangkok
Appears in these articles: http://facthai.wordpress.com/2011/06/14/wikileaks-thailand-4/

`

    This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

` `

    UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BANGKOK 001969
    SIPDIS
    SENSITIVE
    DEPARTMENT FOR EAP/BCLTV

    E.O. 12958: N/A
    TAGS: PREL PHUM TH TRT
    SUBJECT: THAI PRIME MINISTER SKIPS LUNCH DATE WITH ASSEMBLY
    OF THE POOR

    ¶1. (U) SUMMARY: Newly sworn-in Prime Minister Thaksin
    Shinawatra disappointed a three-day gathering of mostly rural
    villagers from the Assembly of the Poor NGO by going on
    vacation in Japan rather than stopping by for lunch. The
    900-strong peaceful demonstration in front of Thailand\'s
    Parliament attracted some media attention and some prominent
    political opposition figures, but was mostly ignored by
    Members of Parliament. A nearly nonstop array of speakers
    addressed the protesters and called for greater public
    participation in decision-making on large scale development
    projects and for Thaksin to make good on promises he made in
    his first administration. END SUMMARY.

    PEACEFUL RALLY FEATURES VARIETY OF SPEAKERS AND ISSUES

    ¶2. (U) A group of approximately 900 grassroots demonstrators
    from about 30 of Thailand\'s 76 provinces gathered for three
    days in front of Parliament in Bangkok to press for a greater
    voice for ordinary people in the democratic process.
    Organized by the NGO Assembly of the Poor and seven other
    local NGOs, villagers traveled to Bangkok from all parts of
    Thailand via bus on the night of March 14 and set up a small
    stage with a few microphones on the sidewalk across the
    double lane street from the front gate of Thailand\'s
    Parliament building. They camped out under blue plastic
    tarps on either side of the stage and sat on straw mats
    interspersed with small charcoal grills used to cook pots of
    rice and fish. They endured temperatures of over 100 degrees
    Fahrenheit, and an unusual heavy rain on the morning of March
    16 added a thick humidity to the already steamy atmosphere.
    The Assembly of the Poor, a nationwide NGO, is comprised of
    over 200 smaller grassroots organizations concerned about
    various government programs that have led to land use
    disputes.

    ¶3. (U) Poloff spoke to Assembly of the Poor organizers
    Somkhuan Phromthong and Wannida Tantiwitthayapitak who told
    him that they originally planned to hold the rally in early
    January during the February 6 general election campaign. But
    the December 26, 2004 tsunami affected many of the member
    groups from Phuket and Phangnga provinces, so the earlier
    plans had to be postponed. The organizers said that for this
    demonstration they had received good cooperation from the
    City of Bangkok, which provided drinking water and mobile
    toilet facilities. They also had no complaints about the
    police or other security officials, whom Poloff observed
    taking pictures of his movements and conversations from
    across the street. Somkhuan did say they had been fined 200
    baht ($5.25) for making too much noise the first day but had
    not been troubled by police since paying the fine.

    FAMOUS GRANDMA ACTIVIST MISSES LUNCH WITH THE PM

    ¶4. (U) One of the featured speakers and organizers at the
    rally was a Northeast Thailand legend known as \"Yai Hai\" or
    Grandma Hai from Ubolratchathani Province. Her twenty-year
    struggle to reclaim her farm, which she claimed had been
    illegally taken from her for a government dam project, has
    been featured in local and international media as a victory
    for grassroots organizing in rural Southeast Asia. She asked
    why the Prime Minister had turned down the Assembly\'s offer
    for lunch remarking, \"He likes \'plaa tip\' (raw fish, meaning
    sushi) more than \'plaa taek\' (Northeastern fish paste).\" The
    Prime Minister had departed for Japan on a family vacation
    the day before and did not stop by the rally or send a
    representative to meet with the villagers. Yai Hai did
    testify to the House of Representatives Subcommittee on Human
    and Social Welfare about rural economic issues. Notably
    absent from the rally, according to its organizers, were
    Members of Parliament from any of the provinces or areas
    represented by the demonstrators, except for one Thai Rak
    Thai MP from Lamphun Province. Some noted Thai Senators,
    such as Thaksin critics Kraisak Choonhavan, Chermsak Pinthong
    and Democrat Party Leader MP Abhisit Vejjajiva did stop by
    the rally to listen and show their support.

    KEEPING WATCH ON THAI RAK THAI

    ¶5. (U) The Assembly of the Poor speakers presented a wide
    array of grievances against the government, but all
    reiterated the need for increased citizen participation in
    the democratic process. Many complained of environmental
    problems associated with locating of coal fired power plants
    or industries, such as paper mills near their homes. Others
    spoke about misuse of development funds and of policies to
    develop the country at the expense of the forests, water and
    other natural resources. One group opposed the joint venture
    Thai-Malaysia pipeline in southern Thailand, claiming
    government corruption in land allocation for laying the
    pipeline. Wannida noted that Thaksin\'s populist policies,
    such as the 2003 war on drugs, or the 30-baht health scheme,
    were quick fixes or \"tiger balm\" (a soothing Asian medicinal
    rubbing balm) that temporarily allayed public worries but did
    not provide systemic solutions to social problems. On March
    17, the group will submit recommendations to the Parliament
    and hold a press conference. They also plan to release a set
    of alternative national policy objectives once the Thaksin
    government reveals its policy planning statement in
    Parliament on March 23. Most important, the Assembly for the
    Poor will establish a People\'s Social Policy Monitoring
    Committee to assess the effect of government infrastructure
    projects on villagers in the hope of serving as a check on
    Thaksin\'s large majority in the Thai parliament.

    A MISSED OPPORTUNITY?

    ¶6. (SBU) Comment. Less than one week after stating in his
    inaugural address that he would seek greater public
    participation in the democratic process in Thailand, Thaksin
    has missed an excellent opportunity to make good on his
    words. While his snub of the lunch offer from the grassroots
    Assembly of the Poor has not resulted in massive criticism or
    rowdy demonstrations, he has let down a group of down-home
    country Thai folks committed to their families and
    communities and to participating in the future of Thailand.
    New Democrat Party Leader did not miss his chance to
    demonstrate that he will keep an ear open to their critiques
    of Thaksin administration policies. End Comment.
    BOYCE

`