MONTHLY REPORT--BANGKOK BUREAU--DECEMBER 1983

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP86-00040R000100190001-4
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 10
• Document Creation Date: December 21, 2016
• Document Release Date: March 31, 2008
• Sequence Number: 1
• Publication Date: January 11, 1984
• Content Type: MEMO

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11 January 1984
MBK-001
MEMORANDUM FOR: Director, Foreign Broadcast Information Service
THROUGH Chief, Operations Group
SUBJECT : Monthly Report--Bangkok Bureau--December 1983
I. GENERAL
1. The most notable event at the bureau during December came when we attempt-
ed to fill the swimming pool atop the building for a first-ever office STAT
Christmas swim party. Filling operations had barely raised the water level when
the building management informed us that the pool could not be filled, for fear
of structural damage to the building. Thus dies the legend that Bangkok is such
a plushy post that even the office has a swimming pool. ILLEGIB
2. Security at the embassy has been augmented beyond previous awareness
levels in the face of a general worldwide strengthening of entry procedures and
avenues and newspaper reports of a specific threat against the embassy in Bangkok.
The FBIS office itself has not been included in the threat, but uilding STAT
II. OPERATIONS
A. Monitorial/Editorial
1. Effective 3 January the Indonesian/Malay section expanded its duty
hours to incorporate a dayshift.
2. On 29 December the bureau obtained permission from headquarters to
consolidate routine Kampuchean battle reports into a weekly editorial report similar
to what is presently being done with Phnom Penh source reports on agriculture.
3. The bureau had occasion to test its fi e evacuation plan on 13 December
when a minor fire on the 6th floor of the building caused a half hour STAT
shutdown of operations. The FBIS area was secured and evacuated in good order.
B. Lateral Services
1. Effective 15 December the bureau ceased filing processing FYI's
to BBC on the Delhi English 0830, 1230, and 1530 GMT casts and the Karachi
Urdu 1500 GMT cast. BBC no longer is listening to these casts as well for
flash material.
2. The bureau has received permission from NEAD to cease subscribing
to the Kabul English-language newspaper NEW TIMES. We had been backstopping
NEAD's own subscription since May of 1982 but had not, during that period, been
requested to cover for lost editions.
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C. Technical
1. A small VHF base station has been received and installed alon with
two handheld units to be used for antenna field maintenance
2. We have received quotations for an IBM Personal Computer and com-
ponents as requested by SDS and have forwarded the information to headquarters.
3. Audio feed lines to monitorial booths are being redirected as space
for sections is being reallocated or new positions are being added.
4. On 6 January, the FBIS section atl I in conjunction with the STAT
AeroThai office there, hosted a New Year Buddhist blessing ceremony at the _STAT
facility for the first time in 3 years. An AeroThai technician had died accidentally
on the premises in each of the 2 s which had been Chief STAT/
Bureau Engineer ear Bureau Secretar Editor SIAI
and new Indonesian/Malay monitor attended the SIAI
ceremony.
III. ADMINISTRATION
A. Personnel
1, of Madras, the primary candidate for our new Tamil- STAT
Hindi-Urdu slot, has accepted our job offer and is in process.
2. Our Thai/Chinese candidate did not pass his securitySTAT
clearances. There being no other acceptable candidate, the bureau is restarting
the recruitment process.
3. Bureau employees were among those treated to a full Chinese dinner
at the Imperial Hotel on 22 December to mark the marriage of Communications
Section Deputy Chief
B. Buildings and Grounds
The bureau's construction projects, suspended in October and November
by flooding at the carpenter's shop, resumed in December. Two new monitorial
positions have been completed, doors have been cut between the offices in the
central monitorial booth section to facilitate future staff space allocation,
a door has been cut between the editorial and cruising rooms, and the consolidated
copy file shelves in the editorial room have been installed.
STAT
STAT
A Security officer from Seoul,
STAT
AEB: if
Enc: Monthly Production Report
Communication Report
STAT
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I. TOTALS FROM ALL SOURCES
TOTAL PUBLISHABLE WORDAGE FILED DURING MONTH:
TOTAL NON-PUBLISHABLE WORDAGE FILED DURING MONTH:
TOTAL NUMBER OF PUBLISHABLE ITEMS FILED DURING MONTH:
II. INPUT OF REGULAR COVERAGE:
(minutes or issues per week)
III. OUTPUT FROM ALL SOURCES:
(publishable words per month)
Melbourne Overseas Service in
English
Sydney THE AUSTRALIAN in
English
Sydney THE BULLETIN in
English
Sydney THE WEEKEND AUSTRALIAN in
English
BANGLADESH
Dhaka Domestic Service in
Bengali
Dhaka Domestic Service in
English
Dhaka BSS in
English
Dhaka SANGBAD in
Bengali
Dhaka THE BANGLADESH OBSERVER in
English
Rangoon Domestic Service in
Burmese
Rangoon BOTATAUNG in
Burmese
Rangoon LOKTHA PYEITHU NEZIN in
Burmese
Rangoon MYANMA ALIN in
Burmese
Rangoon WORKING PEOPLE'S DAILY in
English
583,840 (570,050)
244,430 (229,270)
1,374 ( 1,391)
15,390 ( 15,390) 20,205 ( 20,205) 232.23 ( 232.23)
min. min. issues
1,370 ( 5,800)
5,870 ( 8,190)
Beijing in
Cambodian to Kampuchea
4,400
(,
0)
Beijing in
Hindi to India
0
0)
Beijing in
Malay to Malaysia
0
(
0)
Beijing in
Urdu to India and Pakistan
0
(
0)
Beijing International in
Bengali
120
(
0)
Beijing International in
Burmese
1,400
(
350)
Beijing International in
Indonesian
540
(
0)
Beijing International in
Lao
420
(
0)
Beijing International in
Thai
390
(
0)
CLANDESTINE
(Clandestine) Radio Kawthulay in
Burmese to Burma
5,350
(
3,490)
(Clandestine) Radio Kawthulay in
Englf.uh to Burma
0
(
1,900)
5,000 ( 3,880)
0 ( 0)
0 ( 780)
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CLANDESTINE (continued)
(Clandestine) Voice of Democratic Kampuchea in
Cambodian 34,450 (
23,380)
(Clandestine) Voice of Malayan Democracy in
Malay 4,210 (
0)
(Clandestine) Voice of The National Army of Democratic
Kampuchean in Cambodian 2,64.0 (
6,180)
(Clandestine) Voice of The People of Burma in
Burmese 3,810 (
550)
(Clandestine) Voice of the People of Malaysia in
Malay 7,180 (
1,600)
Hong Kong AFP in
English
47,840 ( 65,110)
Delhi General Overseas Service in
English 3,250 ( 3,150)
Delhi Domestic Service in
English 34,220 ( 47,530)
Delhi ISI Diplomatic Information Service in
English
Bombay THE TIMES OF INDIA in
English
320 (
1
610)
,
Calcutta ANANDA BAZAR PATRIKA in
Bengali
0 (
0)
Calcutta THE STATESMAN in
English
1
670 (
710)
Delhi
,
INDIAN EXPRESS in
English
2,860 (
0)
Delhi
NATIONAL HERALD in
English
460 (
0)
Delhi
PATRIOT in
English
2
670 (
0)
,
Madras THE HINDU in
English
0 (
0)
Jakarta International Service in
English
2,090 (
2,980)
Jakarta Domestic Service in
Indonesian
6,880 (
9,910)
Jakarta BERITA BUANA in
Indonesian
0 (
0)
Jakarta JAKARTA POST in
English
1,080 (
700)
Jakarta KOMPAS in
Indonesian
0 (
0)
Jakarta MERDEKA in
Indonesian
1,010 (
0)
Jakarta TEMPO in
Indonesian
0..(
0)
Jakarta THE INDONESIA TIMES in
English
2,080 (
0)
Phnom Penh Domestic Service in
Cambodian
Phnom Penh SPK in
English
Phnom Penh SPK in
22,190 ( 13,370)
12,600 ( 13,240)
o ( o)
o ( o)
STAT
Vientiane Domestic Service in
Lao
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Vientiane in
Lao
Kuala Lumpur International Service in
English 4,400 ( 6,470)
Kuala Lumpur Domestic Service in
English 5,260 ( 3,220)
Kuala Lumpur Domestic Service in
Malay 550 ( 0)
Kuala Lumpur NEW STRAITS TIMES in
English
Kuala Lumpur NEW SUNDAY TIMES in
English
Katmandu External Service in
English
Katmandu THE RISING NEPAL in
English
Karachi Overseas Service in
Urdu 150 ( 390)
Karachi Domestic Service in
English 9,050 ( 8,670)
Karachi Domestic Service in
Urdu 5,230 ( 5,690)
Singapore Domestic Service in
English
Singapore THE STRAITS TIMES in
English
Singapore THE SUNDAY TIMES in
English
Colombo International Service in
English
Colombo Domestic Service in
English
Colombo DAILY NEWS in
English
Colombo THE SUN in
English
Colombo WEEKEND in
English
Bangkok Voice of Free Asia in
Cambodian
Bangkok Voice of Free Asia in
English
Bangkok Voice of Free Asia in
Lao
Bangkok Voice of Free Asia in
Thai
Bangkok Domestic Service in
English
Bangkok Domestic Service in
Thai
Bangkok BANGKOK POST in
English
Bangkok BANGKOK WORLD in
English
2,930 ( 3,230)
1,190 ( 500)
680
3,510
2,170
510
640
2,710
0)
3,470)
0)
4,130)
4,180)
3,420)
5,730 ( 7,200)
110 ( 80)
270 ( 1,800)
0 ( 0)
690 ( 0)
3,110 ( 110)
0 ( 0)
21,510 ( 29,790)
4,460 ( 3,270)
STAT
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Bangkok KHLET LAP in
Thai
0
0)
Bangkok LAK THAI in
Thai
820 (
1,020)
Bangkok MATICHON in
Thai
Bangkok MATICHON SUT SAPDA in
Thai
1,890 (
0 (
2,080)
1,360)
Bangkok MATUPHUM in
Thai
2,520 (
5,350)
Bangkok PATINYA in
Thai
Bangkok SIAM RAT in
Thai
Bangkok SU ANAKHOT in
Thai
0
1,940 (
500 (
0)
1,540)
570)
Bangkok THAI RAT in
Thai
Bangkok THE NATION REVIEW in
English
Bangkok Voice of Free Asia in
Vietnamese
230 (
20,680 (
430)
28,970)
Bangkok NAEO NA in Thai
Moscow in
Bengali to Bangladesh
3,630 (
0)
Moscow in
Burmese to Burma
140 (
180)
Moscow in
Cambodian to Kampuchea
0 (
580)
Moscow in
Hindi to India
1,210 (
0)
Moscow in
Indonesian to Indonesia
0 (
250)
Moscow in
Lao to Laos
1,150 (
0)
Moscow in
Thai to Thailand
950 (
0)
Moscow in
Urdu to India
0 (
0)
Moscow in
Urdu to Pakistan
0 (
0)
Moscow Radio Peace and Progress in
Indonesian
0 (
0)
Hanoi International Service in
Cambodian
0 (
0)
Hanoi International Service in
English
5,190 (
6,440)
Hanoi International Service in
Thai
1,060 (
110)
Hanoi Domestic Service in
Vietnamese
48,160 (
54,220)
Hanoi VNA in
9,230 (
16,340)
o (
o)
STAT
Hanoi QUAN DOI NHAN DAN in
Vietnamese
0 (
6
590)
Hanoi TAP CHI CONG SAN in
,
Vietnamese
29,530 (
26,030)
Hanoi
NHAN DAN in
Vietnamese
18,170 (
17,980)
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I.. GENERAL
STAT
II. STAFFING AND HOURS
The bureau's Communications Section is subordinate to the Chief Engineer and
Deputy Bureau Chief, with the former concentrating on the areas of equipment
maintenance and operating procedures and the latter on the areas of staffing. and
training--with considerable coordination between the two. The section's staff
consists of a chief teletypist, an assistant, two shift supervisors and four
teletypists.
Hours of operation of the bureau communications circuit are 0000 - 1730 GMT
(0700 - 0030 local) daily. Occasionally the circuit is kept open beyond normal
COB to pass high-precedence traffic. In addition, in case of an emergency, it
can be reopened any time after closure by initiating a service message request
to the switch STAT
The fact that most operators live a considerable distance from the bureau
has necessitated a good deal of flexibility in arranging shifts and scheduling
operators.
follows:
The work shifts and number of operators at the present time are as
0700-1600
(2)
0800-1700
(1)
1200-2100
(1)
(2 up to 3 days per week, depending on operators available)
1600-0100
(2)
III. EQUIPMENT
The bureau's communications room is equipped with 4 Extel model 305 ASR
printers, including one spare, 7 Extel model AF-11R RO printers, 2 Extel KAF-11R
printers, a Frederick model 1403A tape reader and a commercial Teletype model
32 ASR printer. One of the ASR printers is connected to the primary send circuit
whereby the tape reader can be used as a spare in place of the Frederick 1403A
tape reader.
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STAT
STAT
STAT
STAT
STAT
STAT
STAT
STAT
STAT
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STAT
C. Third Altroute'(Telex)
The Bureau's third altroute is via the international commerical Telex net-
work. Until other bureau altroutes can be brought up or as long as the outage
is not expected to be long lasting and there is not much priority traffic, the
Telex would be used to send priority messages to Seoul Bureau, where they would
be relayed to the addresses. However, in the event that Seoul could not relay
Bangkok Bureau's traffic, the Telex could be used to contact any other bureau with
Telex terminal or FBIS headquarters.
The Telex circuit is tested daily with Seoul Bureau to ensure that it can be
used when needed. The Bangkok Bureau's Telex number is 82744; answerback code is
FBIS BK TH.
VI. OUTAGE PROCEDURES
At the first sign of any problem on the primary communications circuit, the
Chief Teletypist or Shift Supervisor quickly checks all'in-house communications
equipment to determine that it is functioning properly. If after 1 hour the problem
has not been resolved, the Duty Editor will request the Chief Teletypist or Shift
Supervisor to activate bureau altroute to Embassy CPU (RUEHBT). He will then send
a brief operational immediate service message via the altroute to Headquarters,
Okinawa, London and BBC advising them of the communications outage in our primary
circuit and informing them that we are now transmitting on our altroute and that
no changes in traffic procedure are necessary. He will also notify them when
our primary circuit returns. Meanwhile, a second service message is sent to CSTAT
advising them of the outage and requesting their assistance in resolving the
problem. (These outage messages may be sent and the altroute activated sooner than
1 hour after the problem is first detected or later -- as much.as an hour -- depending
on the nature of the problem, the amount and priority of traffic being delayed, the
time of day and other factors). If the problem occurs during Embassy ours oSTAT
operation, the bureau operator can also work directly with operator by STAT
telephone or orderwire to try to understand and resolve it.
STAT
The bureau's third altroute is activated by the bureau teletype operator
on instructions from the editor by sending a brief service message via the
telex system to Seoul Bureau requesting that they relay the message to Headquarters,
Okinawa, London and the BBC advising them that Bangkok is filing traffic via Telex
to Seoul Bureau for relay and that any necessary coordination traffic be confined
to brief operational immediate service messages which should be routed to Seoul
Bureau with instructions to pass to Bangkok Bureau via Telex.
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VII. EMERGENCY ALERTS
When the bureau is closed, members of the bureau staff can be contacted by
Headquarters and field bureaus through the Embassy. An operational immediate
(NIACT IMMEDIATE) message addressed to RUEHBT/AMEMB BANGKOK with the flag
"PASS TO FBIS" will be telephoned immediately upon receipt by the Communications
Room personnel or the Marine Guard to members of the bureau staff (beginning
with the Deputy Bureau Chief) at home.
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