MONTHLY REPORT -- BANGKOK BUREAU -- SEPTEMBER 1986

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP87-01104R000100030004-5
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 8
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: May 21, 2012
• Sequence Number: 4
• Publication Date: October 2, 1986
• Content Type: MEMO

Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/05/21 : CIA-RDP87-01104R000100030004-5
2 October 1986
MBK--60 14
MEMORANDUM FOR Director, Foreign Broadcast Information Service
THROUGH: Chief, Operations Group
SUBJECT: Monthly Report ?.- Bangkok Bureau ?"-?"- September 1986
A. On 1 September, Evan Hineman, DS&."f, visited FBIS while on a
lw
trip through Asia. He was given an extensive briefing on the ROSET
installation at Bang Ping by the bureau chief, bureau engineer, and
satellite cruising officer, including a demonstration of its capabilities.
A tour of the Bureau itself followed during which he was familiarized with
the Bureau's coverage area and general responsibilities. He also met and
chatted briefly with all those on duty.
B. On the 16th, the acting bureau chief gave a presentation on FBIS
at the fall running of the Embassy's orientation program for all those
assigned to Bangkok in the last six months and particularly those who
arrived as part of the extensive summer turnover. As far as we can
determine this is the first time FBIS has been represented in the Embassy
orientation.
C. A series of problems has plagued the new government in Thailand
following the general elections in July and the -formation of the
government in August. The vocal coalition of opposition parties has kept
the government off balance since taking office through various challenges
to personalities and programs. The deputy interior minister was forced to
resign on the 1st, and at month's end the commerce minister is facing a no
confidence vote in parliament over his handling of Substantial imports of
logs from Burma. In between, the leader of the largest coalition party,
who is concurrently the senior deputy prime minister, seems to have
weathered a serious challenge to his leadership from a group of party
dissidents which could have had implications for the stability of the
coalition. While none of these problems has seriously threatened the new
government, they have had the effect of distracting its attention from the
more serious work that lies before it.
A. Monitorial/Editorial.
.. ............................ _..................................... _..... _..._............................
1. On 1 September, the Bureau began receiving ad hoc television
feeds on the roset of portions of the nonaligned movement's summit meeting
in Harare, Zimbabwe. The Bureau was able to file the major speech by
Indian Prime Minister Gandhi from live coverage on the 2nd, as well as
what appeared to be an imprompto press conference by Gandhi held on his
plane during his return to India. A number of VSLs were processed and
videotapes sent to MOD.
?
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 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/05/21 : CIA-RDP87-01104R000100030004-5
2. To assist Okinawa Bureau while its Vietnamese Unit is short
staffed, Bang4::ok has taken over coverage until further notice of the Hanoi
Domestic. Service casts at 100C.)-1015 and 1100-1145 GMT daily. This
consolidates all voice coverage originating in Vietnam at Bangkok Bureau.
3. On the 5th, the Bureau remained open several hours after
normal close of business to cover- the F'anAm hijacking in Karachi. An open
watch was put on Pakistani media which, however, was reticent about giving
out. details in a timely fashion.
4. The Bureau was forced to temporarily suspend coverage in
Bengali when the only remaining Bengali monitor had to take sick leave
between 16 and 21 September for a minor surgical procedure. (The other
Bengali. monitor, is still recovering in California from STAT
heart surgery.)
B. Lateral. Services
One item each was processed at the request of the BBC and of the
American Embassy in Laos.
C. Technical
1. Installation of the new microwave equipment proceeded apace
during the month at both the Bureau and Bang Ping. New dish antennas were
put in place at both locations without a hitch. By the 12th, work had
progressed to the point where it could be tested between the two
locations. The system worked well from the outset, and by the afternoon
of the 12th both television circuits had been tested and the Bureau could
receive television signals from ROSET in real time. At present the
technicians are transferring channels from the old microwave to the new.
It is expected this should be completed by the first or second week in
October.
2. A new feed supplied by ESG was installed on the small dish
antenna used to cover the S--band transmissions of the Indian satellite at
74 degrees east. Signal strengths immediately picked up and we are now
able to receive usable television audio and video from Indian TV. An
added bonus was discovered by the satellite cruiser when he found five
Indian radios in S-band transmissions consisting of both domestic and
international services of All India Radio.
1. On 30 September, arrived for a 3-month STAT
editorial training TDY. This is the first time in 5 years that Bangkok
Bureau has participated in the overseas editorial training program.
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/05/21 : CIA-RDP87-01104R000100030004-5
 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/05/21 : CIA-RDP87-01104R000100030004-5
2. The chief of London Bureau informed us during the month that
our prospective Cambodian monitor candidate had turned down our offer of
employment. He prefers to stay in England and pursue his present
employment there. STAT
3. On the 29th, a baby girl to be named was born to
Vietnamese monitor and his wife. STAT
A. DADDS&T Evan Hineman visited the Bureau on the 1st for tour and
familiarization. STAT
B. Former bureau chief and current chief of Analysis Group
from 18-?-23 September as part of an Asian trip.
STAT
STAT
wife of Bureau editor was selectecSTAT
from among a number of applicants to head the Embassy's Community Liaison
Office. This is a significant position at this large embassy and we
congratulate Linda on her appointment. STAT
Attachment: Monthly Production Report
a e , Bangkok
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/05/21 : CIA-RDP87-01104R000100030004-5
 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/05/21 : CIA-RDP87-01104R000100030004-5
TOTAL PUBLISHABLE WORDAGE FILED DURING MONTH:
TOTAL NON-PUBLISHABLE WORDAGE FILED DURING MONTH:
TOTAL NUMBER OF PUBLISHABLE ITEMS FILED DURING MONTH:
CASTS AGENCIES CATION
674,240
274,720
1,431
II. INPUT OF REGULAR COVERAGE: 20,940 2S,470 265.00
(minutes or issues per week) min. min. issues
1 1 1 . OUTPUT FROM ROSET SOURCES:
(publishable words per month)
Delhi Doordarshan Television Network in
English 41520
Kuala Lumpur BERNAMA in
English
Manila PNA in
English
Colombo Lanka Puwath in
English
ZIMBABWE
Har are Television Feed in
English 3,840
IV. OUTPUT FROM ALL OTHER SOURCES:
(publishable words per month)
Melbourne Overseas Service in
English
Sydney THE AUSTRALIAN in
English
101300
17, 280
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BROAD- PRESS FUBLI-
CASTS AGENCIES CATION
BANGLADESH
Dhaka Domestic Service in
English
Dhaka BSS in
English
Rangoon Domestic Service in
English
Rangoon Domestic Service in
Burmese
Rangoon WORKING PEOPLE'S DAILY in
English
CAMBODIA
Phnom Penh Domestic Service in
Cambodian
Phnom Penh SFK: in
English
Phnom Penh SFK: in
French
CHINA
7,250
Beijing in
Cambodian to Cambodia 13.750
(Clandestine) Voice of the People of Burma in
Burmese
(Clandestine) Voice of Democratic Kampuchea in
Cambodian
(Clandestine) Voice of the Khmer in
Cambodian
(Clandestine) Voice of the National Army Democratic
Kampuchea in
Cambodian
(Clandestine) Voice of Malayan Democracy in
Malay
,600
17,190
7,790
2,740
1=,710
Hong Kong AFF in
English 41,700
INDIA
Delhi General Overseas Service in
English 4,720
Delhi Domestic Service in
English 35,290
Delhi Domestic Service in
Hindi 480
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 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/05/21 : CIA-RDP87-01104R000100030004-5
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BROAD- PRESS PURL I --
CASTS AGENCIES CATION
INDIA
(continued)
Delhi
ISI. Diplomatic
English
In-formation Service in
5,520
Bombay THE TIMES OF
INDIA in
Eng I. i sh
65
Delhi
PATRIOT in
E= n g 1. i essh
1 ,
590
Delhi
THE HINDUSTAN TIMES in
English 4,56C)
Jakarta International Service in
English 1,410
Jakarta Domestic Service in
I n d o n e s i an 8, 710
Jakarta JAKARTA POST in
English
2,14C.)
Jakarta THE INDONESIA TIMES in
English
1 , 58
Jakarta BERITA BUANA in
Indonesian
85C)
Jakarta [:"'OMF'AS in
Indonesi an
520
Jakarta MERDEKA in
Indonesian
100
Jakarta TEMPO in
Indonesian
5,37C)
LAOS
Vientiane Domestic Service in
Laos
42,040
Vientiane [:"PL in
English
MALAYSIA
Kuala
Lumpur
English
International Service in
5,671--)
F::uala
Kuala
Lumpur
English
Lumpur
Malay
Domestic Service in
Domestic Service in
1,690
.::uala
Kuala
k::uala
k::~_ial
Lumpur
English
Lumpur
English
Lumpur
Mal ay
Lumpur
Malay
NEW STRAITS TIMES in
NEW SUNDAY TIMES in
BERITA HARIAN in
UTUSAN MALAYSIA in
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BROAD- PRESS PUBLI-
CASTS AGENCIES CATION
Katmandu THE RISING NEPAL in
English 5 _C)
Karachi Overseas Service in
Urdu 1,540
Karachi Domestic Service in
English 15,090
Karachi Domestic Service in
Urdu 1%,150
Islamabad THE MUSLIM in
English 2,830
Karachi DAWN in
English 4,66(-,,
Rawalpindi THE PAKISTAN Times in
English 4 , 82C)
E-::arachi JASAI:~AT in
Urdu _8C)
Karachi MASHRIQ! in
Urdu 34i)
Rawalpindi HAIDER in
Urdu 1,35C)
SINGAPORE
Singapore Domestic Service in
English
Singapore THE STRAITS TIMES in
English
Singapore THE SUNDAY TIMES in
English
Colombo International Service in
English
Colombo DAILY NEWS in
English
Colombo-SUN in
English
THAILAND
Bangkok Voice of Free Asia in
English e,40
Bangkok- Voice of Free Asia in
Thai 5,130
Bangkok Voice of Free Asi a in
Vietnamese 260
Bangkok: Domestic Service in
English 3 , 30
Bangkok Domestic Service in
Thai 10,180
Bangkok Television Service in
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3,61C)
2,080
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BROAD-
CASTS
Page 5
PRESS FUBILI-
AGENCIES CATION
THAILAND (continued)
Bangkok BANGKOK POST in
English
28,660
Bangkok: BANGKOK WORLD in
English
1=,940
Bangkok THE NATION in
Enc l i shy
24,750
Bangkok X IN ZHONG YUAN RIBAO in
Chinese
190
Bangkok XING XIAN RIBAO in
Chinese
170
Bangkok: ZHONG HUA RIBAO in
Chinese.
180
Bangkok KHAO PHISET in
Thai
1,700
Bangkok MATICHON in
Thai
2,44C-)
Bangkok N A E O NA in
Thai
4,670
Bangkok SIAM RAT in
Thai
5,210
Bangkok SIAM RAT SAFDA
Thai
W I CHAN
in
1,130
Bangkok SU ANAKHOT in
Thai
1 , 100
Bangkok THAI RAT in
Thai
2,350
UNION OF SOVIET SOCIALIST REPUBLICS
Moscow in
Hindi to India
Moscow in
Thai to Thailand
UNITED KINGDOM
London BBC World Service in
English 1,410
Hanoi International Service in
English
Hanoi Domestic Service in
Vietnamese
Hanoi VNA in
English
Hanoi NHAN DAN in
Vi etnamese
Hanoi QUAN DOI NHAN DAN in
Vi etnamese
95,100
15,460
5,160
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/05/21 : CIA-RDP87-01104R000100030004-5