MONTHLY REPORT--BANGKOK BUREAU--OCTOBER 1987

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP88-00733R000100030003-8
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 13
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: June 13, 2012
• Sequence Number: 3
• Publication Date: November 3, 1987
• Content Type: MEMO

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ROUTING AND RECORD SHEET
SUBJECT: (Optional)
Monthly Report -- Bangkok Bureau
FROM:
EXTENSION
NO.
Chief, Operations Group
3-5991
DATE
October 1987
TO: (Officer designation, room number, and
buildin
)
DATE
OFFICER'S
COMMENTS (Number each comment to show from whom
g
RECEIVED
FORWARDED
INITIALS
to whom. Draw a line across column after each comment.)
C/Ops
2.
3.
C/E$PS
4.
DD/FBIS
D/FBIS
a.
PO/RA
r2
SA/CD
/ 9
Ltt
9.
10.
C/AS
11.
12.
fi1Osti
C/AG
~~ ~-?-
'
13.
,
Admin Staff
14.
C/B&F
15.
Exec. Reg.
FORM
1-79 610
USE PREVIOUS
EDITIONS GPO : 1983 0 - 411-632
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3 November 1987
FBIS-3201-87
MEMORANDUM FOR: Director, Foreign Broadcast Information Service
THROUGH : Chief, Operations Group
SUBJECT : Monthly Report -- Bangkok Bureau -- October 1987
STAT
2. The bureau received plaudits for its Cambodian coverage from
an unexpected source when a caller claiming to represent the
Information Section of the National United Front for an Independent,
Neutral, Peaceful, and Cooperative Cambodia (FUNCINPEC) praised our
material but insisted that we render Prince Norodom Rannarit's name
"Ranariddh." The caller was told that we would take it under
advisement.
3. Following Headquarters' request for wall decorations for its
new Reston offices, bureau personnel conducted a photo contest STAT
throughout the month, with 45 entries submitted. Burmese Monitor
was awarded top honors by his peers. The best 20 or so will be STAT
urged, mounted, and sent in.
3. BBC Newsburo sent kudos on 6 October for the bureau's
extensive coverage from Melbourne radio of the Fiji Government
takeover and requested continued high priority coverage of
developments there.
A. Monitorial/Editorial
1. With the bureau's assumption of Hanoi VNA from Okinawa on
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25 October, coverage of Vietnamese media became centrally located at
one bureau for the first time in well over 20 years. Okinawa will
continue backstopping VNA for the foreseeable future.
2. Coverage of the 8 October opening of the usually lackluster
ruling Burmese Socialist Party Central Committee meeting turned out
to be anything but routine for the two-person unit when the bureau
was informed that one monitor had just been rushed to the hospital
with a severe case of "Bangkok Belly" just after the other member of
the team had left the bureau for the day. The latter was finally
located at home and was able to listen to Rangoon Domestic from there
with the understanding that she would come back in if anything
important was aired on the meeting. Fortunately, nothing was, and
the ill monitor made a speedy recovery.
3. Still on Burma, when a number of embassy consumers called
11 October asking about the crash of a domestic airliner in that
country, the best the bureau could come up with that day was a Delhi
Domestic version. However, true to form, Rangoon Domestic came up a
day late, but with a list of the 44 killed, including several
Americans, which enabled the embassy to answer queries from anxious
relatives.
4. Alert Bang Ping cruisers were able to intercept an
unscheduled Domsat relay of a recorded speech to Manila businessmen
by Philippine President Aquino being carried by Quezon City RPN 9
Television on 20 October. Bureau personnel quickly filed the
45-minute text of what was said to be the president's toughest speech
to date in which she took a firm stand against renegade military and
B. Cruising
1. Beginnin 26 October and continuing through November, local
Satellite Cruiser is undergoing HF cruising training at the STAT
bureau. Once Moscow international service frequency change checks
are completed, local HF Cruiser Owill begin a month's training STAT
in satellite cruising techniques.
STAT
3. An extensive check of IRNA satellite transmissions was
conducted 13 October and the results sent to Nicosia to assist it in
its search for IRNA after BBC's leased line went dead.
4. At MOD's request, an update of all XINHUA transmissions on
satellite has been underway since 29 October. Extensive checks of
English-language transmissions are being conducted to determine
transmission spans.
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C. L teral Services
1. At the request of an embassy consumer, AG is pouching all
the Trends pieces and analysis reports done on the Cambodian issue
since the founding of the PRK in 1979.
2. Throughout the month the bureau received requests for
items from the American Embassy Jordan, BBC, AG, and the
local embassy Political Section, VOA and USIS.
D. Technical
1. The bureau has been on altroute continuously since 19
October and is expected a in this mode until at least
mid-November while awaits a part needed to restore STAT
its primary circuit. or una a y, the altroute has suffered only one
brief outage since then.
2. A 4.5-meter dish antenna with feed and LNA was purchased
and shipped to Okinawa at its request. The antenna will be used to
replace the Pesos dish that was destroyed during a typhoon.
3. The elevation system on the analysis antenna has been
malfunctioning. The problem is that the antenna will not move in the
upward direction all the time. Inspection revealed that there is
excessive wear on the drive gear and wormshaft. Although the system
is still operational, the necessary replacement parts have been
ordered and will be installed as soon as they arrive.
4. When it rains it pours. The AZ control system on the
operational Roset antenna also malfuctioned this reporting period.
The problem has been traced to the wide bandwidth synchronized
isolation amplifier motor control. The unit has been placed on
order. Meanwhile, the antenna can still be used operationally.
III. ADMINISTRATION
A. Personnel
STAT
1. 'A ceremony was held on 26 October to present a number of
spec . Chief of the IBM Indonesia, Burma, and Malaysia)
Unit and Roset Cruise received Special Achievement STAT
Certi ica es, accompanied by su stantial cash awards, for their
pioneering automation efforts at the bure-ail- The entire Cambodian
STAT
Monitorial Unit- -were awarded Special A
dpvalnni ccomplishment C r i ica es an cash away s for their roles in STAT
7the" Cambodian Personalities" reference aid. Editor STAT
also received a Special Achievement Certificate and cash
away or supplying the computer expertise and for being the driving
force behind this project.
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STAT
2. At the same ceremon , a number of bu eau members received STAT
service pins. Technician and Lao mnnitnir~ ceived 20-year STAT
pins, Associate E r and 15-year pins, STAT
and teletypist a 1 -year pin. 51AI
3. the youngest daughter of departed STAT
for the United Staten and college on 16 October a era long and STAT
arduous struggle to obtain the proper identity and travel documents.
B. Buildings and Grounds
1. The bureau kitchen was completely renovated during this
reporting period. Renovations included a new ceramic tile floor, new
cabinets, a stove, dishwasher, electrical wiring, and plumbing.
2. The bureau's technical shop was also renovated this month,
with new flooring, workbenches, and storage facilities being
installed.
1. On 16 October, the bureau chief participated in a briefing
for VOA Deputy Director Alan Heil and VOA Division Chief Klecka, who
were here for a review of VOA's Cambodian programs.
2. Mr. Robert Gates visited the bureau on 28 October.
3. The last remaining LEC TDYer, left 30 October
after completing the 30 days of post a ivery support for FBA-1.
Chief, Bangkok Bureau
STAT
STAT
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:L ? f'O"PALS FROM ALL SOURCES:
TOTAL PUBLISHABLE WORDAGE FILED DURING MONTH: 819,070
TOTAL. NON-PUBLISHABLE WORDAGE FILED DURING MONTH: 238, ' 60
TOTAL NUMBER OF PUBLISHABLE ITEMS FILED DURING MONTH: 1,681.
BROAD- PRESS PUBLI._
CASTS AGENCIES CATION
11. INPUT OF' REGULAR COVERAGE: 20,052 19, 250 3:6.46
(minutes or issues per week) min. min. issues
III. OUTPUT FROM ROSET SOURCES:
(pu.ibl ishabl e words per month)
INDIA
Delhi General Overseas Service in
English 4,7?0
Delhi Doordarshan Television Network in
English 2,420
Delhi Domestic Service in
English 57,250
INDONESIA
Jakarta ANTARA in
English 8C)
IRAN
Tehran IRNA in
English
MALAYSIA
b::Ual. a Lumpur RTM Television Network. I in
Malay
I:;Ua1 a L._uMpur BERNAMA i n
E:ngi i sh
1='HILI PP I NE
Quezon City RPN 9 Television in
English
Manila PNA in
English
Colombo LANKA PUWATH in
English
3, 380
19, 120
24, 020
3E;, i)9(_)
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Page::, 2
OUTPUT FROM ALL SOURCES:
(publishable words per month)
AUSTRALIA
Melbourne Overseas Service in
Eng:L i sh
Sydney THE AUSTRALIAN in
English
Sydney THE BULLETIN in
English
Sydney THE WEEKEND AUSTRALIAN in
BROAD- PRESS PURL. I --
CASTS AGENCIES CATION
25,570
English
Dhaka
Overseas
English
Service i n
260
Dhaka
Domestic
English
Service in
4,090
Dhaka
Domestic
Bengali
Service in
C-
Dhaka THE BANGLADESH OBSERVER in
English
Dhaka SANGBAD in
Bengali
K~.~al a Bel ai t THE BORNEO BULLETIN in
English
Rangoon Domestic Service in
English
Rangoon Domestic Service in
Burmese
Rangoon WORKING PEOPLE'S DAILY in
English
Rangoon BOTATAUNG in
Burmese
Rangoon LOKTHA PYE I THU NE Z I N in
Burmese
Rangoon MYANMA ALIN in
Burmese
CAMBODIA
Phnom Penh Domestic Service in
Cambodian
Phnom F'enh SPK in
English
Phnom Penh SPK in
French to k:FI_ Vientiane
Phnom Penh SPK in
French
16, 09C>
i.0. 43(
C>
12, 130
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Page
BROAD- PRE:sS PUBL_ I --.
CASTS AGENCIES CATION
CHINA
Beijing International Service in
Bengal i 0
Beijing International Service in
Burmese 130
Beijing International Service in
Indonesian 0
Beijing International Service in
L.ao 5.0
Beijing International Service in
Thai
C)
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PHILIPPINES
Quezon City RPN 9 Television in
Engl. i sh
Manila PNA in
English
SINGAPORE.
Singapore Domestic Service in
English
Singapore THE STRAITS TIMES in
English
Singapore THE SUNDAY TIMES in
English
SRI LANKA
Colombo International Service in
English
Colombo Domestic Service in
English
Colombo Domestic Service in
T'ami 1
Colombo LANKA PUWATH in
English
Colombo DAILY NEWS in
English
Colombo SUN in
English
Colombo WEEV-:'END in
English
Colombo V I RAKESAR I in
Tamil
THAILAND
Bangkok Voice of Free Asia in
English
Bangkok: Voice of Free Asia in
Cambodian
Bangkok Voice of Free Asia in
Thai
Bangkok Domestic Service in
English
Bangkok Domestic Service in
Thai
Bangkok. First. Army Division Radio in
Thai
Bangkok Army Television Channel. 5 in
Thai
Bangkok BANGK--:'%:: POST in
English
Bangkok THE NATION in
English
Bangkok k::HAO PHISET in
Thai
Page 6
BROAD- PRESS PUBL :l'
CASTS AGENCIES CATION
19,120
9,550
180
2,950
2,850
2,840
8 , 720
900
1 , 090
, 80i i
790
4, 450
C>
410
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F'age 7
BROAD- PRESS PUBL I
CASTS AGENCIES CATION
THAILAND (continued)
Bangkok. LAK THAI in
Thai
Bangkok MATICHON in
Thai
Bangkok MAT I CHON SUT SAF'DA ill
Thai
Bangkok NAEO NA in
Thai
Bangkok SIAM RAT in
Thai
Bangkok SIAM RAT' SAPDA WICHAN in
Thai
Bangkok SLJ ANAi..HOT in
Thai
Bangkok THAI RAT in
Thai.
Bangkok ZHONG HUA RIBAO in
Chinese
Bangkok XING XIAN RIBAO in
Chinese
Bangkok: XIN ZHONG YUAN RIBAO in
Chinese
UNION OF SOVIET SOCIALIST REPUBLICS
Moscow International Service in
Tamil 1 , 950
Moscow International Service in
Vietnamese 0)
Moscow in
Bengali to Bangladesh 170)
Moscow in
Burmese to Burma 890
Moscow in
Cambodian to Cambodia 9, 0)90)
Moscow in
Hindi to India 0
Moscow in
Indonesian to Indonesia 720
Moscow in
Lao to Laos 1,B60
Moscow in
Thai to Thai ]. and c
Moscow in
Urdu.( to I'll di a C)
Moscow in
Ur d u to Pakistan 0)
Moscow Radio Peace and Progress in
Indonesian C)
UNITED KINGDOM
London BBC: World Service in
English 3530
0)
171
820)
t::)
190
950
f,)
1., 570
1Y 550
50C)
1. , 6901
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BROAD- PRESS PUBL.. I --
CASTS AGENCIES CATION
VIETNAM
Hanoi
International
English
Service in
7,520
Hanoi
International
Cambodi an
Service in
0
Hanoi
International
Thai
Service in
170
Hanoi Domestic Service in
Vietnamese
93,570
Hanoi VNA in
English
Hanoi NHAN DAN in
Vietnamese
Hanoi QUAN DOI NHAN DAN in
Vietnamese
Hanoi 'TAP CHI CONG SAN in
Vietnamese
Hanoi. TAP CHI QUAN DO I NHAN DAN in
Vietnamese
Ho Chi Minh City SAIGON GIAI PHONG in
Vietnamese
14,660
1, 66()
4,740
1 , 920
1._!, 120
2,550
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