MONTHLY REPORT- BANGKOK BUREAU- SEPTEMBER 1987

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP88-00733R000100030006-5
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 13
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: June 13, 2012
• Sequence Number: 6
• Publication Date: October 5, 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
September 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.)
1.
C/Ops
2.
C/E&PS
DD/FBIS
D/FBIS
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d 7
_
6.
7.
Po
PO/RA
n
8.
SA/CD
/O
7
9.
10.
C/AS
0
11.
L~(
,o
12.
C/AG
13.
Admin Staff
14.
C/B&F
15.
Exec. Reg.
FOR
1-79M 610 USEEDITIONPREVIOUSS
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5 October 1987
MBK-7018
MEMORANDUM FOR: Director, Foreign Broadcast Information Service
THROUGH : Chief, Operations Group
SUBJECT : Monthly Report -- Bangkok Bureau --September 1987
1. The centennial of Thai-Japan relations was marked by an
exchange of visits by Japanese Prime Minister Nakasone and Thai Crown
Prince Maha Wachiralongkon and live tv linkups between the two
countries on 26 September, during which the Thai and Japanese prime
ministers exchanged platitudes on the Bangkok end and the crown
princes of Japan and Thailand did likewise from Tokyo. However, what
should have been a festive occasion ended with the Thai crown prince
cutting short his 8-day visit by 3 days, claiming "important duties
waiting in Bangkok," and the Thai Foreign Ministry demanding an
official apology from the Japanese Government on 2 October for the
"inappropriate treatment" accorded the crown prince during his visit. While the Foreign Ministry refused to divulge just what the
inappropriate treatment entailed, Bangkok newspaper columnists !~-"~
alleged that two of the incidents that upset the prince consisted of
his Japanese chauffeur making an unscheduled pit stop alongside the
road while driving him to an official function and the fact that the
Japanese had scheduled a visit for him to a temple for married
Buddhist monks.
2. A missing U.S. veteran of the Vietnam war and a private group
led by former U.S. Congressman William Hendon seeking information on
MIA's in Laos resulted in a number of phone calls from the embassy to
the bureau on the former and the Thai Government expressing its
displeasure on the latter. The first report of the missing American
surfaced on AFP on 11 September, citing Kyodo, but Okinawa Bureau had
monitored no such report. It was not until the Phnom Penh press
agency officially announced on 22 September that it had arrested the
former soldier on 2 May that the bureau was able to satisfy embassy
consumers.
In the second instance, a private group of Americans led by the
former congressman arrived in Bangkok on 16 September planning to
release helium-filled balloons along the Thai-Lao border containing
messages offering $2.4 million in rewards for a live U.S. POW. The
Thai authorities vetoed the plan in the interest of Thai-Lao
relations, but did allow the group to put the messages in plastic
bags and float them down the Mekong River. However, this didn't stop
the Laotians from charging the Thais with conducting
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psychological warfare and accusing the United States of saying one
thing and doing another as regards the MIA issue.
A. Monitorial/Editorial
1. With the exception of one editor on R&R, one monitor on
A/L, and one teleop on extended sick leave, all bureau personnel have
completed their computer training in the FBA-1 system. Initial
Operational Capability (IOC) of the new system was achieved on 30
September and it has been functioning smoothly since then. One LEC
trainer will remain at the bureau an additional week to train the
editors in. communications procedures so that they can backstop the
teleops as necessary.
2. The Lao Unit, reduced to just two men with the retirement
earlier in the month of one of its senior monitors, exerted a
tremendous effort in covering the Lao National Front Congress 9-11
September, processing some 30 takes of speeches alone. They were
ably assisted by a Thai monitor with rusty Lao capability, who was
able to do the Lao program summaries, thereby allowing his colleagues
to concentrate on the congress material. BBC expressed its
appreciation for an out-of-turn excerpt on foreign policy from Kayson
Phomvihan's speech at the congress, stating that it was "just what
the newsroom needed."
3. Vietnam's various announcements 16-18 September on the
release of military and civilian personnel of the Saigon regime from
reeducation camps initially led to a great deal of confusion among
consumers as to just how many detainees remained in the camps. The
first English report maintained that 90,000 were still being held,
but further reports stated that was the figure in 1975, and that only
about one percent of that number were still being detained.
4. Vietnamese unit chief was called upon to give a STAT
crash course in Vietnamese economic terms to a newly arrived embassy
political officer only recently assigned to the Indochina desk.
B. Cruising
1. An HF-cruising survey was conducted in Chiang Mai
Province 14-18 Se tember by staff cruiser and local STAT
satellite cruiser to check out a radio reception STAT
in that area and to provide cruising survey training for STAT
Although reception at Chiang Mai proved to be no better tkan at the
bureau in every case but one- International Service in
Hindi--the survey did enhance-colombocruising experience. STAT
C. r.atera 1 rServices
1. At the embassy political section's request, London was
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asked to provide a series of articles on Vietnam from the Daily
Telegraph.
2. At VOA's request, AG was asked to provide a copy of
Cambodia's August 1984 National Reconciliation Policy.
3. The Defense Attache's office at the embassy was put on
local distribution for all incoming and outgoing material on Cambodia
at its request.
D. Technical
1. At Hong Kong Bureau's request, the bureau phone-patched it
the audio portion of its Philippines' Quezon City RPN 9 Television
cast to determine the cast's reception there in the event of future
Philippine crises in which a Tagalog language capability would be
necessar to translate significant items. The test was a complete
success .
A. Personnel
1. The bureau chief gave a short talk on the FBIS Bangkok
Bureau at the Mission Orientation Pro ram on 10 'ng
the day session were STAT
STAT
2. On 30 September, a number of bureau -personnel attended a STAT
endoff for contractors STAT
who have wore on a part-time basis STAT
at t e bureau or the past 12 years. With the advent of FBA-1 and
the resultant reduction in teletype and Extel equipment, we no longer
have a need for their services. STAT
. eon for STAT
hat the seafood
ant in the Ambassador Hote .
Unfortunately, his gift, a go ag, as no arrive-de
y
B. Buil A Grounds
1. Contracts were let to local companies to install new
carpeting in the bureau and to completely remodel the kitchen.
STAT
STAT
2. The service road on the west side of the main building at
Bang Ping was resurfaced this reporting period.
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1. I, AG division chief, visited the bureau
20-23 September tor discussions on AG-related coverage.
2. ADD FBA Segment Manager and LEC project
previous
departed 1 October after declaring IOC the
3. Okinawa Bureau engineer, visited Bangkok
Bureau 13-17 September-to observe FBA-1 and the Direct Dial system
(which did not work).
4. Headquarters analyst
September for a briefing and tour.
Chief, Bangkok Bureau
STAT
STAT
STAT
STAT
visited the bureau 23 STAT
STAT
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1.
TOTALS FROM ALL SOURCES:
TOTAL PUBLISHABLE WORDAGE FILED DURING MONTH:
651,460
TOTAL NON-PUBLISHABLE WORDAGE FILED DURING MONTH:
230,690
TOTAL NUMBER OF PUBLISHABLE ITEMS FILED DURING MONTH:
1,219
BROAD-
CASTS
PRESS
AGENCIES
PUBLI-
CATION
II.
INPUT OF REGULAR COVERAGE: 21,748
36,450
227.00
III.
(minutes or issues per week) min.
OUTPUT FROM ROSET SOURCES:
min.
issues
(publishable words per month)
INDIA
Delhi Doordarshan Television Network in
English
Delhi Domestic Service in
English
INDONESIA
Jakarta ANTARA in
English
MALAYSIA
Kuala Lumpur RTM Television Network 1 in
Malay
Kuala Lumpur BERNAMA in
English
PHILIPPINES
Quezon City RPN 9 Television in
English
Manila AITV RFO Television Feed in
English to Paris
Manila PNA in
English
SRI LANKA
Colombo LANKA PUWATH in
English
36,180
2,470
9,050
6,800
9,070
2, 160
15,270
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IV. OUTPUT FROM ALL SOURCES:
(publishable words per month)
AUSTRALIA
Melbourne Overseas Service in
English 26,580
Sydney THE AUSTRALIAN in
English
Sydney THE BULLETIN in
English
Sydney THE WEEKEND AUSTRALIAN in
English
BANGLADESH
Dhaka
Overseas
English
Service in
550
Dhaka
Domestic
English
Service in
2,540
Dhaka
Domestic
Bengali
Service in
0
Dhaka BSS in
English
Dhaka THE BANGLADESH OBSERVER in
English
Dhaka SANGBAD in
Bengali
BRUNEI
Kuala Belait THE BORNEO BULLETIN in
English
BURMA
Rangoon Domestic Service in
Burmese
Rangoon WORKING PEOPLE'S DAILY in
English
Rangoon BOTATAUNG in
Burmese
Rangoon LOKTHA PYEITHU NEZIN in
Burmese
Rangoon MYANMA ALIN in
Burmese
CAMBODIA
Phnom Penh Domestic Service in
Cambodian
Phnom Penh SPK in
Page 2
BROAD- PRESS PUBLI-
CASTS AGENCIES CATION
5,500
14,860
1,080
0
260
English
12,690
Phnom
Penh
French
SPK
to
in
KPL
Vientiane
0
Phnom
Penh
French
SPK
in
6,490
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Page ?3
BROAD- PRESS PUBLI-
CASTS AGENCIES CATION
CAMBODIA (continued)
Phnom Penh VNA in
Vietnamese to VNA Hanoi
Phnom Penh VNA in
French to VNA Hanoi
CHINA
Beijing International Service in
Bengali
Beijing International Service in
Burmese
Beijing International Service in
Indonesian
0
430
740
Beijing International Service in
Lao
0
Beijing International Service in
Thai
00
Beijing in
Cambodian to Cambodia
6,110
Beijing in
Hindi to India
0
Beijing in
Malay to Malaysia
1,610
Beijing in
Urdu to India and Pakistan
430
Beijing International Service in
Vietnamese
550
CLANDESTINE
(Clandestine) Voice of Tamil Eelam in
English
0
(Clandestine) Voice of Democratic Kampuchea in
Cambodian
12,860
(Clandestine) Voice of Malayan Democracy in
Malay
00
(Clandestine) Voice of the Khmer in
Cambodian
6,350
(Clandestine) Voice of the National Army of
Democratic Kampuchea in
Cambodian
3 , 830
(Clandestine) Voice of the People of Burma in
Burmese
650
(Clandestine) Voice of Tamil Eelam in
Tamil
0
HONG KONG
Hong Kong AFP in
English 53,580
Delhi General Overseas Service in
English 2,890
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INDIA (continued)
Delhi Doordarshan Television Network in
English
Delhi Domestic Service in
English
Delhi ISI Diplomatic Information Service in
English
Delhi INDIAN EXPRESS in
English
Delhi PATRIOT in
English
Delhi THE HINDUSTAN TIMES in
English
Delhi INDIA TODAY in
English
Calcutta ANANDA BAZAR PATRIKA in
Bengali
INDONESIA
Jakarta International Service in
English
Jakarta Domestic Service in
Indonesian
Jakarta ANTARA in
English
Jakarta JAKARTA POST in
English
Jakarta THE INDONESIA TIMES in
English
Jakarta BERITA BUANA in
Indonesian
Jakarta KOMPAS in
Indonesian
Jakarta MERDEKA in
Indonesian
Jakarta TEMPO in
Indonesian
Jakarta SUARA PEMBARUAN in
Indonesian
BROAD- F'RESS PUBLI-
CASTS AGENCIES CATION
36, 180
0
0
5, 100
1,240
1 , 490
4,40:00
6,800
1,640
c_i
1 , 020
Vientiane Domestic Service in
Laos
Vientiane KPL in
56,790
English
+4,000
Vientiane KPL
English
in
to SPK Phnom Penh
0
Vienti
KPL
i
ane
French t
n
o SPK
Phnom Penh
0
Vientiane SF'K
in
French t
o SPK
Phnom Penh
0
Vientiane VNA
in
Vietnamese to VNA Hanoi
0
Vientiane PASASON in
Lao
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LAOS (continued)
Vientiane VIENTIANE MAI in
Lao
MALAYSIA
Kuala
Lumpur
English
International Service in
5,270
Kuala
Lumpur
English
Domestic Service in
2, 100
Kuala
Lumpur
Malay
RTM Television Network 1
in
2,470
Kuala
Lumpur
English
BERNAMA in
9,070
Kuala
Kuala
Kuala
Kuala
Kuala
Kuala
Lumpur
English
Lumpur
English
Lumpur
Malay
Lumpur
Malay
Lumpur
Malay
Lumpur
Malay
NEW STRAITS TIMES in
NEW SUNDAY TIMES in
BERITA HARIAN in
BERITA MINGGU in
MINGGUAN MALAYSIA in
UTUSAN MALAYSIA in
NEPAL
Kathmandu External Service in
English
Kathmandu THE RISING NEPAL in
English
NEW ZEALAND
Auckland THE NEW ZEALAND HERALD in
English
Wellington THE EVENING POST in
English
PAKISTAN
Karachi Overseas Service in
English
Karachi Overseas Service in
Urdu
Karachi Domestic Service in
English
Karachi Domestic Service in
Urdu
Islamabad THE MUSLIM in
English
Karachi DAWN in
English
Rawalpindi HAIDER in
Urdu
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BROAD- PRESS F'UBL_ I -
CASTS AGENCIES CATION
1,960
0
5,340
12,090
1,250
1,700
650
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PAKISTAN (continued)
Lahore JANG in
Urdu
Karachi NAWA-I WAQT in
Urdu
PHILIPPINES
Quezon City RPN 9 Television in
English
Manila AITV RFO Television Feed in
English to Paris
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
Tamil
Colombo LANKA PUWATH in
English
Colombo DAILY NEWS in
English
Colombo SUN in
English
Colombo WEEKEND in
English
THAILAND
BROAD- PRESS PUBLI-
CASTS AGENCIES CATION
9,050
2,580
0
0
Bangkok Voice of Free Asia in
English 580
Bangkok Voice of Free Asia in
Cambodian 0
Bangkok Voice of Free Asia in
Lao 0
Bangkok Voice of Free Asia in
Thai 4,650
Bangkok Voice of Free Asia in
Vietnamese 0
Bangkok Domestic Service in
English 3,030
Bangkok Domestic Service in
Thai 3,940
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2 , 160
15,270
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THAILAND (continued)
Bangkok First Army Division Radio in
Thai
Bangkok Army Television Channel 5 in
Thai
Bangkok BANGKOK POST in
English
Bangkok THE NATION in
English
Bangkok KHAO PHISET in
Thai
Bangkok LAK THAI in
Thai
Bangkok MATICHON in
Thai
Bangkok MATICHON SUT SAPDA in
Thai
Bangkok NAEO NA in
Thai
Bangkok SIAM RAT in
Thai
Bangkok SIAM RAT SAPDA WICHAN in
Thai
Bangkok SU ANAKHOT 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
BROAD- PRESS PUBLI-
CASTS AGENCIES CATION
3,360
29100
18,900
41,940
2 , 370
0
6,590
1 , 360
2,050
0
1,320
490
190
Moscow International Service in
Tamil 0
Moscow International Service in
Vietnamese 780
Moscow in
Bengali to Bangladesh 0
Moscow in
Burmese to Burma 0
Moscow in
Cambodian to Cambodia 0
Moscow in
Hindi to India 1,310
Moscow in
Indonesian to Indonesia 650
Moscow in
Lao to Laos 0
Moscow in
Thai to Thailand 0
Moscow in
Urdu to India 0
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BROAD- PRESS PUBL I -
CASTS AGENCIES CATION
UNION OF SOVIET SOCIALIST REPUBLICS (continued)
Moscow in
Urdu to Pakistan
Moscow Radio Peace and Progress in
Indonesian
London BBC World Service in
English
0
Hanoi
International
English
Service in
_6 310
Hanoi
International
Cambodian
Service in
0
Hanoi
International
Thai
Service in
500
Hanoi Domestic Service in
Vietnamese
110,320
Hanoi NHAN DAN in
Vietnamese
Hanoi QUAN DOI NHAN DAN in
Vietnamese
Hanoi TAP CHI CONG SAN in
Vietnamese
Hanoi TAP CHI QUAN DOI NHAN DAN in
Vietnamese
Ho Chi Minh City SAIGON GIAI PHONG in
Vietnamese
Hanoi SU THAT PUBLISHING HOUSE in
Vietnamese
5,970
1,830
8,810
4,690
1,680
21, 000
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