MONTHLY REPORT -- BANGKOK BUREAU -- AUGUST 1986

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP87-01104R000100030005-4
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 9
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: May 21, 2012
• Sequence Number: 5
• Publication Date: August 4, 1986
• Content Type: MEMO

Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/05/21 : CIA-RDP87-01104R000100030005-4
4 August 1986
MBK-6013
MEMORANDUM FOR: Director, Foreign Broadcast Information Service
THROUGH: Chief, Operations Group
SUBJECT: Monthly Report -- Bangkok Bureau -- August 1986
A. The major political activities following last month's elections
held most people's attention throughout the month. General Prem
Tinsulanon was again named prime minister, indicating a general
continuation of previous policies. Disputes within the largest coalition
partner, heavy opposition criticism of Prem's formal government statement,
and particularly the furor created by a minister's alleged lese majeste
statements touching the monarchy during the election campaign threatened
to paralyze the government before it had a chance to begin its work. The
major roadblock was removed on 1 September when the minister in question
resigned to let legal proceedings run their course.
B. The Bureau continues to expand the use of its IBM PCs and is
already experiencing what we consider to be significant gains. FSRs,
budget messages, satellite and radio cruising messages, the monthly
report, cabinet and diplomatic lists, and other administrative uses are
proving to be real time savers. By eliminating retyping and
after-the-fact proofreading, accuracy and efficiency have increased and
corrections have decreased. During the month the satellite cruising
monitor and his assistant began providing cruising messages on diskettes,
much to the relief of teletypists and busy editors. The one day delay
(more when a weekend was'involved) inherent in getting such messages from
Bang Ping to the Bureau will shortly be overcome when a defective modem is
repaired and the messages can then be sent the same day via telephone
Ines. In addition, about half of the Bureau's monitorial staff are now
fusing the PCs. Their items are also edited on PCs and given to the
teletypists who attach the appropriate headers but no longer need to
repunch the items themselves. Teletypists are also enthusiastic about the
one machine they have available to them. A strict timetable has been set
up by the unit chief to ensure that all teletypists are able to have their
fair share of time on the PC, and the unit is eagerly looking forward to
the arrival of a second machine already ordered by ADD. So far use of the
PC has been strictly voluntary, and the reactions of those involved have
alI been posit--
A. Monitorial/Editorial
1. On the 3rd, the Bureau's ROSET capability was used to help
cover the Malaysian elections. The audio from a Kuala Lumpur television
station was fed to the Bureau while the Malaysian press agency BERNAMA was
monitored on another satellite circuit.
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2. On the 12th, the Bureau began filing material from the Sri
Lanka press agency LANKA PUWATH off the 60 east Intelsat. It has produced
good material, particularly with the Tamil insurgency causing so many
problems.
3. The levels of unrest in Pakistan and parts of India are also
very high, which is reflected in the number of items being filed on these
areas. Items in this category judged to have news value to BBC are now
being filed at dual O/P precedence at BBC's request. On the 11th, the
Bureau held monitors past normal closing to finish processing of an
important speech by Pakistani Prime Minister Junejo.
4. On the 15th, both ROSET dishes were pressed into service to
cover two overlapping live events being covered on two different
satellites. The audio of the independence day speeches by Indian Prime
Minister Rajiv Gandhi and Indonesian President Suharto was fed live to the
Bureau from Bang Ping where full staffing in the South Asian and
Indonesia/Burma/Malaysia units had been laid on. The speeches were
processed expeditiously and later VSLs were processed on both events.
5. The Bureau's Vietnamese unit helped Okinawa Bureau process
several lengthy installments of the Hanoi city party organization's draft
political report broadcast on the 22d and 23d and took over coverage on
the 30th to help ease their burden while one of their monitors was on sick
leave. Then on the 26th the Bureau covered several of Okinawa's
Vietnamese casts because of staffing problems associated with typhoon
Vera.
B. Lateral Services
1. On the 19th, the Bureau received a request from the American
Consulate in Peshawar asking that it be added as a recipient of FBIS
material on Afghanistan and Pakistan. The Bureau began sending them
responsive material and the request was passed on to L&R.
2. The Bureau processed one item at the request of the American
Embassy in Laos during the month.
C. Technical
Four racks of microwave equipment and two dish antennas were
received From Headquarters. The new microwave will replace the current
one which is not capable of handling the ROSET television capability.
A. F'ersonnel
STAT
1. On the 2nd,l Idepar home leave
and reassignment to London Bureau. Also on the 2nd, _e- STAT
__
arrived PCS to join the Bureau and her husband F
~ SheSTAT
STAT
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2. On 3 August, Editors
were promoted to GS-10.
STAT
STAT
The Bureau received word on the 30th that South Asian Unit
Chief had had successful heart surgery in Oakland, California
while on end-of-tour travel. The surgery came as a surprise to us at the
Bureau, but we were all glad to hear that came through it nicely.STAT
The doctor has prescribed a minimum of 2 months rest.
1. On the 14th, Nicosia Bureau monitor
personal travel in Thailand.
while on STAT
2. Dennis Halpin, State INR political analyst for Indochina,
visited the Bureau for a tour and discussion an current area topics with
Bureau management and monitors.
3. Harriet Isom, charge-designate for the American Embassy in
Laos (chief of mission there), on 26 August for Bureau orientation, tour,
and discussion of FBIS services being provided the Embassy in Vientiane.
STAT
wife of Senior Editor) I has volunteered to be
a den mother with the large cub scout contingent here at post. STAT
Acting Chief,
Bangkok Bureau
Attachment: Monthly Production Report
STAT
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EMBASSY OF THE
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
FOREIGN BROADCAST INFORMATION SERVICE
SEOUL BUREAU
MSK-601'5
3 September 1986
MEMORANDUM FOR: Director, FBIS
THROUGH Chief, Operations Group
SUBJECT : Monthly Report -- Seoul Bureau -- August 1986
FBIS
1. After months of political and civil crises throughout the Korean
peninsula, August seemed calm, with only a major Cabinet reshuffle, a long
press conference by President Chon, and continuing negotiations between
ROK ruling and opposition parties on constitutional revision attracting
close domestic attention. And these events were largely overshadowed by
last-minute preparations for the Asian Games which begin in Seoul on 20
September, and by Typhoon Vera which paid a brief but chaotic visit to the
Republic during the last week of the month.
2. With the opening of the Asian Games less than three weeks away,
the country is gearing up for thousands of visitors. Athletes from about
30 countries are expected to participate, and the PRC alone is sending a
contingent of nearly 700, in charter flights of the Chinese airline CAAC.
The games are also scheduled to be televised live in the PRC. The PRC's
large-scale participation seems to have irritated the DPRK, which is not
participating and has urged other countries to boycott as well because of
the "political" nature of the Games. Hotel space in Seoul will be
nonexistent from now until at least the middle of October. Security
measures have been increased, and critics of the Games claim that security
forces will outnumber spectators at some events.
3. Seoul suffered relatively little damage from Typhoon Vera, but
the southern area of the country was much less fortunate. Continuous
winds of over 100 mph were recorded for nearly 12 hours on 28 September on
the island of Cheju-do, off the south coast. There was considerable
damage to crops, particularly rice which is nearing harvest. An offshore
oil-drilling platform being constructed for Norway by a Korean firm, with
225 aboard, brake its moorings and drifted ashore along the southeast
coast. The platform suffered some flooding, the deck listed, and for
several hours the rig was in danger of breaking apart and sinking.
Eventually many of those aboard were rescued by helicopter, and there was
no loss of life. The Bureau closed early on the evening of the 28th, in
anticipation of heavy wind in Seoul. The worst of the storm bypassed
Seoul, however, and Bureau operations returned to normal on the 29th.
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4. Bureau employees, their families, and invited guests celebrated
the 10th anniversary of the Bureau's founding at a picnic on the 31st.
Hamburgers were consumed, volleyball was played, and the Bureau Chief gave
a very short speech before Senior Editor performed a ceremonial
cutting of the anniversary cake. The first piece was presented to
Associate Editor Bureau's first local employee. The
founding Bureau Chief, was in Seoul earlier in the week, but
was unable to stay for the anniversary celebration. In his honor, a small
party was held at the Bureau on the 29th, during which he was the first
recipient of a 10th anniversary Bureau coffee cup, made especially for the
occasion.
Editorial/Monitorial
STAT
STAT
STAT
ILLEGIB
`I Y". c'...~'V] / ?f- 1 ~ !:. /iii /1%'S'si-.-J
1. Bureau wordage during August was the lowest since mid-1985, and
provided a welcome respite from months of near-record output. The Korean
Unit in particular enjoyed the slower pace, though reduced wordage did not
mean Bureau operations were completely uneventful. A strange sequence of
reports on Pyongyang radio of firing incidents in the DMZ served to keep
Bureau editors alert and attracted the attention of Korea watchers. It
has been several years since reports of firing along the DMZ have been
monitored. The first incident, on 5 August, received full follow-up
treatment by Pyongyang after the initial report, but the subsequent three
did not, and apparently were contrived by the DPRK for unknown reasons.
Pyongyang radio reports of the real or imagined incidents, monitored late
in the evening, provided good experience for monitors and editors, since
on two of the occasions the evening shift editor was called back to the
Bureau to file the reports and follow-up messages.
2. In South Korea the month saw long-awaited leadership reshuffles
of first the ruling DJP and then of the ROK. cabinet. The changes seem to
have strengthened the hand of the DJP Chairman, No Tae-u. Most local
observers believe that No will be the DJP presidential candidate in the
1988 elections, and the maneuvering in August seems to have solidified his
position as heir-apparent to President Chon.
A. Personnel
1. The Bureau's campaign to recruit Japanese monitors for
Okinawa Bureau continued throughout August. Five "finalists" emerged from
tests and interviews, and Okinawa Bureau Chief came to Seoul on
the 27th to conduct final interviews. 0 hopes to hire two of the
applicants, and if Headquarters concurs firm offers will be made within
the next few days.
2. Senior Editor ~ ~and family were in Hawaii on R&R
from 2-20 August.
STAT
STAT
STAT
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3. Associate Editor) (plans to resign effective 11
October, to accompany her husband to the United States. was the
first local employee hired by the Bureau; she entered on duty as an
administrative assistant in August 1976. Efforts are now underway to
recruit a replacement.
B. Audit
The Bureau was audited from 18-21 August. The Headquarters
auditor found no discrepancies in Bureau record-keeping, and recommended
no changes in existing procedures.
1. Lt. Col. Robert Howell and Maj. Charles Davenport, from the C-2
PsyOps Division of the ROK/US Combined Forces Command, visited the Bureau
on 5 August for an orientation and to discuss uses their office might make
of Pyongyang television broadcasts monitored by the Bureau.
2. Okinawa Bureau Chief) and his wife~were in Seoul
from 27-30 August. came to interview Japanese monitor candidates
recruited by the Bureau.
Chief, Seoul Bureau
Attachment
Monthly Production Report
cc: Chief, Okinawa Bureau
Chief, Hong Kong Bureau
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3. Associate Editor plans to resign effective 11
October, to accompany her husband to the United States.was the
first local employee hired by the Bureau; she entered on duty as an
administrative assistant in August 1976. Efforts are now underway to
recruit a replacement.
B. Audit
The Bureau was audited from 18-21 August. The Headquarters
auditor found no discrepancies in Bureau record-keeping, and recommended
no changes in existing procedures.
1. Lt. Col. Robert Howell and Maj. Charles Davenport, from the C-2
PsyOps Division of the ROK/US Combined Forces Command, visited the Bureau
on 5 August for an orientation and to discuss uses their office might make
of Pyongyang television broadcasts monitored by the Bureau.
2. Okinawa Bureau Chief and his wife were in Seoul
from 27-30 August. 0 came to interview Japanese monitor candidates
recruited by the Bureau.
Chief, Seoul Bureau
Attachment
Monthly Production Report
cc: Chief, Okinawa Bureau
Chief, Hong Kong Bureau
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Embassy of the United States of America
P.O. Box 199, Mbabane, Swaziland
9 September 1986
MMB-6007
MEMORANDUM FOR: Director, Foreign Broadcast Information Service
THROUGH : Chief, Operations Group
SUBJECT : Monthly Report -- Swaziland Bureau -- August 1986
A. In the month of August, the Bureau received approval to begin a search
for a new house to be occupied by our new editor, who is filling STAT
a new slot. Working through a local real estate agency, t e Bureau Chief found
a 12-year-old house for sale on the same street as the Deputy Chief's house, and
within walking distance of the Bureau Chief's house. Working frantically to
beat the end of the fiscal year and obligate FY-86 funds for the house, by the
end of the month the Bureau had received permission to gather the necessary
documents to send to FBO, which must approve the purchase. By 5 September, all
documents had been collected and sent via DHL courier to FBO. The Bureau is
now awaiting approval from FBO, at which time the Bureau Chief and Embass GSO
officer will negotiate the contract of sale. Assuming all goes well, 7could STAT
occupy the new house some time in November.
A. Monitorial/Editorial
1. From 26 August until 7 September, the Nonaligned Movement met in
Harare, Zimbabwe. Foreign ministry delegations held meetings during the first
week and the heads of state met during the second. Harare Radio carried an
excerpt of the speech by Foreign Minister Mangwende opening the foreign ministers'
meeting and carried live the speeches by Prime Minister Mugabe and others during
the first session of the heads of state meeting. Although the radio had
announced further live coverage, none was carried, possibly because of the serious
conflict among the participants, according to other media. Bureau kept an open
watch on Harare Radio throughout the session and processed most of the speeches
carried and a variety of news reports. The bureau remained open until 0200
local on the first night of the heads of state meeting, was somewhat late the
remainder of the week, and staffed up for evening shifts on Saturdays and Sundays
the first week and Saturdays the second, as the conference closed -- without the
planned closing ceremony -- on Saturday, 7 September.
2. Although the South African press remains restricted, some willingness
to report material which had generally been missing in the press since the second
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state of emergency in June has been noted during the month. For example, SAPA
has resumed carrying at least some reports citing sources in such opposition
groups as the United Democratic Front and the End Conscription Campaign.
Furthermore, a limited number of unrest reports citing other than official
sources have been carried, although the government moved to halt this by
reissuing restrictions on press coverage of the emergency. The result has been
a slightly more liberalized press and a few more worthwhile items.
3. RSA State President P.W. Botha opened the National Party congress in
Durban on 14 August in a speech which wat carefully watched by observers. Although
he said that the party was prepared to consider other reforms, he also said the
West would have to deal with the current government and warned against attempts
to meddle in RSA affairs. The bureau filed many reports on the speech from SAPA
and remained open until 0430 local to clear the speech, which was mostly in
Afrikaans.
4. On the 20th, a question-and-answer session by Zimbabwean Prime Minister
Robert Mugabe was carried on Harare Radio. Among other things, Mugabe reiterated
his demand for Western sanctions against South Africa and criticized President
Reagan and Prime Minister Thatcher. The session was fyied and texted for
priority filing.
B. Cruising
Cruising surveys of Umtata Capital Radio, Harare Radio, Johannesburg
Television, and Luanda Radio were done during the month. Black Cockerel, UNITA's
radio, has been checked for several weeks and heard on a few occasions.
III. ADMINISTRATION
A. Personnel
1. Pretoria political officer Tim Carney called to say goodbye as he
was leaving post to return to Washington. He said he appreciated the "absolutely
fantastic" service provided by the Bureau to the Embassy in Pretoria and the
Consulate General in Cape Town.
2. Monitor departed 5 September on TDY to Headquarters to
participate in the Foreign National Orientation Program.
was married on 28 August to the former
4. New Deputy Chiefl and family arrived PCS on 2 September.
Chief, Swaziland Bureau
STAT
STAT
STAT
STAT
STAT
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