- Jul 2, 2018
- 3,399
 |
MINISTER FOR VETERANS' AFFAIRS |
SECURITY CLASSIFICATION: PROTECTED |
| 20 April 2007 |
| Dear Minister Lertchoosakul, As you may be aware, during the Second World War, Thailand had allied itself with Japan and as a result was at war with Australia. One of Australia's first acts of foreign affairs independence from the United Kingdom was to sign a peace treaty with Thailand in 1946. However the memories of that brutal conflict still weigh on the minds of the veterans who served, particularly the 13,000 who were forced to work on the Burma Railway between Bangkok and Thanbyuzayat as Prisoners of War. 2,815 Australians lost their lives building that railway. One brutal section of that construction was in an area called Hellfire Pass, where Australian and New Zealand POWs were forced to cut their way through a mountain to build the railway line. Today, the Hellfire Pass Interpretative Centre remains there, operated by the Australian Department of Veterans' Affairs. As we approach Anzac Day this year, I would like to make it possible that, despite the relations between our two nations, that I be able to visit Hellfire Pass and the Interpretative Centre and that we may be able to have a commemorative service alongside the veterans who served. The Premier of Western Australia, Mark McGowan, has also expressed interest in joining me on this visit. As my job as Minister in charge of the Department responsible for the Interpretative Centre, I would also like to have reassurances from the Thai Government that it can remain there. Yours sincerely, Col. (ret.) The Honourable Dr. Mike Kelly, MP. |
Parliament House, CANBERRA, ACT 2600 Telephone: (02) 6277 7700 |
| Protective Marking: | Business Impact Level: | Compromise of Information Confidentiality: | Required to be Encrypted: |
|---|---|---|---|
| UNOFFICIAL | No Business Impact | No damage. This information does not form part of official duty. |
|
| OFFICIAL | Low Business Impact | No or insignificant damage. This is the majority of routine information. |
|
| OFFICIAL: Sensitive | Low to Medium Business Impact | Limited damage to an individual, organisation or government generally if compromised. |
|
| PROTECTED | High Business Impact | Damage to the national interest, organisations or individuals. |
|
| SECRET | Extreme Business Impact | Serious damage to the national interest, organisations or individuals. |
|
| TOP SECRET | Catastrophic Business Impact | Exceptionally grave damage to the national interest, organisations or individuals. |
|
Bossza007
