[Australia]: Message to Thailand [SEC=TOP SECRET]

[Owen]

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AMBASSADOR OF AUSTRALIA TO THAILAND​

SECURITY CLASSIFICATION: TOP SECRET (ENCRYPTED)​

6 January 2005

Dear Minister Sathirathai, I am requesting your reception at the Australian Embassy here in Bangkok, just across from Lumphini Park, so we may work through some of the issues that our two nations face and hopefully come to an agreement to renormalise ties between our governments. The Prime Minister is eager to see this matter resolved as it has been dragging on for several months now and it is my duty as Ambassador to ensure that this can happen. There is still no willingness amongst Ministers to have a dialogue with Thai Government officials until an Ambassador is reinstated in Canberra but I sit outside of elected officials and I fulfil my role as a public servant of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Yours sincerely, Bill Paterson.

181 Witthayu Rd, Lumphini, Pathum Wan, BANGKOK, THAILAND, 10330 Telephone: +66 2 344 6300​

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

 

[Bossza007]

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To: <Bill Paterson, Ambassador of the Commonwealth of Australia to the Republic of Thailand> Owen From: <Sarabun@mfa.mail.go.th> Subject: Re-normalization of the diplomatic relations between Thailand and Australia Security Type: NSST 1.0 Architecture

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To the Office of the Australian Ambassador to Thailand,

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Thailand acknowledges receipt of the communication from the Office of the Australian Ambassador to Thailand. The Government of the Republic of Thailand welcomes the Australian Government's decision to engage with us in addressing and rectifying past errors.

Currently, Minister of Foreign Affairs Surakiart Sathirathai is in bilateral discussions with the First Secretary of State of the United Kingdom, focusing on normalizing relations between two of the three World Powers. This crucial meeting is anticipated to occupy the first half of 2005, given the high expectations of the international community for a peaceful resolution. In the meantime, the Republic of Thailand has designated Chuan Leekpai, Secretary of the Republic Government, to meet with you at the Royal Australian Embassy.

To advance the normalization of relations and avoid further isolation in the South Pacific and Oceania, the Republic of Thailand expects the Australian Government to acknowledge and address past errors. Specifically, Thailand is concerned about the Australian Government's request for the censorship of the National Intelligence Agency, an independent body constitutionally protected from political, economic, and social interference. Such a request not only undermines the agency's independence but also constitutes a breach of the Thai Constitution. Should the Australian Government issue an apology to our Secretary of Government in a follow-up communication, Thailand would be prepared to extend an olive branch. We propose a joint statement to affirm that all tensions arising from miscommunications and misunderstandings between our nations have been resolved.

Respectfully,

Sukhumbhand Paribatra
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs
Republic of Thailand

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Digital Diplomatic Communication​

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[Owen]

​

AMBASSADOR OF AUSTRALIA TO THAILAND​

SECURITY CLASSIFICATION: TOP SECRET (ENCRYPTED)​

6 January 2005

Dear Deputy Minister Paribatra, These are matters which can be discussed at the embassy. Please send Secretary Leekpai over. Yours sincerely, Bill Paterson.

181 Witthayu Rd, Lumphini, Pathum Wan, BANGKOK, THAILAND, 10330 Telephone: +66 2 344 6300​

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

 

[Bossza007]

Secret and secure unless contextually possible. | NSST 1.0 Architecture​

Chuan Leekpai, Founding Father of the Republic of Thailand​

Chuan Leekpai sat comfortably in his modest office on the second floor of the Government House of Thailand. His eyes skimmed through a stream of electronic documents—routine administrative work, the lifeblood of the republic he'd served since the 1998 Thai Revolution. His once-transitional government had long since disbanded, but Chuan's dedication remained unwavering. A notification flashed at the corner of his screen—an email from the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs. Diplomatic duty awaited. He sighed, clicking open the message. With a quick glance, he grasped the situation. Diplomacy called, and there was no evading it. Switching over to the Transport Ministry’s website, he scanned for the next bus arriving near Government House. Three minutes. He wasted no time. Shedding his contemplative mood, he stepped into his role as statesman and headed out to the Royal Australian Embassy.

Chuan arrived at the bus stop near Lumphini Park, not far from the Australian Embassy. After exchanging brief pleasantries with fellow commuters about the day ahead, he made his way toward the embassy, breathing in the fresh, revitalized air of Bangkok’s green city. The once-stifling heat had given way to a more temperate climate, thanks to sustainable urban planning and widespread greenery. As he neared the embassy’s sleek, well-maintained walls, he spotted the security staff. If they were Thai-born, they were likely comrades in the cause. He greeted them warmly, chatting briefly about their day and inquiring if the government could do more to improve their working conditions. Entering the embassy grounds, Chuan carried himself with his usual balance of warmth and gravitas. He greeted each person with a friendly nod, embodying a calm, approachable presence. Soon, he reached the Australian Ambassador, Paterson. Offering a handshake, Chuan’s grip was firm yet marked by the wear of a seasoned leader. “Good afternoon, Ambassador Paterson,” he said with a genuine smile. “Always a pleasure meeting with a foreign diplomat.”

Owen​

 

[Owen]

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Indeed the security staff were majority Thai citizens as Australia had a policy of not deploying any assets to defend embassies overseas unless the security situation warranted. All intermediatary security was provided by contractors from the local population. Whilst they were Thai citizens ultimately, they knew that had a job to do, which was to provide the Australian Embassy with the highest amount of security, free of bias, to combat a range of threats that it faces and to ensure a controlled regime of people and goods entering the grounds to make sure its integrity as a diplomatic mission was not compromised. The security staff would allow Chuan through the solid front gates of the embassy and he would be escorted to the main building by a security staff member.

The Ambassador would wait by the front door for Mr. Leekpai. He would greet him in Thai, as the Ambassador was fluent.

"K̄hxbkhuṇ thī̀mā nı wạn nī...

Mr. Leekpai, thank you for coming here today. Please come with me."

He would direct him through the foyer of the Embassy and to his office. He would sit down at a coffee table and sofa chairs in his office and would offer a seat to Chuan. He would undo his suit jacket button and sit there mildly relaxed. He would have a plate of Australian-made Arnott's biscuits on the table.

"Please, help yourself...

This is the first time that our two government's have had a proper sit down meeting in a while. Now I must say, I am a career diplomat and I'm a public servant of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. I represent the government but I do not speak for the government, only Minister's can do that. Minister's have certain privileges that public servant's don't have and ultimately in a democracy they are the ones, elected by the people, to have the final say. But I'm sure my natural charm and good looks will let us get somewhere positive." He would smile.

Bossza007

 

[Bossza007]

Secret and secure unless contextually possible. | NSST 1.0 Architecture​

Chuan smiled warmly at the Australian ambassador. “I see you’re confident in your charm. I recently reviewed an administrative report about the Ministry of Defense funding, which is set to be inspected by a committee from the National Assembly. It’s near your EEZ, isn’t it? Since you’ve taken the initiative to normalize relations while some of our officials remain stubborn, how about this: I could arrange for our fleet to withdraw as a gesture of goodwill. As the second highest-ranking civilian official, I can assure you that this is a serious offer. I understand Australia is hosting a summit with the United Kingdom, and coincidentally, we have our own ongoing summit that’s making progress. It took a few months for my government to listen to the voices of experience and adjust our approach. Perhaps your government could benefit from a similar perspective. During my tenure as Prime Minister, Australia had its air force stationed in Thailand. It’s curious how things have changed. We could revisit those old arrangements if you’re interested. More importantly, I believe we should both offer some form of apology for past mistakes. Thailand was too arrogant to clarify that the NIA was no longer under government control, and your government was too rigid to apologize, leading to harsh reactions from Thais. If you feel that only Thailand is at fault, I’m open to reconsideration. As the Founding Father of this nation, I’m often thanked for introducing egalitarianism and navigating complex political landscapes, even against the royal family I once advised closely. What’s your take on this?”

Owen​

 

[Owen]

The Ambassador was confused about the EEZ comment, as he wasn't sure what "it" was, it wasn't preceded with anything.

"You're talking about your vessels in the Coral Sea I assume? We actually don't have much of a problem with that, it has a purpose and mission unlike some other nations which are operating in the region at the moment. The Thai Navy has been gracious to be in communication with our military about their position which is greatly appreciated. Frankly, military-to-military ties seem a lot stronger than government-to-government at the moment. A gesture of goodwill would be to make sure the fleet withdraws after its mission is complete and doesn't stay any day longer than it needs to be, but please, make sure the mission is finished first.

Australia and United Kingdom are indeed hosting the AUKMIN summit at the moment in Edinburgh. This is an annual summit that our two nations alternate in hosting... well, it's supposed to be, but it's had a hiatus for a couple of years. I do not see prospects of the Royal Australian Air Force stationing in Thailand anytime soon, especially now that we have our agreements in place with Singapore.

When it comes to this matter of the NIA, it's been blown out of proportions. It was blown out of proportions when it happened. Many nations around the world recognise this. From my understanding, Minister Rudd worded a very strong protest with the Thai Government about the actions of the NIA accusing the Australian Government of misinformation. Unfortunately some of your Ministers took that letter as some sort of case of "foreign interference", which is absurd. Foreign interference is secretive and uses threatening tactics in order to achieve its aims. From what I understand, Minister Rudd never threatened Thailand with any retribution for the NIA's actions but simply lodged a protest. Frankly, Mr. Leekpai, if we were planning on committing foreign interference in Thailand it would be a lot better than that....

Though that situation did reveal concerning developments with the NIA. Now let's just make sure we take what I say as humble advice, rather than foreign interference, Mr. Leekpai. Australia maintains a very rigorous framework for intelligence and security. We have many agencies with varying responsibilities, rather than in Thailand where I think the NIA is the sole agency. Oversight, governance and legal frameworks are strong. Parliament, as the representatives of the people, ultimately maintains authority over the agencies, in order to make sure their work is done appropriately and we don't see deep state actors develop. The fact that there is little control over your agencies is... concerning. That's not to say that members of Parliament or Ministers are exempt from investigations, a lot of people work together to maintain oversight and oversight of each other ultimately. The Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security, currently Dr. Vivienne Thom, is also an independent role who maintains very strong investigative powers over the agencies. Agencies report to and answer to the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security. Other bodies also maintain oversight such as the National Audit Office and the Administrative Appeals Tribunal and proceedings can also be initiated in the Courts. If there is a will within the Thai Government, the Australian Government is offering to provide advice and help establish similar organs within Thailand."

Bossza007

 

[Bossza007]

Secret and secure unless contextually possible. | NSST 1.0 Architecture​

Chuan listened intently to the Australian Ambassador, pleased by the diplomat’s reasoned and diplomatic approach. When it was his turn to speak, he replied in a calm yet approachable tone. “I’m glad our fleet in the Coral Sea hasn’t caused any issues for your government. We continue to assess the situation in the region, though those details are classified, and I can’t share them with a foreign diplomat. However, we plan to withdraw them to the Indian Ocean once the region stabilizes.”

He paused briefly before continuing, “As for the NIA incident, I still believe both sides share responsibility. Australia had legitimate concerns when any intelligence agency releases a potentially provocative report. However, the problem arose when the protest was based on the assumption that the NIA was under government control. That could be seen as pressure on our government to act against our constitutional principles. On the other hand, we could have avoided the misunderstanding had our Foreign Minister offered Australia the benefit of the doubt and explained the NIA’s independent structure. The entire situation came down to a breakdown in communication.”

Chuan glanced around the room before continuing. “Now, I wouldn’t question Australia’s intelligence capabilities. However, you should know that the NIA isn’t our only intelligence agency. The civilian wing includes the Office of Foreign Intelligence and the Internal Security Command. The Ministry of Defense oversees the Office of Strategic Intelligence, and each branch of our armed forces—along with the Republic Police—has its own intelligence arm. We have a capable and sophisticated intelligence community, primarily focused on defensive measures. If you’re interested in collaborating, we can arrange that, but I want to clarify the complexity of our apparatus.”

Chuan took a breath before concluding, “I understand your desire to normalize relations. The fact that you’ve taken the initiative today is enough to convince our government to resume normal embassy operations, including the return of our ambassador. However, we both need to acknowledge our respective faults in this situation. There’s always room for compromise, and I can offer you a realistic path forward.

You were likely briefed before your posting here about how I helped rebuild this nation after six months of anarchy following the 1997 revolution. On May 19, 1998, I established the transitional government that lasted just over a year until the current Prime Minister was elected. Today, we’re establishing a tradition where each Prime Minister serves as Secretary of Government for their successor. But I digress—what other concerns or points would you like to raise?” Chuan waited patiently for the Ambassador’s response.

Owen​

 

[Owen]

"Well if Minister Rudd was as you say, putting enough pressure on your government that it may have swayed your constitutional principles then you certainly credit him with a great deal of power.

I'll take that this is a normalisation of relations again and I hope I will never heard about the NIA incident ever again?"

Bossza007

 

[Bossza007]

Secret and secure unless contextually possible. | NSST 1.0 Architecture​

Chuan nodded thoughtfully, taking a moment to gather his thoughts before speaking in a measured, calm tone. “I believe we’ve reached a turning point in normalizing Thai-Australian relations,” he said, standing and offering his hand. “We’ve managed to accomplish what those in the Cabinet offices of our respective countries could not. I’ll personally oversee the return of our ambassador and embassy staff to Canberra.”

He paused briefly, ensuring his words were clear and direct. “As for the NIA, it operates independently of the Thai government. While we no longer rely on the agency, it remains an open-source intelligence institution. As long as it’s not mistaken for a government-controlled entity, it should pose no further issue.”

Chuan smiled warmly. “Thank you again for having me. Let this be the start of a new era for Thai-Australian relations—one built on reason and mutual respect.”

With that, Chuan left the embassy and immediately contacted his personal secretary, setting plans in motion. Within two days, the Thai ambassador and all embassy staff would return to Australia, resuming full operations at the Republic Embassy in Canberra

Owen​