CONFIDENTIAL
- 2 -
4. Turning to the future, I said that we entirely accepted that this must be a matter for the Thai authorities. HMG certainly wished to play their full part in combatting the narcotics trade. However, as Phan had said, the Nightingale case for one reason and another had attracted a lot of public interest and concern in the UK. So far as this Embassy was concerned, we were still doing our best to keep the temperature down. Speaking personally, I added, might there not be a chance that if the dust was allowed to settle and the publicity to subside there might be scope for some form of clemency in due course?
5. In view of the forum, I did not press the point further. However, my remarks were received with courtesy and understanding; and Thawisan himself volunteered that the Thais were well aware of the temptations to which the Rita Nightingales of this world were exposed by the wiles of the narcotics syndicates.
6.
I have since asked myself whether Phan raised the Nightingale case deliberately or not. It now seems that he did, because he spoke in similar terms during a subsequent call on my Ambassador. In that event, what was his purpose, apart from taking general soundings? It seems to me that the Thais appreciate that this case is a serious mutual embarrassment, which we should all like to be shot of. But they are also fully aware of the difficulties, particularly as more and more caucasian traffickers are being caught here. They may therefore have decided to establish an informal dialogue with us to explore the possibilities of resolving the impasse (see also our tel no Distress 160 of 8 September). We now at least know that the Palace is aware of the problem; and it is on the Royal prerogative that any mitigation of sentence must of course now depend.
7. Against this setting, what should our policy now be?
You will no doubt have already formulated some ideas after discussing the defence aspects of the case with David Lyman when he was in London recently. The December amnesties will give us the first indication of what lies in store, after which the defence will presumably consider once more the question of a petition. It is around that time that the question of support by HMG might be appropriately considered. Clearly, we should not want to link our efforts to a course of action which was bound to fail (your tel no Distress 112 of 15 September). However, the informal dialogue and channels of communication we are now developing with the Thais could perhaps be successfully exploited to discover in advance the best way to proceed (and the timing) in order to have an assured chance of success. It is for consideration as to whether such soundings should be taken in London (following on from Phan's call on the Secretary of State on 3 August) or here. Meanwhile, it is in Miss Nightingale's best interests that we should continue to keep the temperature down. I am sure the Thais are anxious to help; and I was encouraged to learn that she was in excellent
/spirits
CONFIDENTIAL