IDENTIAL
19/2
-V
Nkk 19/3
JP I Hennessy Esq OBE
South East Asian Dept
Foreign & Commonwealth Office London SW1
1.
RECEIVED IN
REGISTRY No. 14
EW 975
FAB 19/11
BRITISH EMBASSY
BANGKOK
22 May 1973
CC HKIDDX
Me Sqmi 3075
Mr Ductill ARM Michael
ساسه
355
Please refer to earlier correspondence about reports of Burmese Army action against opium growers in North West Burma currently resting with Rigney's letter 19/1 of 10 May to you and Bangkok tel no 174 of 15 May.
2.
это
This whole subject was stirred up by totally inaccurate reports in the Bangkok English language press. Whether our press was deliberately seeking to stir up trouble by suggesting that the KMT remnants in Thailand and Burma were being far more active than was the case or whether they suffered from straightforward ignorance I do not know. Neither would be surprising. Bangkok do not take these things very seriously simply because we
We in are used to the chronic inaccuracy of our local press. affair is however a find illustration of the affect our press can
The present have both on normally reputable journalists and in other posts who are blessed with a local press which has some degree of accuracy and responsibility.
3.
The purpose of this letter therefore is to warn you and interested persons to beware of placing credence in press reports originating from Bangkok. On occasions where our local press touches subjects of interest to you and other recipients of this letter we shall, of course, be happy to check any press reports as and when we are asked to do so.
Kaut gand
Jour
étt
EJ Sh.rand
68
BIG CON
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