TNAG-0888-FCO40-1098-Refugees-from-Vietnam-in-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-boat-people-1979 — Page 26

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UNCLASSIFIED

FM BANGKOK #541352 JUN

TO ROUTINE FCO

TEL NO 357 OF 4 JUNE 79

HKK 243/1

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY NU.

- 7 JUN1979

DESK OFFICER

IND

PA

PA

942

IMFO UKMIS GENEVA, KUALA LUMPUR, SAFORE, JAKARTA, MANILA, HONG KONG (FOR GOVERNOR).

SITREP INDO CHINESE REFUGEES

1. THE SECRETARYSGENERAL OF THE NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL, AIR. MARSHAL SITI SAVETSILA, SAID IN AN INTERVIEW OVER THE WEEKEND THAT IN FUTURE THE SUPREME COMMAND WA AND NOT MINISTRY OF INTERIOR WILL BE ASSIGNED THE TASK OF DEALING WITH KAMPUCHEAN REFUGEES. IN FACT, AS WE HAVE BEEN REPORTING, MILITARY HAVE LARGELY TAKEN OVER THIS ROLE IN RECENT MONTHS AND THIS STATEMENT FORMALISES POSITION.

AIR MARSHAL SITHI ALGO STRESSED THAT THAIS WILL ACCEPT NO CONDITIONS FROM INTERNATIONAL ORGANISATIONS (HE CITED UNHCR AND ICRC) OR FOREIGN COUNTRIES WHO MAY OFFER ASSISTANCE FOR THE CURRENT

FLOW OF DISPLACED PERSONS.

2. ACCORDING TO PRESS REPORTS, THE GOVT HAS AGAIN GIVEN ORDERS TO THE ROYAL THAI NAVY TO KEEP OUT ALL BOATS LARGE AND SMALL ARRIVING WITH EMIGRANTS FROM VIETNAM. THE NAVY WILL FIND IT DIFF- ICULT TO IMPLEMENT THE DIRECTIVE WITH THEIR LIMITED RESOURCES. 3. THAI GOVERNMENT IS SCHEDULED TO MAKE A POLICY STATEMENT TO PARLIAMENT ON 7 JUME ABOUT ITS TREATMENT OF REFUGEES AND WE ANTICIPATE THAT THIS WILL FOLLOW LINE TAKEN BY GENERAL SAIYUD (OUR TEL NO 346) AND AIR MARSHAL SITMI,

4. ACCORDING TO LATEST OFFICIAL THAI STATISTICS, THERE ARE STILL SOME 80,000 KAMPUCHEAN REFUGEES IN ARANYAPRATHET DISTRICT AID TRAT AND CHANTHABURI PROVINCES. ROYAL THAI NAVY, WHICH HAS JURISDICTION OVER THERE 2 PROVINCES, IS EXPERIENCING GREAT DIFFICULTY IN COPING WITH RECENT INFLUX, THEY ARE CANVASSING IDEA OF PROCESSING CENTRE ON SHALL ISLAND OF MAI CHEE, IN GULF

OF THAILAND. GORING - MORRIS

ST]

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