Message on No Ramp Escort of Weapons

 

141526Z SEP 00

FM CHJUSMAGTHAI BANGKOK TH

TO RHHMUNS/COMSOCPAC HONOLULU HI//

INFO RHHMUNX/COMSOCPAC HONOLULU HI//

RUEAFDI/CDR1STSFGA FT LEWIS WA//

RUATTBU/CDR1STBN1STSFGA TORII STATION JA//

RUEAWIS/CDR2DBN1STSFGA FT LEWIS WA//

RUEAWIS/CDR3DBN1STSFGA FT LEWIS WA//

RUWDTBV/COMSPECBOATRON ONE//

RUWDTBY/COMNAVSPECWARGRU ONE//

RUNGAAB/NAVSPECWARUNIT ONE

RUHBVMB/SPECBOATU TWELVE DET OKINAWA

RUERHNB/CDR96THCAB FT BRAGG NC//

RHFIAAA/CDR426THCABN UPLAND CA//

RUERHNB/CDRUSACAPOC FT BRAGG NC//

RHAKAAA/320STS KADENA AB JA

RUNGAAB/NSWTU PAC

RUEANUT/CDR19THSFG ABN DRAPER UT

RUWDTBW/SPECBOATU TWELVE

RUEPPOG/CDR4THPSYOPGP FT BRAGG NC//

RUEPPOG/CDR PSYOPGP FT BRAGG NC//

RHAKAAA/353OSS KADENA AB JA//

RUWGTCH/JIATF WEST//

RD00855/USCINCPAC HONOLULU HI//J3/J4//

RUEAHIC/SOTSE-PAC FT SHAFTER HI//

BT

UNCLAS

1. SUMMARY OF THAILAND WEAPONS TRANSIT/ESCORT POLICY FOLLOWS.

2. FOLLOWING TWO INCIDENTS IN 1997 AT BANGKOK INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT LEADING TO THE ARREST AND TEMPORARY INCARCERATION OF US ARMY SPECIAL FORCES PERSONNEL, JUSMAGTHAI COORDINATED WITH THE AIRPORTS AUTHORITY OF THAILAND (AAT), THAI CUSTOMS AUTHORITIES, ROYAL THAI SUPREME COMMAND, AND LOCAL US EMBASSY AND FAA OFFICIALS TO ESTABLISH PROCEDURES TO ENABLE ROUTINE TRANSIT OF US DOD WEAPONS VIA COMMERCIAL AIRCRAFT TO/THROUGH THAILAND, WHILE ENSURING APPROPRIATE PRIOR COORDINATION WITH THAI AUTHORITIES. IN ESTABLISHING THESE PROCEDURES, THE COUNTRY TEAM CAREFULLY BALANCED US DOD SECURITY REQUIREMENTS WITH THAI AIRPORT, AIRLINE AND GOVERNMENT SECURITY REQUIREMENTS. THE SPECIFIC PROCEDURES WERE SUBSEQUENTLY DISTRIBUTED TO APPROPRIATE HHQ, AND ARE CURRENTLY AVAILABLE ON THE JUSMAGTHAI UNCLASS WEBSITE (WWW.JUSMAGTHAI.COM).

3. IN MARCH 1998, AAT ADVISED THAT THEIR REGULATIONS DO NOT ALLOW ON-THE-RAMP OBSERVATION/ESCORT OF COMMERCIAL CARGO/BAGGAGE BY PASSENGERS, TO INCLUDE US MILITARY PERSONNEL. ONLY EXCEPTIONS, IF COORDINATED IN ADVANCE THROUGH OFFICIAL CHANNELS, ARE FOR NATIONAL-LEVEL SPECIAL CASES, CRISES/CONTINGENCIES, WHEREBY SPECIAL EXCEPTIONS TO POLICY MAY BE GRANTED. UNITS DEPLOYING TO THAILAND FOR ROUTINE EXERCISES, TO INCLUDE ALL JCET AND BAKER-SERIES EVENTS, SHOULD NOT, REPEAT NOT, PLAN FOR, OR REQUEST, ON-THE-RAMP ESCORT/OBSERVATION OF WEAPONS/CARGO AT DON MUANG IAP. ALTHOUGH INDIVIDUAL AIRLINE EMPLOYEES MAY OCCASIONALLY ACCEDE TO INDIVIDUAL DEMANDS FOR RAMP ACCESS, THIS IS COUNTER TO AIRPORTS AUTHORITY OF THAILAND POLICY. SUCH CONTRAVENTION OF THE THAI SECURITY AUTHORITIES NOT ONLY UNDERMINES COUNTRY TEAM EFFORTS TO ENSURE UNIFORM ENFORCEMENT OF HOST-NATION AIRPORT SECURITY RULES, BUT ALSO UNDERMINES COUNTRY TEAM CREDIBILITY AND ABILITY TO COORDINATE WITH SECURITY OFFICIALS FOR ROUTINE WEAPONS ENTRY/EXIT/TRANSIT ON BEHALF OF DOD FORCES.

4. REQUEST YOUR ASSISTANCE TO DISSEMINATE THIS GUIDANCE TO YOUR STAFF AND TEAMS THAT MAY DEPLOY TO/THROUGH THAILAND.