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Thai Spy Story II




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THAI SPY STORY II


The Naeo Na, a Thai language newspaper, printed the following article on July
25, 1994.  Naeo Na has run six or seven articles alleging that a spy,
codenamed Victor, is working for the Burmese government.  This is the second
in the "Victor" series posted to the net.  Most of the later articles rehash
the first two articles.

To bring the story up to date, the first "Victor" article alleged that an
"unknown" Thai person was a spy controlled by the Burmese government.  This
article implies that the spy named Victor is the same person who is an aid to
the NSC secretary-general.

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BEGIN ARTICLE
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VICTOR'S OVERBEARING AND EXCESSIVE ACTIONS OPPOSED BY NSC OFFICIALS

Summary: The influential agent "Victor" called "2d NSC Secty-General" while
Gen. Charoen is applauded as a good boss and commander.  Three colonels are
accused of using too much muscle and serving as NSC chief's right-hand men. 
NSC officials opposing them have been threatened with transfer.  Burma issue
petitioned to the United Nations, some NSC officials disgruntled.

The tale of "Agent Victor," has already been recounted in many parts by Naeo
Na.  The aforementioned agent has long claimed to be close to General Charoen
Kullawanij, Secretary-General of the National Security Council.  Victor
boasted of being an advisor to the NSC in Rangoon, Bangkok and to
governmental officials and diplomats as well.  He is also involved in
Thailand's foreign policy, for instance in the issue of the Burmese ethnic
minorities and he has been playing the role of mediator under Myanmar's
instructions, in exchange for lucrative oil and fishing benefits.  This has
created serious dissatisfaction amongst the Burmese minorities living along
the border.

At present, the NSC, which is the most important government agency in the
area of national security policy, has been plagued by internal issue--serious
conflicts between NSC officials and the staff and advisors to NSC Scty-Genl
Gen. Charoen Kullawanij, who has brought his military style of command with
him to the NSC.  The NSC has also shifted its way of working from using
intelligence [gathered by others] for making policy to an intelligence
gathering agency.  This pertains in particular to Myanmar, according to one
source, which he said is very dangerous.

The senior NSC source went on to say that since Gen. Charoen assumed office,
a number of military officers have been brought in as the "front-desk staff"
or "working group."  This staff has created long-lasting problems and
conflicts among NSC officials over viewpoints and working methods.  The NSC
officials say they don't have any problems with Gen. Charoen himself.  In
addition, they say that Gen. Charoen is a capable supervisor and has a good
record of performance.  However, they allege that the team brought in by Gen.
Charoen has issued orders, in Gen. Charoen's name, to various NSC officials
at high ranks, including division directors, without regard for their honor. 
At times, they bypassed proper channels to issue instructions directly to
operations officials.

Among the three colonels of Gen Charoen's "front desk staff" are officers
whose names start with "R", "W", and "S".

A major reason that NSC officials are dissatisfied is that the NSC, formerly
a policy-making agency has been used for intelligence gathering and
operations.  The NSC, previously used information gathered by other
intelligence agencies to formulate policy, which would then be tabled by the
Cabinet for a final decision on specific matters.  The NSC played a
coordinating role with the responsible agencies to make sure that the policy
implemented was the one approved by the government.  Now, Gen. Charoen's
staffers, who are former field and combat commanders, have carried out
intelligence gathering and [covert] operations themselves, which has caused
series damage and conflicts between intelligence gathering units and those in
charge of operations.

One NSC source cited in particular, Gen. Charoen's working group on Myanmar
and the peace talks between Myanmar's government and the Burmese ethnic
groups living along the border.  [The working group has] has exerted pressure
at times, used military units in the area to force the minority groups to
talk with the Burmese government.

In response, the ethnic groups petitioned the United Nations and foreign
countries.  This created an important misunderstanding that the Thai
Government is pressuring the minorities for peace talks, which is an internal
matter for Myanmar's government.  The Thai Government has a policy of non-
intervention in the internal affairs of its neighbours.

The source added that although Gen. Charoen's working group uses military
ways of working, consensus could be reached by working together long enough. 
What NSC officials could not tolerate however, was the presence of a
businessman with no governmental status who has been deeply involved in the
affairs of the NSC.  Any NSC official who refused to cooperate with this
businessman is threatened with transfer.

The source said: "No one knows whether this businessman is Gen. Charoen's
private advisor or not.  But it is certain that the NSC has never issued an
order appointing anyone as an advisor.  This has been acquainted with Gen.
Charoen since Charoen was appointed Director of Joint Intelligence..  When
Charoen was appointed NSC Secretary-General, this man came to work at NSC
also.  At times, the man acted as though he were more powerful that the
Secretary-General, which is why some people have dubbed him the "2d
Secretary-General."

"The highly publicized agent "Victor" may be the same person as this
businessman" stated the source, "because his activities are similar to those
mentioned in the press."

The conflicts in the NSC came out in the press last month.  As a result, the
problems in the NSC have gotten worse because of different points of view
among NSC officials.  Some NSC officials have come out to defend Gen. Charoen
while many others are unhappy that the issue has harmed the reputation of the
NSC, which had been highly regarded at the governmental level.

END ARTICLE
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