Thread: Chalerm heads security info team

Updated later report...............

Chalerm, Yutthasak head security team | Bangkok Post: breakingnews

Chalerm, Yutthasak head security team

• Published: 22/02/2012 at 01:11 PM
• Online news:

Deputy Prime Ministers Chalerm Yubamrung and Yutthasak Sasiprapa have been appointed by the cabinet to head a team for the collation and analysis of security-related reports from government agencies, acting government spokeswoman Thitima Chaisaeng said.


Deputy Prime Ministers Yutthasak Sasiprapa (left) and Chalerm Yubamrung

Ms Thitima, Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra's deputy secretary-general for political affairs, said the team led by Mr Chalerm and Gen Yutthasak will have a weekly meeting with agencies concerned, collate security-related reports from them, prepare a summary and report directly to Ms Yingluck.

The agencies are the National Security Council, National Intelligence Agency, Royal Thai Police and the ministries of Foreign Affairs, Defence, Transport and Sports and Tourism.

She said the cabinet also instructed the Transport Ministry to order Airports of Thailand (AoT) to step up security at all airports under its supervision to ease tourists' concerns over security in Thailand.

The AoT is also required to recruit more staff proficient in such foreign languages such as Chinese, Korean and Japanese to provide greater convenience and information for tourists, Ms Thitima said.

This sounds like the U.S. model of Homeland Security. The need to pool information in this age is clearly needed. It is all in the execution whether it becomes good for public safety or a tool for Fascist power consolidation. What is the level of integrity of Thai bureaurocracies, and how does money come into play?

Should have put Helen Keller in there, far more effective.

Another backward step.

Thai-ASEAN News Network - Intelligence and National Security

Intelligence and National Security

UPDATE : 22 February 2012

The alleged botched bomb plot targeting an Israeli dignitary in Bangkok by Iranian terrorist suspects has come under the global spotlight. Both local and foreign media sent out their correspondents dig do the bottom of the incident, what the Thai authorities are doing and collect information to provide timely and first-hand reports to their respective local and international audiences.

Even the intelligence and security agencies of the international super powers also dispatched operatives to gather info in Thailand as the threat of terrorism is seemingly on the rise in this particular nation that has long been considered as a potential 'soft' target for terrorism.

The media, in a way, can serve as a channel through which locals can provide clues and accounts relating to the incident that could be useful for the investigation. Intelligence bodies may join in coordinated efforts and exchange findings so that they can patch together all the clues and bring the truth to light in a timely manner. With effective intelligence work, a country is somewhat already secure against any threats.

In the past, Thai intel officers usually took the easy route by obtaining information from the media instead of going out into the field to search for first-hand info. That is why the quality of intelligence has been very poor. There are now a few field operatives and more technicians who favor wiretapping or using available technologies to filch information from other sources or agencies. Skillful detectives and intelligence officers are hard to find. This is apparent in the case of the southern unrest, in which insurgents have always been several steps ahead of the authorities.

As terrorism has become more rampant and violent, a nation with weak intelligence capacity can be highly vulnerable to the threat. The Thai authorities may have captured a number of terrorist suspects, but it must be noted that most arrests were successful only with the help from international intelligence bodies and other external sources. Thai intelligence agencies must stop relying on luck or the help of other parties.

They must improve their performance and be more than just a political tool. The government has the duty to invest in improving intelligence service and producing more competent professionals to fight the growing threat of terrorism and prepare for the advent of the ASEAN Community.

Editorial, Kom Chad Luek, Page 4, February 22nd, 2012
Translated and rewritten by Wacharapol Isaranont

Originally Posted by StrontiumDog

In the past, Thai intel officers usually took the easy route by obtaining information from the media

Govt moves to consolidate its security work | Bangkok Post: news

Govt moves to consolidate its security work

Agencies pull together to share intelligence

• Published: 28/02/2012 at 02:31 AM
• Newspaper section: News

The government has decided to integrate all intelligence operations, headed by National Security Council secretary-general Wichean Potephosree, to focus on individuals and groups considered a threat to national security.

Speaking after a Tuesday meeting with security-related agencies, Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm Yubamrung said intelligence operations from all agencies have now been integrated for better efficiency.

Pol Gen Wichean has been assigned to head the integration of intelligence operations, said Mr Chalerm, who is in charge of national security.

There were no talks on terrorism during the meeting, he said. He maintained that authorities could control the situation and there was nothing to be worried about.

Pol Gen Wichean said the main agencies involved in the integration of intelligence operations are the NSC, the National Intelligence Agency, the Interior Ministry, the Special Branch Police, and the Foreign Ministry.

Agencies that will support intelligence operations are the Internal Security Operations Command, the Commerce Ministry, the Science and Technology Ministry, the Labour Ministry, the Agriculture and Cooperatives Ministry, the Justice Ministry, and the Bank of Thailand.

Agencies that will play a supplementary role include the Social Development and Human Security Ministry, the Information and Communication Ministry, the Public Health Ministry, the Office of the National Economic and Social Development Board, the Board of Investment, the Narcotics Suppression Bureau and the Anti-Money Laundering Office.

"My responsibility is to integrate intelligence operations with a focus on individuals and groups of people suspected of being a threat to national security, to supervise counter-intelligence operations, and collate and analyse reports from all agencies concerned," Pol Gen Wichean said.

The NSC will host a meeting of security agencies every Monday, while Mr Chalerm, who is in charge of the overall operations, will chair a separate weekly meeting.

"In an emergency, the deputy prime minister will call a meeting on a daily basis to follow up on developments and report directly to the prime minister," said Pol Gen Wichean.Mr Chalerm yesterday met separately with the Immigration Bureau to present his policy on security and intelligence operations.

He said the bureau was the first agency given the job of screening foreigners entering the country and its work must be in coordination with other security agencies.

The government has a clear policy of not meddling in disputes between other countries.

But the government will not let anyone use Thailand as a base to carry out terrorism attacks, he said.

He refused to comment on the recent arrests of three more Iranians on suspicion of involvement in the bombings on Sukhumvit Soi 71 on Feb 14, saying only that police had sufficient evidence to hold the suspects.

He said he could not disclose details of the case for fear his remarks might bring the country into conflict with another nation.

Israeli ambassador to Thailand Yitzhak Shoham met Defence Minister ACM Sukumpol Suwanatat on Tuesday to discuss the terrorism situation and cooperation in intelligence exchange and anti-terrorism measures, said a source.

The Israeli ambassador arrived at the Defence Ministry under tight security provided by the Arintharat police task force.

Originally Posted by Mr Lick

Originally Posted by StrontiumDog

In the past, Thai intel officers usually took the easy route by obtaining information from the media

"Thai Intelligence". No need to break out the tinfoil beanies here then..

Originally Posted by StrontiumDog

He said he could not disclose details of the case for fear his remarks might bring the country into conflict with another nation.

Perhaps something lost in translation here but if ever there was an insight into the Thai capacity for inertia, this is it.

Conflict leads to confrontation and in the fallout weakness might be exposed risking loss of face and, heaven forbid, the public admission one might be wrong. It is the cornerstone of their culture and goes some way to explain the mess that is Thai modern life.

Paradon named to NSC post | Bangkok Post: news

Paradon named to NSC post

• Published: 27/06/2012 at 01:52 AM
• Newspaper section: News

Lt Gen Paradon Pattanathaboot has been named deputy secretary-general of the National Security Council, a post he once held under a previous government.

Lt Gen Paradon has swapped jobs with Somkiat Boonchu who has been shifted to the post of prime minister's adviser.

Government spokeswoman Sansanee Nakpong said Lt Gen Paradon's appointment was endorsed at a cabinet meeting yesterday.

Lt Gen Paradon had served as deputy chief of the NSC during the Thaksin Shinawatra administration.

He was made prime minister's adviser under the previous Abhisit Vejjajiva government.

Lt Gen Paradon is a relative of Preeda Pattanathaboot, the former minister of the now-defunct University Affairs Ministry, who is close to Thaksin.

Earlier, Thawil Pliensri, former NSC secretary-general, cried foul over what he alleged were attempts to interfere with the work of the council by introducing people with connections to Thaksin to the organisation.

The move has demoralised the NSC officials, he said.