Thai Minister denies secret prison in Thailand

[webfact]

Thai Min denies secret prison in Thailand

BANGKOK, 11 December 2014 (NNT) – Thai Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office has denied the existence of the CIA’s secret prison and interrogation complex located within Thailand.

The Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office Suwapan Tanyuwattana addressed that the United States Senate intelligence committee’s report which includes Thailand as one of the host countries for CIA prisons is not true.

He has said that Thailand never hosted any secret prisons or interrogation complexes which included the torturing of subjects. He believes that the information has evolved from the internal issues of the United States authorities and caused misinterpretation through rumors.

He has insisted that Thailand does not have any countries that are considered enemies and the government always upheld its sovereignty and abide by laws.

He has also said that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will be taking care of this issue and will decide on how to respond to this false information.

Meanwhile, he has mentioned that the security agencies are now following the related information from all aspects to maintain the safety in the country and the referred United States Embassy in Bangkok.


-- NNT 2014-12-11

[HooHaa]

of all things who would have expected denial?

[Bluespunk]

And yet you are on the CIA's list.

Now then, there's a puzzler.

Edited December 11, 2014 by Bluespunk

[lildragon]

Has NEVER? What even during the Vietnam war? Pull the other one.

[Zooheekock]

Jesus wept. If you're going to lie, make it a lie based on truth. The CIA are not boasting about their international real estate portfolio here. If they've admitted that they had secret torture sites in all these countries, then they had secret torture sites in all these countries. Denying it just makes you look (even more) like an idiot.

[Confuscious]

of all things who would have expected denial?

I did.

Right from the first second I read it.

You expected something else?

[HooHaa]

of all things who would have expected denial?

I did.

Right from the first second I read it.

You expected something else?

a basic understanding of irony perhaps?

[wow64]

Maybe the CIA put the prison here without the Thai Governments knowledge.. how dare they!!

US making problems for Thailand again.

[kotsak]

also there weren't any R&R facilities packed with hoes during the Vietnam War in Thailand as well..

[BeforeTigers]

Heh.
So, the CIA just dropped your name because, reasons.

First one to point the finger at an elected PM without implicating the commander of the military wins the Hypocrite of the Day award

[webfact]

Thai military unworried about terrorism, denies knowledge of secret CIA prison
By Digital Content



BANGKOK, Dec 11 -- The Royal Thai Armed Forces said today that Thailand is not worried about the United States' warning of terrorism in Thailand, affirming that the military has no clue about the whereabouts of US's Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) secret prison in Thailand, according to chief of the Defence Forces Gen Worapong Sanganet.

He gave assurances that the Thai security sector has been closely monitoring terrorism in the country.

The US warning to its citizens living and traveling in Thailand to be careful of terrorist attacks is an ordinary move by the power giant, as it usually warns its people about terrorism in other countries as well, Gen Worapong said, emphasising that Thais should not panic.

Asked about the so-called secret CIA prison in Thailand and whether or not this would cause the country to become a target for terrorist attacks, the supreme commander told reporters that he has no information on the matter.

He said the national security-related agencies have always been on alert regarding possible terrorist attacks, so there is nothing to worry about, although a report has been issued by the CIA saying that Thailand could become a target for terrorism.

Thailand remain safe for traveling, Gen Worapang asserted.

On Wednesday, the US Senate delivered a damning indictment of CIA practices, accusing the spy agency of inflicting pain and suffering on prisoners in varied locations beyond legal limits. I

In the report, a secret waterboarding prison was linked to a location in Thailand, where inhumane torturing of Muslim terrorists was carried out to draw out information on possible terrorism attacks.

The Thai government has denied any knowledge of the existence of such a prison. (MCOT online news)


-- TNA 2014-12-11

[AGareth2]

it was the "work" of that horrible elected PM!

[lee b]

So what if there is a secret prison. I would rather have the CIA here that ISIS etc.

[Zooheekock]

Actually, the reason the Thai army deny the existence of the torture centre is because it was only half-arsed girly stuff like waterboarding and stress positions. The generals looked at the report and thought 'Meh. That's not torture. Come down to Pattani. You want to see torture? Here, have a look at this....'

[Zooheekock]

So what if there is a secret prison. I would rather have the CIA here that ISIS etc.

Since those are actually exactly the two options which we face, that's a very wise and perceptive post.

[JoePai]

I can quite believe this as being true : affirming that the military has no clue

[Bkungbank]

It's like Ares 51 still a mystery even today

[LuckyNo4]

"Thailand remain safe for traveling, Gen Worapang asserted"

unless you go to koh tao

[JeremyBowskill]

As long as I never end up going there, then I am not really bothered either way.

[jaltsc]

"Thai Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office has denied the existence of the CIA’s secret prison..."

DUHHHH. That's the purpose of a "secret" prison. You keep it a secret. Even the Thai government understands that. Hard as it is to believe.

Edited December 11, 2014 by jaltsc

[Tatsujin]

Interesting tactic, we've now got 2 people here (The Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office Suwapan Tanyuwattana + the Chief of the Defence Forces Gen Worapong Sanganet) publicly out and out calling the USA and the CIA liars ... I await the next twist in this plot with baited breath ...

[EyesWideOpen]

Actually, the reason the Thai army deny the existence of the torture centre is because it was only half-arsed girly stuff like waterboarding and stress positions. The generals looked at the report and thought 'Meh. That's not torture. Come down to Pattani. You want to see torture? Here, have a look at this....'

Thank god I had just swallowed my coffee before I read that , or it would now be on

my keyboard.... The Thai police are probably having a laugh as well. " Waterboarding?

hahahahahaha. Somchai, go hook up the wires to the testicles of our latest prisoner,

we need to get a confession before lunch..."

http://www.chiangmainews.com/indepth/details.php?id=2019

" While a confession wrought from brutal torture is not only despicable but, in the name of rightful justice, inadmissible, this Draconian method of policing and interrogation is often the modus operandi of the police in Thailand. In June this year the ARHC (Asian Human Rights Commission) released a report saying, “Torture happens everywhere in Thailand, not only in the south or other areas of intense conflict. It is routinely used in ordinary criminal cases. The type of torture inflicted is often extreme: electrocution and abuse of the genitals are frequently reported.”

Gee I just cannot decide who to believe. The USA hanging its head and reluctantly

admitting the existence of a prison here, or Thai officials denying everything.

Hey maybe the officials do not even consider waterboarding a form of torture !! :-)

Edited December 11, 2014 by EyesWideOpen

[jaltsc]

"Thailand remain safe for traveling, Gen Worapang asserted"

unless you go to koh tao

And stay off any road and highway.

[simon43]

Bit like the good General saying the British government were happy as Larry about the Koh Tao investigation ==> putting words in their mouth.

Now maybe it's on the other foot...

[terryp]

total bull, I know for a fact , it is very close to the Myanmar border about 45min out of Kanchantaburi ... i will say no more

[cloghead]

Shhh...Utapao...

[Estrada]

total bull, I know for a fact , it is very close to the Myanmar border about 45min out of Kanchantaburi ... i will say no more

You are correct. It amazed me when the USA were denying the existance of prisons for special rendition at the time that I had just helped complete the construction of their "non-existant facility" at an Airport in Romania.

Edited December 11, 2014 by Estrada

[Misterwhisper]

Yes, yes, Mr. Suwapan, the United States government chose to embarrass itself by condemning its very own security agency so it also could implicate Thailand in the very same report for absolutely no reason.

Or perhaps the U.S. government just drew country names out of a hat just to make the report look a little more "colorful" and "international", who knows.

As the saying goes, denial is not just a river in Egypt.

[AlQaholic]

As Far as I understand according Huffingtonpost, there are no countries mentioned in the report, but the report states the number of countries that was involved, and that number was very large. That fact can lead someone to deduce that Thailand was one of them, because of the sheer number of countries involved. Certainly a country with so close ties with Washington would be one of them...?

Quote from Huffingtonpost:

"But immediately after the document was released, journalists began to crack the codeby cross-referencing details in the Senate study with previous reports about the CIA's activities in different countries."

Edited December 11, 2014 by AlQaholic

[wirat69]

Maybe it is not the way it was declared on their Work Permit applications!!!