Pubdate: Thu, 25 Mar 2004
Source: Bangkok Post (Thailand)
Copyright: The Post Publishing Public Co., Ltd. 2004
Contact:  http://www.bangkokpost.co.th/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/39
Authors: Achara Ashayagachat and Bhanravee Tansubhapol

US STANDS BY REPORT, BUT REMOVES ERROR

Claim About UN Cut, No Apology Offered

The United States stands by its assessment of Thailand's human rights 
problems but concedes it made an error in a report, since removed after 
Bangkok objected, US embassy spokesman Mark Larsen said.

The spokesman made it clear President George W Bush or Secretary of State 
Colin Powell had not apologised to the government for the error in the 2003 
human rights report, launched last month.

Thailand objected to the report, which said its human rights record had 
worsened with extra-judicial killings and arbitrary arrests common during 
the government's three-month war on drugs.

However, the spokesman said the report was wrong to say the Thai government 
had stopped a United Nations human rights official from investigating the 
matter.

Lorne Craner, assistant secretary of state for democracy, human rights and 
labour, wrote to former ambassador to the US Sakthip Krairiksh telling him 
the sentence had been removed.

That was the only error found in the report. "We stand by the report that 
the human rights record in Thailand worsened last year, especially in terms 
of the extra-judicial killings," he said.

A spokesman said Foreign Minister Surakiart Sathirathai has briefed 
cabinet. Mr Surakiart's adviser, Nitya Pibulsonggram, recently met US 
Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage and discussed the report.