THAILAND: Secret jail report 'discredits country'

Department of information will investigate source of 'Washington Post' report

Bangkok Post
Tuesday, July 21, 2009

The Foreign Ministry on Tuesday denied a Washington Post news report that there was a secret US prison for international terrorists in Thailand.

Asean Affairs Department director Vitavas Srivihok said the Department of Information will look into the source of the report and release the facts to the public.

"The report may be aimed at discrediting Thailand, as the chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean)," Mr Vitavas said.

Foreign Affairs Minister Kasit Piromya's secretary Chavanond Intarakomalyasut also insisted there was no secret prison in Thailand. The Thai government had never let the United States build a torture facility in the country.

"Mr Kasit said even though the report was groundless, this issue must be clear as it is discrediting the country," Mr Chavanond said.

According to the Washington Post report, the secret CIA facility was used to interrogate and torture terrorist suspect Abu Zubaida in 2002 after he was captured in Pakistan.

Date Posted: 7/21/2009