MFA Spokesman's Comments on Thai Ministry Of Foreign Affairs Spokesman Kitti Wasinondh's remarks of 24 January 2007

In response to media queries, the MFA Spokesman said:

"The Singapore Ministry of Foreign Affairs had to issue a public response to a public expression of concern because Council for National Security Chief GEN Sonthi Boonyaratglin had implied that Singapore could compromise Thai security. The implication of those remarks went beyond the commercial realm. It is also entirely appropriate that the Singapore Government elaborate on its regulatory principles to address concerns raised about its integrity as an international telecommunications hub."

. . . . .

MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS
SINGAPORE
24 JANUARY 2007

Note: The Singapore MFA Spokeman's comments are made in response to the Thai MFA Spokesman's comments made earlier on 24 January 2007, as quoted in the 2 news reports appended below.

Report 1: Report by AP - Thailand, Singapore swap barbs over military snooping spat

Thailand, Singapore swap barbs over military snooping spat
Eds: ADDS AP Photo TOK105.
AP Photo TOK105
By SUTIN WANNABOVORN=
Associated Press Writer=
BANGKOK, Thailand (AP) — A war of words between Thailand and Singapore escalated Wednesday as the two countries bickered publicly over whether Singapore was spying on its neighbor's military phone conversations. Singapore has denied the accusation made last week by Thailand's army commander, Gen. Sondhi Boonyaratkalin. He said military leaders feared Singapore was snooping on their conversations through a telecommunications company that deposed Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra sold to the country last year. Singapore's Foreign Ministry issued a statement Monday saying: "We do not know what Gen. Sondhi's remarks meant." It added that "domestic calls within Thailand are not routed through Singapore." Thailand's Foreign Ministry shot back Wednesday. "I am puzzled by the statement from Singapore's Foreign Ministry that they do not understand the remarks of Gen. Sondhi," said Kitti Wasinondh, the Thai Foreign Ministry spokesman. "It is not appropriate for Singapore to issue such a statement." "If Singapore wants clarification of the remarks, Singapore can send its ambassador to Gen. Sondhi," Kitti told Thailand's Business Radio station. The exchanges of undiplomatic language started last week when Thailand's military-installed government expressed anger over Singapore's hospitality to Thaksin during a visit earlier this month. Thaksin met with Singapore's deputy prime minister, prompting Thailand to suspend a visit by Singapore's foreign minister. Bangkok called the meeting inappropriate given Thaksin's ouster from the government, but Singapore shrugged it off as a private visit between old friends. Ties between the two countries were already strained by the sale of Shin Corp., Thailand's largest telecommunications company, while Thaksin was still in office. Thaksin's family sold its majority stake in the company to the Singapore government's investment arm, Temasek Holdings Pte. Ltd., in January 2006. The deal sparked outrage in Thailand, with critics saying it placed strategic assets, including telecommunications satellites, in the hands of foreigners. Sondhi last week said he was concerned the company was being used to spy on the military. He ordered members of the military leadership not to use mobile phones for confidential conversations susceptible to eavesdropping through the telecoms company. "Our army has a problem now," Sondhi said last week. "When we make a call, the line goes to Singapore. When we talk secrets, they go straight to Singapore." AP-TK-24-01-07 0511GMT

Report 2: Report by Bangkok Post - Singapore denies listening in on CNS phone calls
BANGKOK POST - Pg 2 24 January 2007
Singapore has denied listening in on private phone conversations between members of Thailand's military leadership following remarks by the leader of the Council for National Security. A Singapore Foreign Ministry statement expressed surprise at comments by Gen Sonthi Boonyaratkalin, who said Singapore could be listening to confidential calls. ''We do not know what Gen Sonthi's remarks meant. Domestic calls within Thailand are not routed through Singapore,'' said the statement issued late on Monday. ''It does not make business or technical sense to route domestic calls via another country. Doing so will incur additional and unnecessary network resources, including costly international bandwidth, and degrade the quality of service.'' The CNS, which ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra in September, has reportedly reverted to using walkie-talkies after voicing concerns about the foreign ownership of Thai telecom firms. Thailand's biggest mobile phone operator is a subsidiary of Shin Corp, the telecom giant that Mr Thaksin sold to Singapore's state-linked Temasek Holdings in a controversial tax-free deal last year. Information and Communication Technology Minister Sitthichai Pookaiyaudom also summoned executives of Shin Satellite, which transmits mobile phone signals, and told them to reject any requests to tap phones. But Singapore dismissed allegations of phone spying. ''As an international telecommunication hub, Singapore maintains a strict and professional operating environment to safeguard the integrity of all communications which terminate in or transit through Singapore,'' the Foreign Ministry said. Thai Foreign Ministry spokesman Kitti Wasinondh was surprised at the quick reaction from the Singapore ministry, apparently in an attempt to defend Temasek investments. The Singapore government has always said it separated politics from business, he said. Temasek is the Singapore government's investment arm. But the island state has said Temasek investments are independent from the government, Mr Kitti said.