McFarland & Company. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. [26]:27980 On the night of 26 December a B-52 was hit by a SAM wounding its tail gunner and knocking out four engines, the aircraft limped back to U-Tapao where it crash-landed killing four crewmen with the tail gunner and co-pilot surviving the crash. Also in March 1962, a small detachment of F-102 "Delta Daggers" from the 509th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, based at Clark AB, Philippines were sent to Don Muang under "Operation Bell Tone". According to US government statistics, between 1950 and 1987 the US provided Thailand with more than US$2 billion in military assistance. By the late 1950s Pathet Lao forces, linked with the communists in North Vietnam and China, were gaining more and more control of territory in Laos, which was struggling to defeat the insurgents. At Don Muang Air Base near Bangkok, the USAF had stationed KC-135 tanker aircraft to refuel combat aircraft over the skies of Indochina. Singapore forces fly Northrop F-5s and F-16 Fighting Falcons. Holt. Beginning in March 1969, B-52s were raiding not only South Vietnam and Laos, but Cambodia as well. The next day, B-52 sorties were flown from U-Tapao. Those forces were a way to confront the communists in Laos without the direct action of American troops. The Secret Vietnam War: The United States Air Force in Thailand, 19611975. Thailand apparently agreed . [citation needed] Attacks on US bases and personnel were suppressed and any personnel wounded during military action in Thailand did not receive recognition of or awards for their wounds. President Dwight D. Eisenhower and his successor, John F. Kennedy, would not allow Laos to fall to communists, and their administrations realized that Thailands active cooperation was vital in that effort. "[3]:489, The subject of a Thai troop withdrawal came up again in March 1970. This was one of the key USAF bases used for the B52 bombing raids in Vietnam. Like South Vietnam, Thailand was becoming increasingly dependent upon U.S. support. Indeed, Thailand emerged as one of the regions strongest and most stable economies. Squadrons based there include: For several years, beginning in 1981, U-Tapao has hosted parts of Cobra Gold, jointly involving US, Singaporean, and Thai armed forces, and designed to build ties between the nations and promote interoperability between their military components. Location of U-tapao Royal Thai Navy Airfield, Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron 152, Air Refueling Squadron (Provisional), 901, 38th Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadron, International Commission of Control and Supervision, 40th Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadron, "U-Tapao Royal Thai Navy Airfield Historical Brief", "EXCLUSIVE: Sources Tell ABC News Top Al Qaeda Figures Held in Secret CIA Prisons", , "Joint Task Force Caring Response brings help to Burmese citizens", "Where in the World Is the U.S. The SAC units left in December 1975;[9] and the 3rd Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Group left on 31 January 1976,[10] however the base remained under US control until it was formally returned to the Thai government on 13 June 1976.[11]. Thai entrepreneurs built scores of new hotels, restaurants and bars to serve the waves of free-spending American G.I.s, causing foreign funding to flow into the country. [9] Units involved were the 36th Airlift Squadron (36 AS) of the 374th Airlift Wing (374 AW) from Yokota Air Base, Japan, flying C-130H Hercules; and Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron 152 (VMGR-152) from Marine Corps Air Station Futenma, Okinawa, Japan, flying the Lockheed Martin KC-130R and the newer KC-130J. One state newspaper during the war had the headline "In 150 Fights, 100 [Thais] Are Dead, 1,000 Viet Cong Are Killed. The Kingdom of Thailand, under the administration of military dictator Field Marshal Thanom Kittikachorn, took an active role in the Vietnam War. Sattahip . JSTOR: Asian Survey: Vol 13,No. If Laos fell, the door was wide open for communism to infiltrate Thailand. Two days later there was an apparent reversal of policy. In the two years following the Paris Peace Accords, the People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN) underwent a massive rebuilding to recoup the losses suffered during their failed 1972 Easter Offensive. In spite of the agreement, fighting continued in Laos, with North Vietnamese troops hidden in Pathet Lao-held areas. ", The RTAF contingent achieved its greatest strength in late 1970. History is a guide to navigation in perilous times. On 23 July 1962 fourteen nations signed the Geneva Accords of 1962 which contained the following provisions: Laos was to become politically neutral and not enter into any military alliance. US Marine Corps (USMC) Lance Corporal (LCPL) Toua Yang, enjoys From 1966 to 1970, 4258th wing tankers flew over 50,000 sorties from U-Tapao. Those bombers were not allowed to strike North Vietnam directly. By 1971, 15 percent of the Thai army was in South Vietnam, perhaps as many as 22,000 troops, not including those in covert actions. The battalion reached Germany in time to participate in the Rhineland campaign. R. pilots had even gone into Hanoi's outskirts to rescue downed fliers. A token Thai force of a non-combatant nature was under consideration. The Communist Party of Thailand led an armed revolt in the northeastern provinces of the country. Tail Code: The Complete History of USAF Tactical Aircraft Tail Code Markings. The RTAF command structure consists of headquarters and five groups, which are: command group, combat group, support group, education and training group, and special services group. How Thailand Played A Key Role in the Vietnam War - HistoryNet At the height of the war, almost 50,000 American military personnel were stationed in Thailand, mainly airmen. Thailand was a constitutional monarchy and traditionally maintained a pro-western stance in foreign affairs. [3]:2734 About 40,000 Thai military would serve in South Vietnam, with 351 killed in action and 1,358 wounded. 2nd Platoon, 697th Engr Co (Pipeline) Camp Samae San 1968 - 69. Unlike other countries in the region, Thailand, known as Siam until 1939, had never been under the control of a European colonial power, a source of great pride in the country. Under Operation Niagara waves of six B-52s, attacking every three hours, dropped bombs as close as 900 feet (270m) from the perimeter of the outpost. Prior to 1965, the base at U-Tapao was a small RTN airfield. The "Military Assistance Group in South Vietnam" was renamed U.S. Military Assistance Command, Vietnam (MACV) on 6 February. the Vietnam War, Thailand was one of the places where GIs on leave went for a much-welcome break from the fighting. "Why Thailand Takes Pride in the Vietnam War", "Guerrilla Attack Reported on a U.S. Base in Thailand, 2nd in 24 Hours", "Many Thais saddened by U.S. military withdrawals", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Thailand_in_the_Vietnam_War&oldid=1122364262, Military history of Thailand during the Vietnam War, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 17 November 2022, at 05:42. Glasser, Jeffrey D. (1998). Under Thailand's "gentleman's agreement" with the U.S., the bases were considered Royal Thai Air Force bases and were commanded by Thai officers. Flights. The United States gave both economic and military aid to Thailand, and in return Thailand provided both air and ground bases for the Americans. The Seventh Air Force (PACAF) wanted additional B-52s missions flown in the war zone. The CIA reported that all conditions for rapid development of a subversive mechanism were present in Thailand. CIA intelligence pointed out that the Chinese were actively working with the Pathet Lao and possibly with the Muslim insurgency in southern Thailand and Malaysia. Steadily progressing and adding to the mission, U-Tapao welcomed its first complement of KC-135 tankers in August 1966. [12]:188, On 21 January 1970, the 4258th SW was redesignated as the 307th Strategic Wing. On 7 May 2008, in the aftermath of Cyclone Nargis, Thai C-130 transports were permitted to land at Yangon International Airport in Burma, carrying drinking water and construction material. The withdrawal plans were confirmed and even elaborated upon through a Royal Thai government announcement to the United States and South Vietnam on 26 March 1971. The rather large Vietnamese population also was still a great concern. President Johnson used the flawed information about the incident to order additional forces to the area to support the government of South Vietnam. [citation needed]. History is who we are and why we are the way we are.. At its peak in 1969 more airmen were serving in Thailand than were serving in South Vietnam. The Long Blue Line: The Coast Guard in Vietnam-a remembrance By September, the base was supporting 15 tankers. At this time 51 B-52s were based at U-Tapao. More American military advisers were being dispatched to the country, but their reports indicted a need for stronger measures to be taken. Air America, a U.S. government-owned airline secretly supporting CIA missions, flew from those bases into Laos and Vietnam, delivering supplies to covert groups working with anti-communist forces. Laos would not allow foreign military forces to use or occupy its territory. The government feared that should Laos fall to the communists, the "Domino Theory" would place the entire region, including Thailand, in jeopardy. Despite the valuable assistance the Thai government had provided to the U.S., by August 1970 President Richard Nixon didnt consider Thailand as important as his predecessors did. All the crew were recovered safely. Northeast Thailand housed a community of Vietnamese mixed with Chinese. Fearing an all-out attack, Thailand sent thousands of troops to repel the attackers. In December, the U.S. air attach photographed a Soviet Il-14 cargo plane transporting supplies to communist forces near Van Vieng. At the war's end, Thailand kept all military equipment and infrastructure left by the Americans, aiding in the country's modernization.[2]. OF THAILAND, I967-1972* / George J. Viksnins* . It was one of the first USAF aircraft shot down over Indochina, and marked the beginning of combat action by the USAF from bases in Thailand. It would remain at that strength until its withdrawal in April 1972, after which only a token force would remain. U-Tapao was built by the United States to accommodate B-52 bombers for missions in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia during the Vietnam War. Despite Thailand's neutrality on the 2003 invasion of Iraq, the Thai government allowed U-Tapao to be used by American warplanes flying into combat in Iraq, as it had earlier done during the war in Afghanistan. The North Vietnamese were using a network of routes that ran through the country, collectively known as the Ho Chi Minh Trail, to smuggle arms and fighters into South Vietnam. Thailand was a member of the now defunct Southeast Asia Treaty Organization (SEATO), formed in September 1954 under the direction of US President Dwight Eisenhower as an organisation for collective defence, with the express purpose of containing communist aggression in Southeast Asia. Name [ edit] During 19541975 (the Vietnam War or Second Indochina War), the Thai Government allowed the Joint United States Military Advisory Group - Thailand (JUSMAG-THAI) to fund and manage the modernization of Royal Thai Air Force bases. [24]:6156 The C-130s flew supply missions into Cambodia until May 1974 when these operations were taken over by BirdAir which operated under contract to the US Government. The Nixon Administration had approved this expansion of the war not long after entering office in the spring of 1969. Xun Lc fell on 20 April and South Vietnamese President Nguyn Vn Thiu resigned the following day, fleeing the country four days later. In January 1967, negotiations between the US and Thai government started to base them at U-Tapao. However, by 1959 U.S. Army Special Forces, the Green Berets, had covertly entered Laos and begun training Meo tribesman to fight the Pathet Lao. ; Thai: , RTGS: kong thap ruea thai) is the naval warfare force of Thailand.Established in 1906, it was modernised by the Admiral Prince Abhakara Kiartiwongse (1880-1923) who is known as the father of the Royal Navy. U-Tapao based C-130s of the 374th Wing flew missions into Cambodia, South Vietnam, and a weekly flight to Hanoi in support of the International Commission of Control and Supervision until April 1975. The USAF had been flying B-52 Operation Arc Light bombing missions from Kadena Air Base on Okinawa, but Okinawa was judged to be too far from Vietnam to meet mission requirements. The official American military presence in Thailand started in April 1961 when an advance party of the USAF 6010th Tactical (TAC) Group arrived at Don Muang at the request of the Royal Thai government to establish an aircraft warning system. Then in November 1961, four RF-101C reconnaissance aircraft of the 45th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron stationed at Misawa AB, Japan and their photo lab arrived at Don Muang. The fifth increment would not be replaced after its return to Thailand in August 1971. In July 1968 three groups of Thai special forces were sent into Laos to conduct long-range reconnaissance missions. RLTrader udonmap.com Posts: 1994 Joined: June 3 . In addition, combat missions were flown aiding friendly forces in Laos and, starting in 1970, Cambodia were also flown. The removal of U.S. military forces was accomplished by United States Marine Detachment BLT 1/9 out of Okinawa, Japan. The remaining members of the flight had jobs on the ground in intelligence, communications, flight engineering, loading and operations. Even so, Thailand still feared the regions spreading communist movementthe Viet Cong in Vietnam, the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia and the Pathet Lao in Laoswhich proselytized an ideology that imperiled Thailands monarchial form of government, culture and dominant religion. United States Air Force in Thailand - Wikipedia He stated that "When the people feel very strongly about a situation, the government must do something to ease the situation." This Thailand-related article is a stub. Western governments recognized different leaders, with military aid being provided to the communist Pathet Lao forces by the Soviet Union. The most comprehensive and authoritative history site on the Internet. Training: 6,300 Thais sent abroad 1951-68 for study in the fields of: agriculture, 1,490; education, 1,341; health, 969; public administration, 824; civil policing, 435; community development, 501; transportation, 287; industry 202; labor, 28; Mekong and Pa Mong projects, 16; general, 218. USARSUPTHAI On 25 April 1966 the United States Army Support Command, Thailand was activated on Okinawa and elements began deploying to Thailand on 17 October with the rear detachment closing on Camp Friendship on 15 November 1966. The Paris Peace Accords were signed on 27 January 1973, however, the B-52's war was not quite over, with Arc Light strikes on Laos continuing into April and on Cambodia into August. USARSUPTHAI ASSOCIATION - Thailand Order of Battle That changed after the Gulf of Tonkin incident in August 1964, when North Vietnamese torpedo boats attacked an American destroyer, and President Lyndon B. Johnson ordered retaliatory airstrikes on North Vietnam. Royal Thai Forces fly F-16 Fighting Falcons, F-5E Tigers, and ground attack L-39s. He also stated that the subject had been discussed with South Vietnamese Foreign Minister Tran Chan Thanh, and had been under consideration for some time. More. . It was decided that, as the base at U-Tapao was being established as a KC-135 tanker base, to move them all out of Don Muang and to also base B-52s at U-Tapao where they could fly without refuelling over both North and South Vietnam. [2], On 29 September 1964 a 16-man Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) contingent arrived in Vietnam to assist in flying and maintaining some of the cargo aircraft operated by the Republic of Vietnam Air Force (RVNAF). [25], In late March 1972, the North Vietnamese launched a full-scale offensive across the Vietnamese Demilitarized Zone, supported by tanks and heavy artillery. The hasty attempt to effect recovery of the vessel and her crew using only USAF resources was abandoned. Thailand during the Vietnam War - Udon Thani Thailand Forum - Udon Joint United States Military Advisory Group - Thailand, United States Government Accountability Office, http://www.country-data.com/cgi-bin/query/r-13803.html, http://home.pcisys.net/~jjwilson/tob.html, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Royal_Thai_Air_Force_Bases&oldid=1145104187, Grants 431; Loans 64; Regional 34: Total 529. The CIA also began training Hmong tribesmen from the mountains of Laos and Vietnam to fight the communists under an authorization that Eisenhower signed in December 1960. They had lost China to Mao Zedongs communists in 1949 and just narrowly defeated the North Korean/Chinese attempt to conquer democratic South Korea in 1950-53. U.S. instructors and advisers were sent to Thailand to bolster the countrys military. In 1954, after a defeated France ended its rule of Indochina, the Thai government pushed for pro-Western Laos to act as a buffer between Thailand and the newly created communist North Vietnam. [24]:644[31], On 12 May 1975, less than two weeks after the fall of Saigon, a unit of the Cambodian Khmer Rouge Navy seized the American-flagged container ship SS Mayaguez, taking the crew hostage. Martin, Patrick (1994). (https://www.usni.org/magazines/naval-history-magazine/2008/february/truth-about-tonkin) USAF forces were dispatched to Thailand. [3]:49, In December 1969 the effects of the withdrawal of the Philippine Civic Action Group, Vietnam, and antiwar sentiment in the US were felt in Thailand as elsewhere. [3]:26, In October 1967 the Royal Thai Volunteer Regiment (Queen's Cobras) was sent to Camp Bearcat at Bien Hoa, to fight alongside the Americans, Australians, New Zealanders and South Vietnamese. Even though 48,000 U.S. troops were eventually removed from Thailand, covert operations continued, albeit to a lesser extent, until 1975. Top. Despite those efforts, by 1962 the reports coming out of Laos were not good. The first B-52's arrived on 10 April 1967. The reasons given were that the situation in South Vietnam had improved as a result of the Vietnamization program and other aid as evidenced by U.S. cutbacks, and that difficult domestic economic and security problems existed in Thailand. For the next several years, a minimum of four F-102 interceptors were kept on alert at Don Muang. Circumstances in the region, however, were leading to drastic changes in the US position. On 22 November 1972, a B-52D was damaged by an SA-2 SAM in a raid on Vinh, an important rail center in the southern part of North Vietnam. Three Thai special forces units joined with the U.S. 1st Special Forces Group, and by early May 1966 the joint forces began conducting 30-day missions into remote, undisclosed locations not just inside Laos, but throughout Indochina. In 1969 the Thai military deployed more than 12,000 ground troops, including the Queens Cobras regiment and the Black Panther Division of the Royal Army Volunteer Force. Eventually, these countries would fall under communism in 1975. This is a reading from the book "Sattahip" by Rong Wongsawan, translated by Siamrad Maher, and arranged by Tony Waters. America's 'Secret War' and the bombing of Southeast Asia Construction began on 15 October 1965 and was completed on 2 June 1966. The American government negotiated a deal with Thailand which allowed them to build strategic air force and troop bases. In addition to combating Pathet Lao infiltrations, the Thais had to contend with the Viet Cong, Muslim separatists, Chinese terrorists and even Indonesian communists. The campaign was expensive, 16 B-52s were lost and nine others suffered heavy damaged, with 33 aircrew killed or missing in action. Also, in South Vietnam, the numbers of Communist insurgents continued to increase. U-Tapao was the primary Southeast Asian airfield for US Air Force B-52 Stratofortress bombers, called "Bee-hasip-sawng" (B-52) by the local Thais. But Thailands multifaceted support for U.S. The US, seeking a Southeast Asian B-52 base, reached an agreement with the Thai government to build and operate the base in conjunction with the Royal Thai Navy. Immediately after the news broke of the use of Thai bases to support the Mayaguez rescue, the Thai Government lodged a formal protest with the US and riots broke out outside the US Embassy in Bangkok. Agent Orange is an herbicide that was used to defoliate the thick jungle in Vietnam and elsewhere in Southeast Asia, such as the Korean Demilitarized Zone. Thailand also provided boots on the ground to assist the U.S. and its other allies in the fight, which included South Korea, Australia, New Zealand and The Philippines. The former RVNAF C-130s that had arrived in Thailand were flown out to Singapore, while 27 RVNAF A-37s, 25 F-5s, and 50 UH-1s at U-Tapao were loaded by helicopter and barge onto USSMidway for transport to the US. To subscribe, clickhere. The following data is taken from what appears to be a working paper summary of the United States Operations Mission (USOM) in Thailand dated 1968, found at the Cornell University Library "Pamphlet HC Thailand 370" 3-1924-007-619-574. Realizing this, the Thai government decided to halt its clandestine operations in Laos and asked the United States to remove American forces from Thailand. The North Vietnamese claimed that almost 1,400 civilians were killed. Royal Thai Air Force Bases - Wikipedia By early 1962, about 60 Thais had enlisted in Lao units; all on the CIA payroll. From Korat, Takhli and Ubon came the Republic F-105 Thunderchiefs and F-4C and F-4D Phantoms that actually delivered the bombs and also General Dynamics F-111s with terrain-following radar from Takhli. It is serves as the home of the RTN First Air Wing. The agreement, reached on 2 March 1967, allowed 15 B-52s and their support personnel to be based at U-Tapao, with the provision that missions flown from Thailand would not over fly Laos or Cambodia on their way to targets in Vietnam. Thailand was the third-largest provider of ground forces to South Vietnam, following the Americans and South Koreans. Tensions ramped up when the Pathet Lao attacked in spring 1962 and took control of the Nam Tha river valley in northwestern Thailand. In a 1967 interview on ABC Scope, a weekly TV news program, Foreign Minister Thanat Khoman explained that Thailands reasons for supporting the war effort had both security and economic underpinnings. Thailand in the Vietnam War - Wikipedia Sattahip district - Wikipedia In September 1966 2 radio relay KC-135A Combat Lightning aircraft and their personnel were ordered to deploy to U-Tapao to support air operations over North Vietnam.[12]. The USAF forces at U-Tapao were under the command of the United States Pacific Air Forces (PACAF), with the Strategic Air Command (SAC) units being a tenant unit. Immediately upon arrival, two of these planes were loaded with a full load (800 rnds) of 20mm ammunition and 4 x GAR-8s (AIM-9Bs) and placed on 5 minute alert. Over the centuries, Thai governments had managed to avoid foreign domination with a policy of accommodation with the predominant power in Asia at the time. The 307th was under the command and control of Eighth Air Force, based at Andersen AFB, Guam. U-Tapao was initially more of a forward field than it was a main operating base, with responsibility for scheduling missions still remaining at Andersen AFB. Immediately after the news broke of the use of Thai bases to support the Mayaguez rescue, the Thai government lodged a formal protest with the US and riots broke out outside the US Embassy in Bangkok. Sattahip Thailand 1966-1967. [1], Due to its proximity to Thailand, Vietnam's conflicts were closely monitored by Bangkok. VC-47A 084 of Air America crashed on landing on a flight from Tan Son Nhut.[30]. The Thai government prohibited photographing of American personnel and military aircraft, with the exception of official archive photography taken for documentation and official release. The RF-101s stayed until May 1962, then returned for a second deployment during November and December 1962. The intensification of the war in Vietnam led to a rapid buildup in official U.S. spending in Thailand (see Tables 1 and 2). Flying ungainly looking, green and brown HH43 and CH-3 helicopters, or "Jolly Green Giants," and protected by propeller-driven A-1 Sandy ground attack planes, R. &. In 1968 I was taken on a school trip to visit U Tapao airbase near Sattahip and Pattaya. Vice-President Lyndon B. Johnson recommended that Thailand be given US$50 million in military aid. On 23 December, communist forces fired on an American VC-47 passenger transport. [1] port, which was built at Sattahip in southeast Thailand. In 1953, Eisenhowers selection for a new ambassador to Thailand was William Donovan, who had led the World War II spy agency, the Office of Strategic Services, forerunner of the CIA, created in 1947. The 307th SW ended all combat operations on 14 August 1973. In response, Thailand deployed 30,000 troops, wresting an uneasy control of the area, which lasted throughout the war. Serving as an unsinkable aircraft carrier, Thailand hosted as many as 48,000 U.S. troops for operations in neighboring Laos and Vietnam.1 In exchange, Thailand received U.S. military assistance on a mas-sive scale. ", "Thai airfield is dedicated, built by U.S.", "USAF tanker crashes on way to war planes", "ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 48322 22-NOV-1972 Boeing B-52D-65-BO Stratofortress", "Thai leaders protest arrival of U.S. marines", "U.S. to begin pullout of troops from Thailand", "Many Thais saddened by U.S. military withdrawals", USAAS-USAAC-USAAF-USAF Aircraft Serial Numbers1908 to present, Utapao Royal Thai Airbase mid-summer 1971, 635 Supply Chain Operations Wing fact sheet successor to 635 Combat Support Group, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=U-Tapao_Royal_Thai_Navy_Airfield&oldid=1146846936, Strategic Wing (Provisional), 310th (1972), Consolidated Aircraft Maintenance Wing (Provisional), 340th (1972), 99th Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron (19721976), Air Division (Provisional), 310th (1972). With Thailand facing threats on all fronts, the U.S. increased the military and economic aid being sent. The United States had welcomed the decision of the Thai government to contribute troops to South Vietnam and was willing to compensate it by logistical support and payment of certain allowances to Thai forces for duty out of the country. Thai operatives, trained by the CIA and U.S. Special Forces, entered Laos and engaged Pathet Lao units, driving them back and securing the northern part of the country against further encroachments. [citation needed] In addition, U-Tapao may be where Al Qaeda operative Abu Zubaydah was interrogated, according to some retired American intelligence officials. The report "Snakes in the Eagles Nest" gives a partial account of combat operations in Thailand during the Vietnam War. The United States Embassy in Vientiane was burned to the ground and fighting raged in and around the city. The U-Tapao-based B-52Ds were able to carry more bombs and perform more sorties than the other units which operated less capable versions and had to fly much further to reach targets in North Vietnam. In 1953, the Viet Minh, the communist-dominated organization fighting at the time for Vietnams independence from France, invaded French-controlled northern and eastern Laos, where the communist Pathet Lao insurgency was emerging, a direct threat to Thailand. During the Vietnam War, Thailand was one of the places where GIs on leave went for a much-welcome break from the fighting. This is why so little information about the USAF in Thailand was made public during the Vietnam War. The First National Economic Development Plan (1961-1966) was successfully implemented. Origins of U.S. military presence in Thailand, https://www.usni.org/magazines/naval-history-magazine/2008/february/truth-about-tonkin, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=United_States_Air_Force_in_Thailand&oldid=1145102414, Closed facilities of the United States Air Force in Thailand, Cold War military history of the United States, United States military presence in other countries, All Wikipedia articles written in American English, Articles with unsourced statements from January 2011, Articles with unsourced statements from March 2023, Wikipedia articles incorporating text from the Air Force Historical Research Agency, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0.