NVA forces in Thailand during Vietnam war ?

I read once that American Air Force bases in Thailand were sometimes
attacked and that some snipers near the bases turned out to be North
Vietamese troops.

Was this true ?

And didn't Thailand experience a communist insurgency of it's own
during the Vietnam war ? Was Vietnam a big supporter of the Thai
Communist movement ?

Did the Vietamese ever envision a Communist takeover of Thailand ?

The takeover appears to have been one of the objectives of the Tricontential
conference held in Cuba which Vietnam and the Soviets played an active role.
At the time the communist were advocating global insurgency with the idea
that they would eventually take over the Southeast Asian region by one means
or another. That objective has not changed since Vietnam is a communist
nation and as a matter of ideological doctrine the idea still remains alive
in terms of doctrine. There is not a hell of amount of difference between NK
and VN - both according to Senate testimony are developing WMD capabilities.

-----------------
"Mike" wrote in message
news:7cfd37d2.0311021741.4430afa0@posting.google.c om...
> I read once that American Air Force bases in Thailand were sometimes
> attacked and that some snipers near the bases turned out to be North
> Vietamese troops.
>
> Was this true ?
>
> And didn't Thailand experience a communist insurgency of it's own
> during the Vietnam war ? Was Vietnam a big supporter of the Thai
> Communist movement ?
>
> Did the Vietamese ever envision a Communist takeover of Thailand ?

"Mike" wrote
> I read once that American Air Force bases in Thailand were sometimes
> attacked and that some snipers near the bases turned out to be North
> Vietamese troops.
>
> And didn't Thailand experience a communist insurgency of it's own
> during the Vietnam war ?

Yes indeed, Thailand had a communist insurgency.
One of the very few good things to come out of our
war in Vietnam, is the claim that by our fighting there,
we provided pressure, support, and time for the
rest of South East Asia to
1. Get their governments in better shape,
2. Get their economies in better shape,
3. Get their internal & external security in better shape,
so they had a chance to keep the support of the citizens,
and then hold off and defeat the communists.

Was Vietnam a big supporter of the Thai
> Communist movement ?
>
> Did the Vietamese ever envision a Communist takeover of Thailand ?

Yes, a communist takeover, I am not sure the Vietnamese
were intending that they govern. I will let others like Kaatz
discuss this area.

Thanks Jason. Do you or anyone else here have any information on
actual
NVA units or NVA special forces units that operated in Thailand during
the Vietnam war ?

Didn't the NVA communists provide some kind of aid or training to the
Thai Communist movement ?


"JASON A. KAATZ" wrote in message news:...
> The takeover appears to have been one of the objectives of the Tricontential
> conference held in Cuba which Vietnam and the Soviets played an active role.
> At the time the communist were advocating global insurgency with the idea
> that they would eventually take over the Southeast Asian region by one means
> or another. That objective has not changed since Vietnam is a communist
> nation and as a matter of ideological doctrine the idea still remains alive
> in terms of doctrine. There is not a hell of amount of difference between NK
> and VN - both according to Senate testimony are developing WMD capabilities.
>
> -----------------
> "Mike" wrote in message
> news:7cfd37d2.0311021741.4430afa0@posting.google.c om...
> > I read once that American Air Force bases in Thailand were sometimes
> > attacked and that some snipers near the bases turned out to be North
> > Vietamese troops.
> >
> > Was this true ?
> >
> > And didn't Thailand experience a communist insurgency of it's own
> > during the Vietnam war ? Was Vietnam a big supporter of the Thai
> > Communist movement ?
> >
> > Did the Vietamese ever envision a Communist takeover of Thailand ?

MrStrong65@hotmail.com (Mike) wrote in message news:<7cfd37d2.0311021741.4430afa0@posting.google.com>...
> I read once that American Air Force bases in Thailand were sometimes
> attacked and that some snipers near the bases turned out to be North
> Vietamese troops.
>
> Was this true ?

I have not heard of any PAVN snipers around the air bases in Thailand,
though I can't swear there were none.

There were at least five attacks on those bases.

The most successful was against Udorn, July 26, 1968. One American
and one Thai were killed, and three aircraft were damaged.

Three B-52s were damaged in an attack on U-Tapao January 10, 1972.

It is generally believed that the forces responsible for all these
attacks were PAVN sappers, and I see no reason to doubt that, though
if it has ever actually been proven I have not seen the evidence.

> And didn't Thailand experience a communist insurgency of it's own
> during the Vietnam war ?

Yes.

> Was Vietnam a big supporter of the Thai Communist movement ?

A supporter, but not a big supporter.

> Did the Vietamese ever envision a Communist takeover of Thailand ?

They envisioned it, but they never did much to try to bring the vision
to reality. They were too busy with problems closer to home.

Ed Moise

On Sun, 02 Nov 2003 17:41:16 -0800, Mike wrote:

> I read once that American Air Force bases in Thailand were sometimes
> attacked and that some snipers near the bases turned out to be North
> Vietamese troops.
>
> Was this true ?
>
> And didn't Thailand experience a communist insurgency of it's own during
> the Vietnam war ? Was Vietnam a big supporter of the Thai Communist
> movement ?
>
> Did the Vietamese ever envision a Communist takeover of Thailand ?

During the period August 1974 to September 1975, when I was the S-2 CI
Agent for the 7th Rock and Roll Freak Show (7th RRFS) or US Army Security
Agncy Field Station Thailand, I had an additional duty involving reporting
and collecting on a local Thai Communist Terrorist (CT) group which was
located on the outskirts of Bong-Nong-Sung, about 12 miles from U-Dorn.
Bong-Nong_Sung was where the 7th RRFS was located. The CT Group was
located between the CIA/Special Forces supply area known as PEPPERGRINDER
and Nong Sung. We had had some ocasional rifle shots and road side
incidents, but by the middle of 1975 it was pretty quiet. We were, of
course, reading all of their voice and morse traffic to and from their HQ
unit located in North Vietnam. As near as I and the traffic analysis
people could figure out they were subordinated to either the 32 or 38 Army
Group. Most of their logistics came from across the border in Laos, where
there were pockets of NVA and Lao Communist forces.

HTH

Dave

I have nothing on specific units. However, from reading unclassified Senate
and House reports years ago it was very clear that there was an effort to at
least undertake insurgent operations. The CIA use to publish the National
Intelligence Fact Book and I believe still does every year. However,
getting a copy that covers that period of time which would have listed
opposition and insurgent movements operating in Thailand it could give you
some insight to the circumstances in which they operated. You might also
check the New York Times Index for the years concerned. Also the Bankok
Post if it is still available. Some of the old timers - Air America surely
would have some opinion on what was going on there at the time. However, an
FOIA to the USAF and/or Special Warfare School (JFK) in North Carolina might
turn up some history as well as asking for the OPRs and Lessons Learned for
MAAG Thailand and/or specific Detachments stationed there. Also DOS Embassy
Cable files and the Johnson and Nixon Library, an E-mail to the chief
librarian will do - they have a website. Also the University of Texas.
There were Thai troops in Vietnam in 1965 when I was there. Also, the Thai
Embassy in WDC - the Military Attaché's office might have some history, I
use to train the Thai's soldiers in Virginia - after I returned from
Vietnam. My recollection I am sorry to say has faded with time, 30 years
plus. However, I am sure the Bankok Post has some history on it. You might
send Mark Smith an e-mail in Thailand - he was living there for a while. He
sure as hell knows the history of that region from the point of view of a
former SF officer and operator. Colonel Bo Gritz might have some insight as
well. DOS Historians office might be able to give you some very direct
citations as well.




"Mike" wrote in message
news:7cfd37d2.0311031428.1bf695e8@posting.google.c om...
> Thanks Jason. Do you or anyone else here have any information on
> actual
> NVA units or NVA special forces units that operated in Thailand during
> the Vietnam war ?
>
> Didn't the NVA communists provide some kind of aid or training to the
> Thai Communist movement ?
>
>
> "JASON A. KAATZ" wrote in message
news:...
> > The takeover appears to have been one of the objectives of the
Tricontential
> > conference held in Cuba which Vietnam and the Soviets played an active
role.
> > At the time the communist were advocating global insurgency with the
idea
> > that they would eventually take over the Southeast Asian region by one
means
> > or another. That objective has not changed since Vietnam is a communist
> > nation and as a matter of ideological doctrine the idea still remains
alive
> > in terms of doctrine. There is not a hell of amount of difference
between NK
> > and VN - both according to Senate testimony are developing WMD
capabilities.
> >
> > -----------------
> > "Mike" wrote in message
> > news:7cfd37d2.0311021741.4430afa0@posting.google.c om...
> > > I read once that American Air Force bases in Thailand were sometimes
> > > attacked and that some snipers near the bases turned out to be North
> > > Vietamese troops.
> > >
> > > Was this true ?
> > >
> > > And didn't Thailand experience a communist insurgency of it's own
> > > during the Vietnam war ? Was Vietnam a big supporter of the Thai
> > > Communist movement ?
> > >
> > > Did the Vietamese ever envision a Communist takeover of Thailand ?

fwiw, the folks up in NKP got to see some pretty sights at night. not sure
but isn't that on the Red River?

"Ed Moise" wrote in message
news:145c66a2.0311031538.6fee3066@posting.google.c om...
> MrStrong65@hotmail.com (Mike) wrote in message
news:<7cfd37d2.0311021741.4430afa0@posting.google.com>...
> > I read once that American Air Force bases in Thailand were sometimes
> > attacked and that some snipers near the bases turned out to be North
> > Vietamese troops.
> >
> > Was this true ?
>
> I have not heard of any PAVN snipers around the air bases in Thailand,
> though I can't swear there were none.
>
> There were at least five attacks on those bases.
>
> The most successful was against Udorn, July 26, 1968. One American
> and one Thai were killed, and three aircraft were damaged.
>
> Three B-52s were damaged in an attack on U-Tapao January 10, 1972.
>
> It is generally believed that the forces responsible for all these
> attacks were PAVN sappers, and I see no reason to doubt that, though
> if it has ever actually been proven I have not seen the evidence.
>
> > And didn't Thailand experience a communist insurgency of it's own
> > during the Vietnam war ?
>
> Yes.
>
> > Was Vietnam a big supporter of the Thai Communist movement ?
>
> A supporter, but not a big supporter.
>
> > Did the Vietamese ever envision a Communist takeover of Thailand ?
>
> They envisioned it, but they never did much to try to bring the vision
> to reality. They were too busy with problems closer to home.
>
> Ed Moise

Nope. The Mekong.

--


Don Thompson

Ex ROMAD


"Wakyer Eagle" wrote in message
news1Dpb.73$f54.53330140@newssvr11.news.prodigy. com...
> fwiw, the folks up in NKP got to see some pretty sights at night. not
sure
> but isn't that on the Red River?
>
> "Ed Moise" wrote in message
> news:145c66a2.0311031538.6fee3066@posting.google.c om...
> > MrStrong65@hotmail.com (Mike) wrote in message
> news:<7cfd37d2.0311021741.4430afa0@posting.google.com>...
> > > I read once that American Air Force bases in Thailand were sometimes
> > > attacked and that some snipers near the bases turned out to be North
> > > Vietamese troops.
> > >
> > > Was this true ?
> >
> > I have not heard of any PAVN snipers around the air bases in Thailand,
> > though I can't swear there were none.
> >
> > There were at least five attacks on those bases.
> >
> > The most successful was against Udorn, July 26, 1968. One American
> > and one Thai were killed, and three aircraft were damaged.
> >
> > Three B-52s were damaged in an attack on U-Tapao January 10, 1972.
> >
> > It is generally believed that the forces responsible for all these
> > attacks were PAVN sappers, and I see no reason to doubt that, though
> > if it has ever actually been proven I have not seen the evidence.
> >
> > > And didn't Thailand experience a communist insurgency of it's own
> > > during the Vietnam war ?
> >
> > Yes.
> >
> > > Was Vietnam a big supporter of the Thai Communist movement ?
> >
> > A supporter, but not a big supporter.
> >
> > > Did the Vietamese ever envision a Communist takeover of Thailand ?
> >
> > They envisioned it, but they never did much to try to bring the vision
> > to reality. They were too busy with problems closer to home.
> >
> > Ed Moise
>
>

"Wakyer Eagle" wrote in message news:...

> fwiw, the folks up in NKP got to see some pretty sights at night. not sure
> but isn't that on the Red River?

At that point of the river, the left bank was red.

Thakhek, the Laotian city opposite Nakhom Phanom had a greater
population of Vietnamese than it did of Laotians. The commercial
section, shops, hotels, bars and restaurants, of the Thai town of
Nakhon Phanom was itself largely Vietnamese.