Foreign Relations of the United States, 1961–1963, Volume XXIII, Southeast Asia

397. Memorandum From Secretary of State Rusk to President Kennedy⁰

Washington, February 24, 1961.

SUBJECT

• Reaffirmation of United States Support for Thailand

On the basis of recent discussion of our policies in Southeast Asia I believe that a reaffirmation of our moral and material support for Thailand would be both timely and highly advantageous to our interests. With this thought in mind I submit for your signature a letter to Field Marshal Sarit Thanarat, Prime Minister of Thailand, reiterating our intention fully to honor our obligations as an ally and friend and expressing our willingness to discuss with the Royal Thai Government measures designed to further the security and economic progress of Thailand.

President Eisenhower wrote to the Prime Minister on November 8, 1960¹ to assure him that the preservation of the independence and integrity of Thailand was a matter of the highest concern and importance to the United States and to inform him of our willingness to explore with the Thai Government measures for advancing its program of economic and social development. President Eisenhower’s letter stressed the high value which the United States continues to place on its friendship and cooperation with Thailand. In replying in December, 1960 Field Marshal Sarit expressed his deep appreciation of President Eisenhower’s assurances and the gratitude of the Thai Government and people for American military and economic assistance.²

The Prime Minister continues to be gravely concerned over the threat to Thailand’s security posed by the troubled situation in Laos and the resulting prospect of a southward thrust of Communist power in Southeast Asia. He has welcomed our past assurances of our fidelity to our commitments under SEATO, to which, in the absence of a bilateral mutual defense treaty between the United States and Thailand, the Thai Government is inclined to give a de facto bilateral interpretation. The importance of our relationships with Thailand is such as to warrant a reaffirmation of our continuing awareness of Thai economic and security requirements and of our unswerving sympathy and support.

I believe that a personal reassurance from you in this sense to the Prime Minister would be both timely and highly advantageous to our interests and I therefore recommend that you sign the enclosed letter.³

It is recommended that, if approved, no publicity be given to this message. If approved, we shall transmit it by telegram to our Ambassador at Bangkok for delivery to the Prime Minister.

I enclose for your information a biographic sketch of the Prime Minister.⁴

Dean Rusk

0. Source: Kennedy Library, National Security Files, Countries Series, Thailand, Vol. I, 1/61–5/61. No classification marking.
1. See footnote 1, Document 396.
2. Sarit’s note was conveyed to the Department of State by the Thai Ambassador on December 28 and then sent on to the White House. (Eisenhower Library, Whitman File, International File)
3. Attached but not printed. The letter was signed by President Kennedy and the text was transmitted to Bangkok in telegram 1277, February 28. In telegram 1531 from Bangkok, March 1, the Embassy reported that the letter was delivered to Sarit at noon that day. (Department of State, Central Files, 611.92/2–2861 and 611.92/3–161)
4. Attached but not printed.