Foreign Relations of the United States, 1952–1954, East Asia and the Pacific, Volume XII, Part 2

OCB files, lot 62 D 430, Southeast Asia–1

No. 418
Memorandum by the Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Far Eastern Affairs (Drumright) to the Deputy Under Secretary of State (Murphy)

top secret

Washington, May 11, 1954.

Subject:

• Possible Mutual Defense and Leased Base Agreement with Thailand and Deployment of one F84G Fighter Wing.

Discussion:

Arrangements have been made for you to raise at the OCB meeting of May 12 Ambassador Donovan’s recommendations contained in his No. 2242 of May 10,¹ copy attached, that the U.S. Government promptly negotiate a Leased Base Agreement similar to that with England and that one F84G Fighter Wing be deployed for use in Thailand, suggesting that the unit be rotated periodically on a TDY basis as presently utilized by Strategic Air Command; that Korat be prepared as the initial base because of the minimum expense and effort required, and that a second base be built at some point in the Kra Peninsula in event of an enemy invasion of Thailand.

Ambassador Donovan’s reasons appear valid that this would:

(a) Be a decisive kind of assurance to Thailand; (b) serve to warn the enemy; (c) increase allied combat potential; (d) provide strategic bases for USAF units; (e) stimulate the development of air facilities in Thailand; (f) be an indication of U.S.-Thai intentions during the Indochina crisis.

Thailand has repeatedly indicated its desire for a mutual defense agreement. The arrangements for a leased base agreement imply agreement on mutual defense. There is attached a draft treaty of mutual defense,² to which has been stapled draft Article V (a) on page 2, providing for bases for U.S. forces in Thailand. This paragraph was drafted separately as it is possible to treat the two subjects of a mutual defense treaty and a leased base agreement separately. With respect to Thailand and the urgency of the present situation, it seems preferable to combine the two. If this were done agreement would have to be reached subsequently on the location of the bases and legal jurisdiction over American personnel. The negotiation of this subsequent agreement might require considerable time because of the technical questions involved.

Recommendation:

That you propose to OCB:

1. That the U.S. Government negotiate a mutual defense and leased base agreement with Thailand and the deployment of one F84G Fighter Wing;

2. That agreement subsequently be reached with Thailand on the location of the bases and legal jurisdiction over American personnel;

3. That, if you approve of recommendations 1 and 2, you sign the attached telegram to Bangkok.³

1. Supra.
2. Not printed.
3. Telegram 2221 to Bangkok, May 11, informed Donovan that his recommendation was being referred to the Operations Coordinating Board and instructed him to expedite arrangements for initiating the proposed Saraburi-Ban Phai highway, which had been delayed, according to the Department’s understanding, by the lack of a formal request by the Thai Government together with substantive specifications. (792.5/5–1054)