Secretary’s Memoranda of Conversation, lot 64 D 199
No. 421
Memorandum of Conversation, by the
Director of the Office of Philippine and Southeast Asian Affairs
(Bonsal)
Participants:
- Pote Sarasin, Ambassador to Washington and Member of Thai Delegation
- The Under Secretary
- Philip W. Bonsal
Subject:
- Security Arrangements in Southeast Asia and U.S. Military Assistance for Thailand
Ambassador Sarasin stated that he was interested in getting information on his own behalf and that of Prince Wan regarding progress being made on (a) the development of collective security arrangements in Southeast Asia and (b) measures for strengthening the Thai armed forces. He said he had been informed of the call which the Thai Chargé paid on the Secretary on May 10th in Washington1 at which time it was the Chargé’s impression that progress on the united action concept, at least so far as immediate implementation is concerned, is held up by British unwillingness to go along at this time.
The Ambassador indicated a full awareness of the requirements of the Thai armed forces in the matter of equipment and training. He said that a certain amount of small arms had recently been received. He said that the Thai Prime Minister is anxious to increase the Thai army from its present strength of between 50 and 60,000 to a total of 150,000. The manpower is readily available but there is the problem of training cadres. There is also a financial problem. The Thai budget currently amounts to $250 million of which the armed forces absorb over $100 million. The Thai financial situation is very tight. This was confirmed by the International Bank recently when it refused to make a loan requested by Thailand because of concern over Thailand’s public finances. The Ambassador concluded with an appeal for a statement of the extent to which US assistance [Page 714] might be counted on in developing Thailand’s armed forces and improving Thailand’s defense position.
The Under Secretary replied that while his information regarding programs on military assistance to Thailand was not entirely current, he could state that our JCS have been asked to examine and make recommendations with regard to a program which would include assistance in increasing the Thai army to 90,000; constructing the Saraburi Highway and certain other matters including an air base. The Under Secretary stated that his views had been requested and that he was making favorable recommendations. He said that he thought that ways and means would be found whereby existing resources might be made available to help the Thai Government.
The Under Secretary added that he had most strongly recommended the establishment in Thailand of an air base with fighter planes in the event that the Thai Government should request the installation of such a base. He stressed the top secret nature of this matter and the important part which such a base could play in free world defense of Southeast Asia against aggression.
The Under Secretary stated that, provided the necessary resources could be made available, the concept of assistance to be rendered the Thai Government in military matters would be broad and flexible. It would include financial support in view of the state of the Thai budget and assistance in the construction of housing and presumably in the provision of certain types of infrastructure (roads and air fields). The Under Secretary emphasized also the important assistance which we could render in training Thai officers and noncommissioned officers. He recalled the experience which the US Marine Corps has acquired in the peculiar problems of jungle warfare with modern weapons.
[Here follows discussion of regional security arrangements for Southeast Asia.]
- See Landon’s memorandum of conversation, Part 1, p. 468.↩