ANTI LEFT-WING DEMONSTRATIONS IN BANGKOK AS UNITED STATES ENDS MAJOR MILITARY PRESENCE IN THAILAND.

Record ID: 239786

  • Title: ANTI LEFT-WING DEMONSTRATIONS IN BANGKOK AS UNITED STATES ENDS MAJOR MILITARY PRESENCE IN THAILAND.
  • Date: 22nd July 1976
  • Summary: 1. GV: Bangkok 0.02 2. GV: students rally with speaker addressing crowd (2 shots) 0.11 3. MV pasters with anti communist drawings (3 shots) 0.19 4. GV: students listening speaker while police look on (3 shots) 0.26 5. GV: bus loads of students along road (2 shots) 0.34 6. MV: police and security forces out of jeep 0.37 7. GV: students marching and chanting 0.42 8. MV: policemen speaking in to car radio while students march past (2 shots) 0.46 9. MV: more security forces arrive 0.48 10. GV: students throw plastic gas bombs as police look on 1.00 11. GV: students chanting whilst bombs are thrown and police watch (3 shots) 1.10 12. GV: students running 1.14 13. MV: Thai Premier, Seni Pramoj, appearing on television. 1.23 14. MV: George L. Davis (American serviceman) arrives at airport with family (2 shots) 1.36 15. MV: Davis and family pick up tickets and go through to airport lounge 1.47 Thailand has accepted an invitation to send a delegation to Hanoi in Vietnam for talks on stabilising relations between the two countries. Mr. Pichai Rattakul, Thailand's Foreign Minister, has said that he hopes to take a team to Hanoi in August. Initials RH/JB/DK/1020 Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 6th August 1976 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: BANGKOK, THAILAND
  • Country: Thailand
  • Reuters ID: LVA97OWS0XR3V18OAVPM81NRZJ0K
  • Story Text: The United States wound up its 12 year major military presence in Thailand on Tuesday (20 July). A once powerful force of 10,000 troops has been cut down to fewer than 350 military advisors, embassy guards and scientists. The withdrawal comes at a time when some groups in Thailand are claiming that the country is moving towards a left-owing takeover.

    SYNOPSIS: In the capital, Bangkok, there were demonstrations on Monday (19 July) by right-wing students. They were protesting about recent anti-US actions of left-wing group called the National Student Centre of Thailand. It was left-owing students who demonstrated for three days in May 1975 after the United States used its U-Tapao base in Thailand for launching its rescue operation of the ship, Mayaguez. The ship had been seized by Cambodian authorities near the island of Koh Tang and the US launched an operation to retrieve the Mayaguez and its crew. But the Thai government condemned the US for failing to consult Thailand before making use of the bases. The operation finally led to an expulsion order on all US forces in Thailand.

    But memories of the Communist victories in neighbouring Indochina are fresh in the minds of many right-wing Thai groups. An official communique recently stated that Thai government forces had killed 150 guerrillas in recent anti-insurgent operations in Northern Thailand. But a conservative coalition government came to power last April and has been trying to reassure right-wing groups that communism poses no threat.

    Mr. Seni Pramoj, Thailand's Prime Minister, appeared on television to say that the American withdrawal would not cause an increase in guerrilla activity. But other weren't so sure as the last American families left Thailand. The nearest active United States bases are now in South Korea and the Philippines. One Thai Minister, Mr. Samak Sundarajev, has disagreed with his government's foreign policy, notably its efforts to improve relations with communist countries in Indochina. Now everybody is waiting to see what happens now that the American shave left.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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