328. Intelligence Memorandum1
THE SITUATION IN THAILAND
Summary
Thailand enjoys a variety of economic and political assets which augur well for its future stability and independence. Guided by skilled and resourceful economic leadership, Thailand has made rapid economic progress in recent years and the prospects are bright for even greater growth and development in the future. In the political sphere, the country has benefited from nine years of stable rule by an autocratic but benevolent military oligarchy.
The status quo is threatened by a nascent Communist insurgent movement inspired and assisted by Peking and Hanoi. Thailandʼs long history of independence, the absence of a colonial experience, and the actions of an aroused government, have so far kept the insurgents in check. There are, however, some soft spots in the internal situation that could prove troublesome over the long haul. In Bangkok, the Thanom-Praphat government is enjoying its third year of stable rule, but serious factional infighting, during which the fight against the Communists would almost certainly suffer, could flare up with little warning. The present governmentʼs greatest weakness in meeting the insurgent challenge, [Page 718] however, is simply the fact that it does not have substantial popular support.
[Here follows the body of the paper.]
- Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Country File, Thailand, Vol. V, Memos 10/66–2/67. Secret. A note at the bottom of the first page reads: “This is one of a series of memoranda produced by the CIA on those countries to be visited by President Johnson. It was prepared by the Office of Current Intelligence and coordinated with the Office of National Estimates and the Office of Research and Reports.”↩