399. Telegram 8690 From the Embassy in Thailand to the Department of State, May 13, 1975, 1315Z.1 2
May 13,
1975, 1315Z
TELEGRAM
Department of State
BANGKOK 8690
Z 131315Z MAY 75
FM AMEMBASSY BANGKOK
TO SECSTATE WASHDC FLASH 4155
BANGKOK
8690
NODIS
E.O. 11652: XGDS-3 INDEFINITE
TAGS: PFOR, TH, US
SUBJECT: MEASURES TO OBTAIN RELEASE OF THE MAYAGUEZ
REF: BANGKOK
8684
- 1.
- AS THE DEPARTMENT IS AWARE, I HAD ABSOLUTELY NO ADVANCE WORD THAT MILITARY ACTION WAS TO BE TAKEN BY U.S. AIRCRAFT BASED IN THAILAND TO OBTAIN THE RELEASE OF THE MAYAGUEZ. AT 1730 HOURS BANGKOK TIME AN INFORMATION COPY OF A JCS MESSAGE ADDRESSED TO OUR DEFENSE ATTACHE (131017Z MAY 75) FIRST REVEALED TO ME THAT SOMETHING WAS GOING ON. BY TRACKING BACK, I HAVE NOW LEARNED THAT U.S. AIRCRAFT WERE LAUNCHED FROM BASES IN THAILAND AT ABOUT 1330 HOURS BANGKOK TIME. THIS IS AN HOUR AND A HALF BEFORE I MET THE PRIME MINISTER AT HIS REQUEST TO DISCUSS THE MATTER.
- 2.
- I CANNOT STRESS TO STRONGLY THE DAMAGE TO U.S.-THAI INTERESTS WHICH IS LIKELY TO RESULT FROM THIS UNILATERAL ACTION. HAD I KNOWN WHAT WAS CONTEMPLATED I COULD HAVE TAKEN STEPS TO CONTAIN THE DAMAGE. WHEN THE THAI LEARN THAT U.S. AIRCRAFT HAD ALREADY BEEN LAUNCHED BEFORE I SAW THE PRIME MINISTER AND, OF COURSE, MADE NO MENTION OF IT, THEY WILL ASSUME THAT THIS IS A DELIBERATE, HEAVY- [Page 2] HANDED U.S. EFFORT TO CUT THEM OUT, NOT THAT IT RESULTS FROM AN UNBELIEVABLE LACK OF COORDINATION AND FORESIGHT IN FAILING TO KEEP ME INFORMED.
- 3.
- I HAVE JUST TOLD PRIME MINISTER KHUKRIT BY TELEPHONE THAT A NUMBER OF AIRCRAFT HAVE BEEN LAUNCHED FROM THAI BASES TO KEEP THE MAYAGUEZ UNDER SURVEILLANCE. I HAVE TOLD HIM, AND I HOPE I AM CORRECT, THAT NO ORDNANCE HAS BEEN EXPENDED. THE PRIME MINISTER EXPRESSED HIS APPRECIATION FOR THIS INFORMATION (MY GUESS WOULD BE HE ALREADY KNEW SOMETHING WAS AFOOT BECAUSE OF ACTIVITY AT THE BASES). THE PRIME MINISTER URGED THAT WE KEEP ABSOLUTELY SILENT ABOUT ANY INVOLVEMENT OF THAI BASES IN THIS OPERATION. IF WE CAN DO SO, HE BELIEVES WE MAY GET BY; OTHERWISE HE ANTICIPATES A GREAT DEAL OF TROUBLE FROM POLITICAL PARTIES, STUDENTS AND OTHERS. THEY WAY KHUKRIT HAS PLAYED THIS, HE IS IN THE CLEAR. HE HAS PUBLICLY ANNOUNCED THAT HE TOLD US NOT TO USE THAI BASES. WE ARE THE ONES ON THE HOT SEAT.
- 4.
- I UNDERSTAND FURTHER MOVES ARE CONTEMPLATED INVOLVING THE ARRIVAL AT UTAPAO TONIGHT OF A BATTALION OF MARINES AND THEIR MOVEMENT INTO ACTION TOMORROW MORNING. THIS WILL INVOLVE THAILAND EVEN MORE DIRECTLY IN THE CONFRONTATION BETWEEN THE U.S. AND THE CAMBODIANS. AND, OF COURSE, THIS AGAIN IS NOT BEING COORDINATED WITH THE RTG. IT IS, OF COURSE, UP TO THE POLICYMAKERS IN WASHINGTON TO DECIDE ON OUR RESPONSE TO THIS ACT OF PIRACY, BUT I MUST POINT OUT THAT THESE FURTHER STEPS ARE LIKELY TO BE VERY COSTLY FOR U.S.-THAI RELATIONS AT A TIME WHEN THE THAI ARE ALREADY MOVING RAPIDLY TO REASSESS THEIR FOREIGN POLICY. I TRUST WE HAVE FACTORED THESE COSTS INTO OUR DECISION MAKING.
- 5.
- MAY I KNOW WHAT IS GOING ON?
MASTERS
- Source: Ford Library, National Security Adviser, Country Files, Box 18, Far East, Thailand, State Department Telegrams to SECSTATE, NODIS (1). Secret; Flash; Nodis. The same day, at 1454Z, Zurhellen replied, “Regret fast moving situation here has made it impossible to keep you fully informed as we would otherwise intend. Matters you raise are currently under discussion and we hope to have word for you soon. Meantime, please do not, repeat not, raise this matter further with Thais.” (Telegram 110792 to Bangkok; National Archives, Record Group 59, Central Foreign Policy Files) Earlier in the month, Masters sent a telegram to Washington warning that the “often secret agreements we have with the RTG relating to our military presence here is coming unraveled because of Thai nationalistic sentiment, Thai popular mistrust of the old military governments that concluded the agreements with us, and a deep concern over the effectiveness of the U.S. military presence.” (Telegram 7857 from Bangkok, May 1; ibid.)↩
- The Embassy in Bangkok complained about the lack of information on the use of U.S. forces stationed in Thailand during the Mayaguez incident.↩