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Show 'll . The Salt Lake Tribune, Sunday, April 18, 1965 Bangkok Fighting for Its Life Thailands No. By Ed Meagher ' Los Angeles Times Writer 1 rs on Red Chinas Subversion List - More important, what about the Thailand governments ability to smash it? To Americans, long critically engaged in combating a deeply entrenched "liberation movement in South Viet Nam, these questions are serious and timely. The - Red threat is real. The best informed students of Pekings maneuverings say that Foreign Minister Chen Yi would not have announced that Thailand is Red Chinas next target unless the Chinese had established their apparatus for subversion within Thailand. Chinese Bad Enough f From the U.S. standpoint, It is bad enough that another cam paign of Red aggression on the South Viet Nam pattern seems to be in the making. Even worse is the possibility that adequate countermeasures are not being taken. The Thai government is not complacently unaware of Pekings threat. Indeed, scarcely a day goes by without government spokesmen warning in the Bangkok press of the Communist danger. Moreover, although it is less openly discussed there is some nervousness about the loyalty of the Chinese community in Thailand. There are roughly four million Chinese or residents in Thailand, in a popu- lation of about 29 million. disturbing symptoms. An important government official stationed in the northeast and a village chief near Bangkok were assassinated recently. There has been a sharp increase in large scale banditry and highway robbery in Thailand recently. - Little Evidence . Even though no solid evidence has come to light. Red terror groups are widely credited with the two recent murders. Considerable numbers of informed officials feel that the Communists are guilty of the robberies, too. Government undercover agents have reported a marked upsurge in the distribution of Communist leaflets and guerrilla warfare manuals in the sensitive areas of the backward northeast of Thailand recently. Prime Minister Thanom recently asked the con stitueni: assembly for a allocation to combat Communism in the-- ' northeast territories. "" a Guerrilla War Kitta-kacho- d Thai Strongman But there has been concerted government action to forestall Red infiltration. The late Thai t, strongman, Marshall Sarit started a campaign to attract the tribal Laotian peoples of the northeast and win their loyalty some four years ago. The villagers of the northeast are of Laotian stock. Teams of government investigators sent out by Thanarat found that these primitives did not know that they were Thai citizens. Nor did they know anything about their government in Bangkok, even by heresay. Before Thanarat, the central government had paid no attention to them. Red Peddlers There is some evidence that Communist agitators from Red-hel- d areas in Laos have infiltrated northeast Thailand in the deep-roote- fact-findin- Cadres By and large, the Chinese community had indicated no se- rious involvement with Peking. But it is likely that Red China has been able Jo recruit some action cadres among young e in Thailand just as there Chi-ncs- technical assistance, is building roads where icne existed since time began. Modern medical care has been made available in areas where he local witch doctor was the eneral practitioner -- before. Education and other public services are pen tra ting the renote frontier areas. Desperate Effort Too many others remain po-- v disease-ridde- n ert settlements where the Villagers are eager listeners to the promises o? Communist agitators. Bangkok is making a desperate effort to reach and woo the The northeastern Communists In Laos are closer, and they are Laotian root stock, - et - s. too. The American position in all this is delicate. U.S. officials are disposed to do more to assist Thailand, but it is unwise to Red Chinas next target for liberation. expand the American presence Map shows Thailand, Many officials in the tiny southeast Asia country fear the here to any significant extent. CHINA so-urI 1 governments efforts to thwart the giant from the north have started too late. They are afraid Beds may win this key conn try. Tha-nara- "The situation along the northeast border is such that I Kittaka- most concerned, chom said. "Peking has an nounced that it plans to start guerrilla warfare similar to that in South Viet Nam. There Is no visible qvidence of d discontent or oppos-tio- n to the Bangkok government In the remote provinces, as far as a recent observer could see in g visits to the areas adjoining Laos and Cambodia in the northeast and adjacent to guise of peddlers. The Thai government, with Malaysia in the south. some U.S. financial aid and Smiling Citizens The Thai citizens were smiling Nasser Greets King and friendly. There were no hostile stares, such as an American CAIRO (AP) Malaysias often encounters in South Viet King Yang di Perturan Agong Nam. Provincial and village of- and his wife arrived here Saturofficial ficials seem wholly untroubled. day for a seven-daThey professed ignorance of any part-Chine- Action Communist activity ir their areas. Some of them hac heard the Red radio, but that was all. Security is tight all over Thailand. The Thai military is or constant alert If there is Com munist-inspireunrest in the re mote countryside, it is and deep beneath the surface. Youve got to believe that Peking has its apparatus In place, said a Thaijraakin'--Americaof many yelps residence here. The only question now is whether the government can handle it It may be too late. This fear that the Bangkok hierarchy has moved too late to counter the Red tide is commonly heard in the capitaL Well-i- n formed diplomats suggest that the Thai government is, at best, in a race for its life against time. are Peking sympathizers In the unusual Chinese communities in the Philand elseMalaysia BANGKOK The Communist ippines, Chinese government has bluntly where in southeast Asia. announced that Thailand is the As yet,- there is no hard evinext target for a red "libera- dence of major Chinese infiltrabut there are tion' movement - which means tion in Thailand subversion, infiltration and civil war. How real is the Red chal lenge? How far advanced? Thai Defenses Call 133 East 4th South Auerbach's Tire Center 8 ext. 581. Open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily; 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday and Friday 355-668- $10 BUY A PAIR . . . 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