CONFIDENTIAL
2
border areas.
The Prime Minister undertook to ask the Ministry of Defence to look into the situation. General Kriangsac then mentioned that his Government wished to place some new orders with UK arms suppliers, notably for anti-aircraft and anti-tank weapons.
I should be grateful for advice on the current position concerning Scorpion deliveries to Thailand and on the possibility of speeding them up.
General Kriangsac then told the Prime Minister that Thailand's National Airline was in the process of substituting Boeing 747s for its Airbus fleet. He hoped that the new aircraft could be accorded the same landing rights in the UK as had been given to the old ones. The Prime Minister suggested that this matter might best be pursued with the Secretary of State for Trade.
General Kriangsac also told the Prime Minister that the Thai Government was keen to make use of UK technical know-how in many aspects of its development programme, and notably on the construc- tion of new airfields. The Prime Minister again advised the General to discuss these matters with Mr. John Smith.
Finally, General Kriangsac said that Thailand would be grateful for the UK's support in securing better access to EEC markets for her exports of tapioca; this would make an important contribution to achieving his objective of raising the standard of living of Thailand's peasant farmers. The Prime Minister took
note.
Vietnam/Cambodia
Vietnam
In response to the Prime Minister's questions, General Kriangsac expressed the view that Vietnam had made a major strategic error in her military campaign against Cambodia: had adopted a blitzkreig strategy and by advancing too rapidly had enabled the Cambodian forces to withdraw intact to the country- side, where they were now successfully pursuing guerrilla tactics. The General said that he thought that China would continue to support the Pol Pot regime for the time being, although their first preference would be for Prince Sihanouk (Mr. Sunthorn confirmed that during his own recent visit to China, Chairman Hua and Vice Premier Deng had both said that China would support Cambodia "to the end"). General Kriangsac said that although China had moved substantial forces down to the Vietnamese Border, he did not expect China to take any military action although she would continue to provide maximum political and diplomatic support to Cambodia. Although the situation was dangerous for Thailand, if Vietnam were to invade Thai territory her lines of communications would become very long and too vulnerable; he did not, therefore, expect Vietnam to take such action.
/General Kriangsac