1.
LS Thai General Thanom Kittikachorn arriving at airport. (2 shots).
7 ft

2.
LS Planes.
9 1/2 ft

3.
MS American military officers.
10 1/2 ft

4.
MS U.S. Ambassador speaking.
12 ft

5.
LS -do-.
14 ft

6.
MLS Thai military officers.
15 ft

7.
MCU General T. Kittikachorn speaking.
16 1/2 ft

8.
MLS Military officers.
18 ft

9.
CU General T. Kittikachorn & U.S. ambassadors
19 1/2 ft

10.
CU Plane.
22 ft

11.
MLS Gen. T. Kittikachorn garlanding plane.
26 ft



Initials VTS/S/MK/CLA/LB/AW



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: At Bangkok, the capital of Thailand, which has nearly 1,000 miles of common border with Laos, the vice-Premier and defence Minister of Thailand, General Thanom Kittikachorn, received a gift of 20 jet fighters from the United States on April 3.

The F-86-F planes, commonly known as sabre jets, will greatly strengthen the air power of Thailand. At a simple ceremony at Don Muang military airport, the American Ambassador to Thailand, Alexis Johnson, handed over the planes to General Thanom "for the defence operation of SEATO of which Thailand is member".

U.S. military assistance to Thailand began in 1950, and since then the royal Thai force has increased its strength from a few propeller aircraft to varieties of jets.