Thawee Junlasap
Encyclopedia
Thawee Junlasap was a Royal Thai Air Force
officer, and a member of the Seri Thai.
Air Chief Marshal Thawee was widely considered a pillar of Thailand's sporting world. After a successful career in the military which saw him rise to Supreme Command chief of staff in 1961, he turned to politics and was appointed deputy defense minister in 1963. He later served as agriculture minister and deputy premier. Head of Thailand's National Olympic Committee for 22 years until his death, he was a member of the International Olympic Committee and a force behind the Southeast Asian Games.
. The young officer was soon enrolled in bombing and training courses with the RAF
and USAAF
, and returned two years later to become Commanding Officer of the 3rd Fighter Squadron, whose base was at Don Muang
.
The conflict with French Indochina saw Thawee leading the 60th Fighter Squadron, which was composed of nine Hawk 75Ns. On January 24, 1941, it was Thawee's fighters that escorted the Ki-30 Nagoyas on the raid on the French airfield at Angkor Wat
.
Flight Lieutenant
Thawee was a member of the last Thai military mission to Malaya in October 1941, and returned just days before the commencement of the Pacific War
.
Sangwaan Worasap rushed off in their Hawk 75Ns to pursue a lone Japanese reconnaissance plane cruising in the skies above Don Muang. The chase was frantic, but ultimately the Japanese pilot was saved from being shot down when the two Thai pilots were ordered to stand down and return to base.
Thawee was sent later to serve as an attaché to General Yamashita's headquarters at Alor Star
. He accompanied the Japanese 25th Army to as far as Johore before being forced to return to Bangkok
as a result of malarial infections.
Thawee was ordered to report to the Army Deputy Commander-in-Chief, who quickly presented the Wing Commander to the Regent
at his riverside residence. The regent proceeded to explain that Thawee had been chosen to carry out liaison duties with the Allies in India
on behalf of the Seri Thai. He was to leave on the night of April 21 by seaplane.
Thawee was to make the journey with three Americans—two OSS
officers, Majors John Wester and Howard Palmer; and the Flying Tigers
' "Black Mac" McGarry, who ever since being shot down in the Chiang Mai area in January 1942 had been spending the war in a POW camp. Also in tow were 2nd Lieutenant Wimon Wiriyawit, a Seri Thai officer, and Fon Saengsinkaew.
The party arrived in Madras some hours later, and Thawee continued on to Colombo
, where he met Sanguan Tularak, a fellow Seri Thai agent. The sojourn in Ceylonese capital did not last long, however, as the Wing Commander was taken by Colonel John Coughlin of the OSS to meet Lord Mountbatten
at Kandy
. There Thawee received his OSS codename, "Dicky Stone".
Wing Commander Thawee spent his time at Kandy studying aerial photographs of Thailand and assisting the bombing planners at South East Asia Command
in selecting accurate Japanese military targets as opposed to Thai civilian ones. Thawee also received lessons in espionage and sabotage, and was forced to attend an intensive week-long OSS training course in Maryland
.
A posting to Calcutta saw Thawee acting as a liaison officer at Mountbatten's American deputy, General Raymond B. Wheeler's headquarters. The Thai again acted as a consultant to various USAAF bombing-run plans. He returned to Thailand a while later via seaplane. Thawee was to collect intelligence regarding Japanese troop dispositions, and to aid in the establishment of secret airfields for which the Allies could fly in agents and supplies to reinforce the Seri Thai.
The Wing Commander immediately reported back to Pridi's new residence at the Bang Pa-In Summer Palace
, approximately 70 km north of Bangkok.
The next week was spent surveying the Northeast for prospective airfield sites. The sites they chose was in Chaiyaphum Province
and at Nonhan in Loei Province. The Royal Thai Air Force duly began construction, assisted in no little part by the Governor of Chayaphum, a man fully committed to the resistance, and by Khon Kaen
's chief Seri Thai officers, Tiang Sirikhanth
and Chamlong Daoruang.
Thawee once more returned to Calcutta, and from there on he oversaw equipment drops by B-24s on Sakhon Nakhorn, and accompanied a C-46 to Kunming
and Chungking.
to fly into the country. Prince Yuthisathien Sawasdiwat, a Seri Thai officer who had been parachuted in to evaluate the airfields, were waiting for him. On June 14 the plane landed, but the wheels sank into the ground. Once the supplies were unloaded, however, the airfield personnel were able to push the plane out of the mud and repair minor damage.
Thawee returned to Calcutta to pick up OSS Major Nicol Smith and Lloyd George, a civilian reports officer, and to bring them to Bangkok for direct talks with Pridi.
, and returned to Calcutta on August 10, where he celebrated the end of the war with the staff of SEAC.
back to Bangkok on September 16, and returned permanently on December 5, 1945, escorting the young King Ananda Mahidol
.
Royal Thai Air Force
The Royal Thai Air Force or RTAF is the air force of the Kingdom of Thailand. Since its establishment in 1913, as one of the earliest air forces of Asia, the Royal Thai Air Force had engaged in many major and minor battles. During the Vietnam war era, the air force has been developed with USAF-aid...
officer, and a member of the Seri Thai.
Air Chief Marshal Thawee was widely considered a pillar of Thailand's sporting world. After a successful career in the military which saw him rise to Supreme Command chief of staff in 1961, he turned to politics and was appointed deputy defense minister in 1963. He later served as agriculture minister and deputy premier. Head of Thailand's National Olympic Committee for 22 years until his death, he was a member of the International Olympic Committee and a force behind the Southeast Asian Games.
Education
He became a cadet at the Army Academy upon finishing secondary school, and graduated with the rank of 2nd Lieutenant in 1935.Early career
Thawee soon joined the Air Force, and by 1938 had been promoted to Flying OfficerFlying Officer
Flying officer is a junior commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence...
. The young officer was soon enrolled in bombing and training courses with the RAF
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
and USAAF
United States Army Air Forces
The United States Army Air Forces was the military aviation arm of the United States of America during and immediately after World War II, and the direct predecessor of the United States Air Force....
, and returned two years later to become Commanding Officer of the 3rd Fighter Squadron, whose base was at Don Muang
Don Muang Royal Thai Air Force Base
Don Muang Royal Thai Air Force Base is located approximately 25 miles north of Downtown Bangkok.It is the main operating and command base for the Royal Thai Air Force...
.
The conflict with French Indochina saw Thawee leading the 60th Fighter Squadron, which was composed of nine Hawk 75Ns. On January 24, 1941, it was Thawee's fighters that escorted the Ki-30 Nagoyas on the raid on the French airfield at Angkor Wat
Angkor Wat
Angkor Wat is a temple complex at Angkor, Cambodia, built for the king Suryavarman II in the early 12th century as his state temple and capital city. As the best-preserved temple at the site, it is the only one to have remained a significant religious centre since its foundation – first Hindu,...
.
Flight Lieutenant
Flight Lieutenant
Flight lieutenant is a junior commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many Commonwealth countries. It ranks above flying officer and immediately below squadron leader. The name of the rank is the complete phrase; it is never shortened to "lieutenant"...
Thawee was a member of the last Thai military mission to Malaya in October 1941, and returned just days before the commencement of the Pacific War
Pacific War
The Pacific War, also sometimes called the Asia-Pacific War refers broadly to the parts of World War II that took place in the Pacific Ocean, its islands, and in East Asia, then called the Far East...
.
Early days
At 08:00 on December 8, 1941, Flight Lieutenant Thawee Junlasap and Pilot OfficerPilot Officer
Pilot officer is the lowest commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many other Commonwealth countries. It ranks immediately below flying officer...
Sangwaan Worasap rushed off in their Hawk 75Ns to pursue a lone Japanese reconnaissance plane cruising in the skies above Don Muang. The chase was frantic, but ultimately the Japanese pilot was saved from being shot down when the two Thai pilots were ordered to stand down and return to base.
Thawee was sent later to serve as an attaché to General Yamashita's headquarters at Alor Star
Alor Star
Alor Setar, known as Alor Star between 2004 and 2008, is the state capital of Kedah, Malaysia, and Kota Setar District's Administrative Centre. It is also a distribution center for manufacturing and agricultural products such as paddy, and the royal seat of the Kedah state since the establishment...
. He accompanied the Japanese 25th Army to as far as Johore before being forced to return to Bangkok
Bangkok
Bangkok is the capital and largest urban area city in Thailand. It is known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon or simply Krung Thep , meaning "city of angels." The full name of Bangkok is Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahintharayutthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom...
as a result of malarial infections.
Working with Allies
In March 1945, Wing CommanderWing Commander (rank)
Wing commander is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many other Commonwealth countries...
Thawee was ordered to report to the Army Deputy Commander-in-Chief, who quickly presented the Wing Commander to the Regent
Pridi Phanomyong
Pridi Banomyong was a highly revered Thai politician. He was a former Prime Minister and Senior Statesman of Thailand, and was named one of the world's great personalities of the 20th century by UNESCO in 2000.-Family background:...
at his riverside residence. The regent proceeded to explain that Thawee had been chosen to carry out liaison duties with the Allies in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
on behalf of the Seri Thai. He was to leave on the night of April 21 by seaplane.
Thawee was to make the journey with three Americans—two OSS
Office of Strategic Services
The Office of Strategic Services was a United States intelligence agency formed during World War II. It was the wartime intelligence agency, and it was a predecessor of the Central Intelligence Agency...
officers, Majors John Wester and Howard Palmer; and the Flying Tigers
Flying Tigers
The 1st American Volunteer Group of the Chinese Air Force in 1941–1942, famously nicknamed the Flying Tigers, was composed of pilots from the United States Army , Navy , and Marine Corps , recruited under presidential sanction and commanded by Claire Lee Chennault. The ground crew and headquarters...
' "Black Mac" McGarry, who ever since being shot down in the Chiang Mai area in January 1942 had been spending the war in a POW camp. Also in tow were 2nd Lieutenant Wimon Wiriyawit, a Seri Thai officer, and Fon Saengsinkaew.
The party arrived in Madras some hours later, and Thawee continued on to Colombo
Colombo
Colombo is the largest city of Sri Lanka. It is located on the west coast of the island and adjacent to Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte, the capital of Sri Lanka. Colombo is often referred to as the capital of the country, since Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte is a satellite city of Colombo...
, where he met Sanguan Tularak, a fellow Seri Thai agent. The sojourn in Ceylonese capital did not last long, however, as the Wing Commander was taken by Colonel John Coughlin of the OSS to meet Lord Mountbatten
Louis Mountbatten, 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma
Admiral of the Fleet Louis Francis Albert Victor Nicholas George Mountbatten, 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma, KG, GCB, OM, GCSI, GCIE, GCVO, DSO, PC, FRS , was a British statesman and naval officer, and an uncle of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh...
at Kandy
Kandy
Kandy is a city in the center of Sri Lanka. It was the last capital of the ancient kings' era of Sri Lanka. The city lies in the midst of hills in the Kandy plateau, which crosses an area of tropical plantations, mainly tea. Kandy is one of the most scenic cities in Sri Lanka; it is both an...
. There Thawee received his OSS codename, "Dicky Stone".
Wing Commander Thawee spent his time at Kandy studying aerial photographs of Thailand and assisting the bombing planners at South East Asia Command
South East Asia Command
South East Asia Command was the body set up to be in overall charge of Allied operations in the South-East Asian Theatre during World War II.-Background:...
in selecting accurate Japanese military targets as opposed to Thai civilian ones. Thawee also received lessons in espionage and sabotage, and was forced to attend an intensive week-long OSS training course in Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
.
A posting to Calcutta saw Thawee acting as a liaison officer at Mountbatten's American deputy, General Raymond B. Wheeler's headquarters. The Thai again acted as a consultant to various USAAF bombing-run plans. He returned to Thailand a while later via seaplane. Thawee was to collect intelligence regarding Japanese troop dispositions, and to aid in the establishment of secret airfields for which the Allies could fly in agents and supplies to reinforce the Seri Thai.
The Wing Commander immediately reported back to Pridi's new residence at the Bang Pa-In Summer Palace
Bang Pa-In Royal Palace
Bang Pa-In Royal Palace , also known as the Summer Palace, is a palace complex formerly used by the Thai kings. The palace is located on the Chao Phraya River bank in Bang Pa-In district, Ayutthaya Province...
, approximately 70 km north of Bangkok.
The next week was spent surveying the Northeast for prospective airfield sites. The sites they chose was in Chaiyaphum Province
Chaiyaphum Province
Chaiyaphum is one of the north-eastern provinces of Thailand. Neighboring provinces are Khon Kaen, Nakhon Ratchasima, Lopburi and Phetchabun.- Etymology :...
and at Nonhan in Loei Province. The Royal Thai Air Force duly began construction, assisted in no little part by the Governor of Chayaphum, a man fully committed to the resistance, and by Khon Kaen
Khon Kaen
Khon Kaen is a city in Isan, Thailand. It is also the capital of Khon Kaen province and the Khon Kaen district.-Geography and demography:Khon Kaen is located in the Khorat Plateau, in the central-northwestern area of Isaan...
's chief Seri Thai officers, Tiang Sirikhanth
Tiang Sirikhanth
Tiang Sirikhanth was a Thai politician and a Seri Thai resistance leader during World War II.-Early life:...
and Chamlong Daoruang.
Thawee once more returned to Calcutta, and from there on he oversaw equipment drops by B-24s on Sakhon Nakhorn, and accompanied a C-46 to Kunming
Kunming
' is the capital and largest city of Yunnan Province in Southwest China. It was known as Yunnan-Fou until the 1920s. A prefecture-level city, it is the political, economic, communications and cultural centre of Yunnan, and is the seat of the provincial government...
and Chungking.
Return to Thailand
The airfields were ready by June, and Thawee was tasked to return to Thailand on board the first RAF C-47C-47 Skytrain
The Douglas C-47 Skytrain or Dakota is a military transport aircraft that was developed from the Douglas DC-3 airliner. It was used extensively by the Allies during World War II and remained in front line operations through the 1950s with a few remaining in operation to this day.-Design and...
to fly into the country. Prince Yuthisathien Sawasdiwat, a Seri Thai officer who had been parachuted in to evaluate the airfields, were waiting for him. On June 14 the plane landed, but the wheels sank into the ground. Once the supplies were unloaded, however, the airfield personnel were able to push the plane out of the mud and repair minor damage.
Thawee returned to Calcutta to pick up OSS Major Nicol Smith and Lloyd George, a civilian reports officer, and to bring them to Bangkok for direct talks with Pridi.
End of war
Thawee supervised the creation of a massive arms cache in the many classrooms of Thammasat UniversityThammasat University
Thammasat University , or in brief TU , is Thailand's second oldest university. Officially established on 27 June 1934, the university was originally named by founder Pridi Banomyong, University of Moral Science and Politics , reflecting the political fervor of the time...
, and returned to Calcutta on August 10, where he celebrated the end of the war with the staff of SEAC.
Postwar
Thawee accompanied Seni PramojSeni Pramoj
Mom Rajawongse Seni Pramoj was three times the prime minister of Thailand and a politician in the Democrat Party. A member of the Thai royal family, he was a descendant of King Rama II.-Biography:...
back to Bangkok on September 16, and returned permanently on December 5, 1945, escorting the young King Ananda Mahidol
Ananda Mahidol
Ananda Mahidol was the eighth monarch of Thailand under the House of Chakri. At the time he was recognized as king by the National Assembly, in March 1935, he was a nine-year-old boy living in Switzerland. He returned to Thailand in December 1945. Six months later, in June 1946, he was found shot...
.