Acquisition by the United States of military and civil air rights in Siam

[On May 4, 1946, in telegram 352, the Department of State instructed the Legation in Siam to seek the rights of air transit and technical stop by military aircraft at the Don Muang Airport for as long as the United States would maintain occupation forces in Germany and Japan (811.248/5–446). In accordance with those instructions the Legation sent a note, No. 74, to the Siamese Foreign Office on June 8; the Foreign Office agreed to the exercise of these rights in note No. 5280/2489 of July 23. Copies of the exchange of notes were transmitted to the Department in despatch 65, August 21 (811.2392/8–2146).

In instruction 77, October 7, the Department sent to Bangkok a draft bilateral civil air transport agreement for negotiation with the Siamese Government (811.79600/10–746). The draft was given to the Siamese Government on October 30 (as reported in Legation’s Telegram 1233, October 31, filed under 711.9227/10–3146), and an agreement was signed at Bangkok on February 26, 1947. In his despatch 296, February 27, 1947, the Minister in Siam (Stanton) noted that “inasmuch as the Government of Siam was itself interested in and anxious to conclude an air agreement with the United States, no special difficulties were encountered in the negotiation of the agreement …” (711.9227/2–2747). For text of the agreement, see Department of State, Treaties and Other International Acts Series 1607, or 61 Stat. (pt. 3) 2789.]