UNKNOWN ENTITY UNIDENTIFIED FLYING OBJECT THOUGHT TO BE HELICOPTER OBSERVED NEAR NAKHON PHANON RTAFB (U)

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP81R00560R000100070022-1
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 6
• Document Creation Date: December 12, 2016
• Document Release Date: June 10, 2002
• Sequence Number: 22
• Publication Date: September 6, 1969
• Content Type: IRR

1
Approved For Release 2002/08/21 : CIA-RDP81R00560R000100070022-1 A
ss! ,^?
s 4 'be
. I.41r /I( (1 (_ ?
r Ow the 'IV
1)1`Si.M
sot (try PR A/141 CT fel 4
rat pr,on 1.? prot?t,irrf
,..!? SB 414,1 ? ,u111,
431M- .1111/1011.11111.
C010,7 ftv Thatiftild
usi...1...sw no./ 1.4,101K ?O?Allt 41009.4.11,
roaler p.1...... ?Oatalrf wird be
cenh.e4 rar avenblbei adoiy 4?0 *if bv;ele
of tbis repoet.
0.140.0?Taucat 1 656 0111 69
/ SUOACT- NO.,4N ENTITY 9, Dart or ocrOirrz 6,September 1969
7-deritcd Object Thoup,bt to bo Helicopter
5,.1. ~PI: 4 c,c,:orved Near Nakhon Phanom RTAFB (U) la NO. 0
3 t SC No440011: II. MEOMMENCOO DIRM 151
.j 4. 047E Of OgrOOMATION: 24 August 196')
1ceNakhon Phanom RTAFB,
s..t....Le .A.0 OATC OF mc
Thailand, 24 August 1969
I. (V. .Wlatellt, UNACC SINFOONNATION
See Item 15 See Item I
7. SOURCE
See Item 15
scamsmarm OSI District 51, Bangkok, Thaila
56-'713/03/5
I&PFIEFWIENDIrr: .3A' ROBERT D. KAEHLER, OSI Det 5
Nakhon Phanom RTAFB, 7; iland
5 $4. amtmoiftee mmws.
4. EflANK, eftAre
t Col, USAF
J41Commander
Early on t;113 morning of 24 August 1969, the pilot of a base aircraft
i observed what he thought to be a helicopter, with folded rotor blades, on the
!ground approximately five miles north-northoast of Nakhon Phanom Royal Thai
re.,,ce Base. He also reported seeing a large, omni-:directional light. A
yyj Mai Army sweep of the area, met with negative results. Subsequent checks,
'
disclosed that a religious procession passed through the general area '
! durInz the same time period and that the pilgrims %ivied with them two large
t ceremonial drums suspended between two long poles. One of the participants
! alao carried a powerful electric lantern which, when an aksoraft was noted
circling overhead, he pointed skyward.
furgovalattil
1. (C) Information contained in paragraph 2 below MOS provided by the
Director of Intelligence, 56th Special Operations Wing, Nakhon Phanom Royal
Thai Air Force Base (RTAFB), Thailand. . The source of tho information in para..
graph 3 (5106-ASP-64) is a resident of Ban Ram Rat, Nakhon Phanom Province
who has contributed in the past, but whose reliability is still unknown. The
c9=ributor of the information in paragraph 3, and source the information
16----ragraph 4, (5106-ASP6.6)1is a member of an official Thai agency who has
contributed in the past, but whose reliability has not yet been fully
oatablished.
kOISERWUTMNIMDMOHUNDIN
Dir OSI USAF
0 Dop Dir OSI (FACAF)(CINC-
; PAG-J21-2) 5
Ch, JUSMACTHA1 (DCHI) 1
..7-2 UL'MACTHAI (0-2,
1
3
2
1 nth AP (D/I-1, IGSP=1) 2
k .
1
1
2
USARSUPTHAI
1
17th MI Dot 2
1:clo, 62ist TacConSq 4
C:i, APAG
DODSRTjUSMAGUAI
iDi3tribi.tion NA",
1 F1019411.1?-.LW-
DD .1:4.t 1390
mr0
Sketch of Sighting Ar.. (C)
cy, 1 pg
GROUP-3
D?rwnfroleti et 12 jut iggrill;
ti4t antociatirslly dcciassifici.
PU 3
sxcRi.t.T
"Nn FORE CH 'DISSEM"
???-41.??????? ???d 40?14,???4
116???? a? e? Ike 60
?r
*um rowoew boas 034K
1'44010 ? ?t ja41 ?
DIA REVIEW COMPLETED
Approved For Release 2002/08/21 : CIA-RDP81R00560R000100070022-1
Approved For Release 2002/08/21 : CIA-RDP81R00560R000100070022-1
_Available
Approved For Release 2002/08/21 : CIA-RDP81R00560R000100070022-1
Approved For Release 2002/08/21 : CIA-RDP81R00560R000100070022-1
,
;
2.
" r',;. ' ?
. , 4,
t otject on thq
!tTA'r'b.
4t7,,f; par:,nt to
madd ..-i(- tide OV-10 was on final apprOach
7r, zA.rcr tr.,1 an obserVed
tfie a , on a :.-.%rttch of road.
gal..:red around a.
been a neliL-:,c-A.r its.
:4) obser.! t,te '.:t;ject nzing moved inao trees
the rot. iit voetcr-,_ z.rea ano pin-pointed the
ac VE 65228fd. SecirlLy representatives subsequently
aoaineo tat * sweep nf uns sighting area, from Ban La Kan Hin 668235) to
the vicinty of Ban Rae Rat (VE (241280), by Royal Tbad Army (RTA) personnel
between 0100 and 04J0 Nears., 24 August 1969 produced no results, nor did a
joint RTA-USA! Security Police search at 1100 naurs the segb day. (OSI
Evaluation re helicopter sighting: F-5).
3. (C) 5106-1SP-6J reported that on the night of 23-24 Atagu:A. 1969, sone.
twenty Thai National residents of bee &leg Rin (VE 682249; reportedly
travelled to and from the at Si Sa-at, located is Ban Ram Rat 641280), tail
make an offering. This religious procession followed the country road to Ban!
657278). On their return trip, between Bea Nong Bas and Ban Sang His, menberri
Ram Rat, passing through Ben Nogg Bea (VE 668266) and Ban Cook Sawang (VE
of the group noticed an aircraft circling overhead. One of the villagers, whci
was carrying a portable electric Lantern to light their path, shined his light
upward at the plane. Source (5106-LSP-(>T) stated.thet this incident occurredl
sometime between 2400 boars 23 kerne, enh 0100 hos 24 August 1969. (F-3).
4. (C) In an effort to obtain further details, 51)'-:.SP-O, supra, travelled
to Ban Sang Hin, where he qmestioned a villager (Na'.., who allegedly took part
in the pilgrimage to at Si &haat, This villager confirmed the information
received from 5136-ASP-6.1, end provided the following additional details:
? a. The religious procession left Ban Smug Rin at approximately 2000 hail,
23 August 1969, arrived at the wet two hours later, and departed for home
again at 2330 hours. &trouts, the vinegars travelled along the country
road more or less ina single filo. Stems carried flashlights to light the way,
and at least one villager carried a powerful electric lantern. On the return
trip, the pilgrims carried with thee two large ceremoctial drams. Due to the
weight of the drums, they were suv.taded between two long poles, with
several persons supporting each pole. (F-)).
b. When tbc irocaasion was neariag home, between Ban Nolag BU4 and Ban
Sang Hin, members of the group obaerved an aircr-ft circling overhead, and
tho viii4a;er with the electric lantern directed its beam at the plane. When
the plane continued to circle, and began to coma lower, some meSaers of the
group became frightestod an ran into the woods along the road. After the
aircraft left the arse, the group coattnued on its way, arriving at Ban Sang
His bstwatee 0100 and 0130 boors, 24. August 1969. (7-3). (Soo attached
sketch).
OCAMSN/S oe THE AMOVIX ormos (C) Me information in paragraphs 3 and 4
above, was furnished the Commamier she Director of Intelligence 56th Special
Operations Wing and 56th Security Polies Squadron, Nakhon nano; RTAFB, upon
receipt.
?
(19
PMNIM
?,7ict 51;
Thailand
11 -)f a 11xedwIng,
(c) while the location of the pilot's sighting and the route aecribed to the
"it religious procession do not eatnnide prouisolyf their proximity and the .
.-
; 'coincidence of timing sakes it apparent that ,the Phelinopter with folded
A
SDCRBT
"NO PORE304 --mut"
DD.U.4.13964:
Nhalielft*"." ,111011..4.1
*???
?gartos. VAD9NROICCIIIIIIMOVIINO's
C? :.? DA0!44 1.4110.1 A k, ? IA
1,1100.?$PN ? .10,6 fa. IOW ?
Approved For Release 2002/08/21 : CIA-RDP81R00560R000100070022-1
4
Approved For Release 2002/08/21 : CIA-RDP81R00560R000100070022-1
o9
---7,
. rGoably
as M;21-!: that poi
by the OV .3pi1,4 Ie more tric mile
-..a han Nosg hu4 aad Ban S:ing Hin, ani o_ch an errJr ca
,a con.Aderia tho sightly as ma rar a m,,vin?;
a".. night. Fortner, the.posJibility exist,. th 4. RTA per as
grel .1 object original reporter , may f.,ve 'ome acros.r.
Ca pclultini; to the religious prc-,;,ssion, but fai;eJ to re?rt it.
visual signtLngs or UFOs, such as that being cnockad out ty the
In this instance, are not a new phens,,,,sen, parti:ularly at nisi..
A 1969 report lists seven UFO sightings at Nakhon PhhcQm aTAFB for
:M November 1968 to 1 January 1969 alone.' Attempts by base recon
s,,,Isce aircraft to further identify the objects were unsuccessful.
these uhresolved reports, tho 7/13th Air Force Director of Intelligence
offered several comments and possible explanationss
a. On 28 November 1968, the Thai Border Patrol Police (BP?) be an
cperati.ih involving four to six BPP and Royal Thai Amy (RTA) helicopters, in,
the vicinity of some of the sightings northwest of the base. Shile Thai
pilots Sad historically been reluctant to fly at night, a recent full moon I
had Made night flying almost as easy as daytime operations and pilots of
both the BP? and RTA had been known to accomplish night flights. Gentralised,
control of these agencies' autonomous counter-insurgency operations is weak,
hry.ie'Vtar, and Thai units frequently filed flights plans with the Air Defense
-,erveillance System only after the fact, if at all.
O. Alternatively, the UFOs sighted might hav.e beon aircraft on elfin-
aatine flig'hts by US agencies, as such flights ere often ,:ompleted without 1
details being released to traffic control offices. Though it is possible
shat the illicit flights were friendly, for purposes of privatsgain, pleasure
smuggling, there was no evidence at the time to substantiate that
possibility.
c. During November and early December, radar gear in Thailand, particularly
G:ound Controlled Approach (GCA) scopes, have historically yielded large
numbers of returns from natural or cultural phenomena, e.g., temperature
1
inversions, balloons from fairs and religious celebrations, migratory birds,1
and kites. In November 1967, Headquarters 7/13th Air Force conducted an
experiment at Worn RTAFB, where GCA scopes were reporting more usul fifteen !
unidentified returns. In a span of ten minutes, human observers physiciAly I
sighted scores of balloons, .three flocks of migratory birds, several kites,
plus at least four local helicopters. These sighting, even of friendly
flights, could not be correlated with GCA and other electronic returns.
d. In analysing the threat.orhelicopters penetrating Thuiiand or supporting
insurgent forces a preliminary study of the technical factors involved
determined that landing helicopters In remote jungle clearings at night to
airlift personnel or materiel was highly dangerous, particularly without
sophisticated navigational and landing aids. Additionally, the nearby '.:00:44-1
nist or neutral countries from which the helicopters might come do not
presently possess adequate numbers of low/slow aircraft to support their own 1
field forces officials or units by air, without considering any high risi
extra-territorial missions.
e. In 1967, unidentified aircraft activity, purportedly in support of
Communist insurgents inside Thailand, seemed to preoccupy Thai officials
until If S. resources provided Hawk anti?aircraft missiles. Then, in a speech!
of acceytance and thanks, General PURANAT, Deputy Prime Min. -ter, said the
helicopter threat from outside Thailand .had endled or come under control.
SKRET
*NID P'ORBIGN =SEW"
r-aja, 13 9
1
farrorr*:4 0? ?
Lir-o..111?WrIarrarearrgrArr
$.4 pq Vol ? ill
6015 1.**...1 erre 1 or ? ?? rn,.. ?
I, ? ? ? r C"1161001111"""MIPOIk gr''"
Approved For Release 2002/08/21: CIA-RDP81R00560R000100070022-1
Approved For Release 2002/08/21 : CIA-RDP81R00560R000100070022-1
..1 .1r1, of ,n1'.1%.-ior j1.41.
rof.:xc, Jf
'
A rict..:1", by C.
.cy
fAce;? af Thai per:nria:t:ich?'rfecta
anc': v6ii,aity of :it.r.:11ijen.!(1 t'tio
:autions government offi.:ials
c-13 r.t.,port of insurgent activity is suffici!r.tli 1J t4
it has been bulwarked with reforencu:, to,unid(mtlfied
nelf:opters, tramir:aivera and AK rifieb, or the prance of
lcuder.2
coordinated witb J-2 USMACTKAI/JUSMAGTKAI.
: 656 0003 69, dated 9 January 1969, files 56-713/03/5
7,
V
rwormaanr.e, orer wasso.....0.1,wasromys rawer a. se,
:
a
SILCAV.T
"NO?FOREIC.;:r
-- ;4^' ...,..."...#1001112061?11?11cCIW.01. .
ett4il - ? 10.4 ye, ?
? ?
6 FTB 14,475, "Thai Pcport on Insuroncy in tne )id?South, tntitled
O; -on of the Communist Situation in Mid?South Thailand, dated 11
1969".
,
Approved For Release 2002/08/21 : CIA-RDP81R00560R000100070022-1
Approved For Release 2002/08/21 : CIA-RDP81R00560R000100070022-1
45
2 %
R.z
(6,4
ro
' ((.57.25))
. Khol-,,Sawang
! (6S7273)
'
*\! (65&205)
??
B. Sr -n
(63224C) .
mqr, Rin
:(5US235)
Nac:';1.p.nom Royal 17-7-- ir ForCa
(630715
64 65 06
:rids= cpprox ).5 miles
CONFIDENTIAL
67
Base
f
Approved For Release 2002/08/21 : CIA-RDF'81R00560R000100070022-1