After the Thai-British negotiations in 1946, the Thai government wanted to give a gift to Kenneth. However, Kenneth had the reputation of not accepting gifts of any value. The government had a policy that fine statues of the Buddha could not be taken…
While Donovan was in Thailand, he'd go on lengthy walks daily. He would walk during the heat of the day, wearing down even the marines who would guard him. When asked about it, he merrily responded that he wasn't fearing death--he wouldn't ask anyone…
One night, Charlie Yost, Irena, and Kenneth had gone to the Royal Palace, and were standing about having "pre-prandial drinks" when the lights went out. Phumipol lit a cigarette lighter and held it under his chin, so that everyone was in shadow,…
The negotiations went on week after week. Finally, Mr. Byrd decided to dispose of Kenneth, saying that he was assuming a knowledge of the country of Thailand that he really didn't possess. He expressed admiration for Kenneth's father as a scholar and…
When Kenneth traveled out to Southeast Asia in late 1945, after the war, he had another experience concerning time. He was to meet some Siamese officials and US Legation members. Kenneth urged his fellow Americans to be on time, but they would hurry…
Kenneth arranged with Cochran to have a tour of the islands. Cochran had a Marine colonel with a two-engine Beechcraft, and a co-pilot, six feet four tall or more, and Kenneth toured Java. They flew over to a volcano, the highest mountain on the…
One night in Hanoi, Kenneth and his driver were going along at night in the little "bathtub" car when the driver lost control of the car at a crossroads. They drove head on into one of those sandbag gun embankments. There was yelling and screaming…
Kenneth traveled to Saigon, and then to Phnom Penh in Cambodia, where he had a three-day visit with King Sihanouk, who had not yet abdicated his throne in favor of becoming a politician. Sihanouk knew that Kenneth didn't speak French too well, so he…
The Weldebreton Prison had originally been the Prins Hendrik Fort, which was built to defend against the British. Once the need for it had passed they turned it into a prison.
Will asks if Kenneth visited Borobudur on this trip, a site of ancient ruins in Java, but Kenneth is not sure, though he thinks so. He remembers climbing the monument, one of the earliest Buddhist monuments in Southeast Asia.
Kenneth's driver took him to a large house and spoke with some women before Kenneth was told to come on up. So he went up and was escorted to a bedroom. This house, or mansion, was the dwelling of an American graves mission that was out there hunting…
Kenneth discusses his travels to Burma. He explains the difference in government, as U Nu described a broken government which was fragile--something he didn't associate with government officials speaking of their own system.
Kenneth and his companions spent the night where they had an emergency landing. In the night, the Colonel became sick with dysentery. In the morning he looked pale and said that they couldn't go that day because he was too sick to fly. Kenneth gave…
Kenneth traveled from Bangkok to Singapore. In Singapore, he got a visit from Ko Geng Hsui. Ko Geng Hsui had come to consult Kenneth about establishing a research group for the study of Southeast Asian affairs. Kenneth found it humorous that he…
Kenneth talks of the Layton party once more. They now travel to Saigon. They met Colonel Ed Lansdale here, who was later to become a general. Admiral Layton by this time was quite impressed, as Kenneth had friends in Hong Kong and was now also known…
Kenneth flew over to Bali There was an artist on the beach in Bali, with a magnificent looking "dancing woman," who was one of the more famous dancers. All the women were bare from the waist up. The woman would come around, and she had great big…
Kenneth remembers king Ananda and his family coming back from Switzerland while Kenneth was still in Bangkok. He read a speech and it was obvious that he did not speak Thai as well as Kenneth did. The royal family subsequently held a dinner and…
The climax of the negotiations was December 22, when the British gave in. Then the celebrations began. The Thai especially wanted to honor General Timmerman, who was the American negotiator in Colombo. They invited him to come to Bangkok, and the…
Kenneth and Governor Tri set out in a convoy of cars with motorcycle escorts and machine guns, because they were going way out into the countryside. Kenneth was astounded as they drove along the road to discover that all of the telephone poles had…
Kenneth recounts the rest of his 1960 tour through Southeast Asia. He hears of the government in Laos being overthrown the night after he left. After a brief tour he travelled back to Bangkok and briefed the Prime Minister on what he saw.
Kenneth tells of the firebug problem which Sarit deals with. People were lighting fires in order to collect the insurance on the properties and Sarit needed to deal with the problem. Televised, he shot a firebug which had been caught, teaching a…
At the Thai celebration dinner, Dr. Thongpleo delivered an eloquent speech of gratitude to the Americans. He was one of Thailand’s "senators," and was quite an orator. He expressed elaborate appreciation to Kenneth for all he had done, and to the…
The overall purpose of Kenneth's trip was initially to be a political adviser on the negotiations between the English and the Thai. The British had made twenty-one demands on the Thai, which would have made Thailand virtually a British colony. the…
While traveling, Kenneth came upon a seller of peacock feather hats. The seller required the buyer to provide the pheasants which might be used in the making of the hat. Kenneth, however, found a premade hat in the house, tried it on and, finding…
One of the subjects Kenneth talked to Ho about was the many people he saw dying of smallpox. He saw people with pox all over them. People were emaciated. Ho told him that the starvation in Vietnam was terrible. He said that during the war the dykes…