Undercover Armies - CIA FOIA - Central Intelligence Agency

C05303949
Chapter Twenty-one
FAR command and the cogency of its COncerns for security arrjgejents, also
began to worry about a coup instigated by alienated generals."
I
Ihadto scramble to offset what it thought was a mistaken reading
of the military's intentions, and finally persuaded the embassy to urge on Souvanna
a more sympathetic hearing of his generals' concerns. Having done so,
Dean relayed Souvanna's demand I Ireciprocate his concessions on
security matters by pressing FAR to give the prime minister its unconditional
support.500 .
CIA's confidence in the generals' loyalty did not extend to dissident Laotian
air force general Thao Ma Mahaanosith, who had been exiled to.Thailand in
1966 after a coup attempt. Someone in his coterie dropped intimations to
Vientiane's defense attache staff of another coup, this time designed to frustrate
the peace talks. These hints went unreported, and General Ma and a small
. cohort crossed the Mekong on 20 August 1973. Taking the Wat Tay Airport
garrison by surprise, they passed out armbands and shoulder patches, and
commandeered combat aircraft. General Ma betrayed his frivolous purposes
when he took off to bomb the residence of his archenemy, Gen. Kouprasith
Abhay. Hit by antiaircraft fire, he crash-landed at Wat Tay. Still alive,
although wounded, he was thrown onto a truck and hauled to Kouprasith's
headquarters, where he was sum~arily executed.sID
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~COllbOY:S~dOW War, 158,406-07.0
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