Airlift of Military Equipment to Thailand Announcement of the Airlift.

President Carter today approved an immediate U.S. airlift of military equipment to Thailand, involving the shipment of small arms and artillery on U.S. military aircraft from Army arsenals in the United States directly to Bangkok. The President's determination, about which the appropriate committees of the Congress have been informed, was taken under section 506(a) of the Foreign Assistance Act.

The decision was made in the wake of last week's Vietnamese attack across the Thai/Kampuchean border on refugee concentrations and Thai villages. The airlift responds to urgent Thai requests for accelerated delivery of equipment items purchased by Thailand under the foreign military sales (FMS) program. The airlift, which is expected to cost roughly $1 million, will transport M-16 rifles, 106mm recoilless rifles, and 105mm howitzers.

The United States will also begin expediting surface shipments to Thailand of needed small arms and artillery ammunition and is making arrangements to accelerate the delivery by sea of 35 M48A5 tanks, following completion of the required 30-day congressional review period on July 23, 1980.