businessman wrote:Do the US troops here have immunity like they do in South Korea?

I think you're talking about the SOFA argreement (Status of Forces Agreement) which is applies to US military in Japan & S. Korea, not in Thailand.

Rito

I guess that is a good incentive to behave themselves in Udon.

Back in my military days, the presence of MPs (military police and NOT ministers of parliament) was more than enough incentive to behave while out on the town or on liberty. Unless the military has changed a whole lot, it's not like them to unleash the young testosterone-troopers on a town with no controls at all but I could be wrong.

Not sure about Army or AF, but Navy & USMC still unleases the Shore Patrol.
Now I'm hearing rumor that next years CG will have a curfew. Good luck with that one...

curfew????? why they having a curfew? Besides the soldiers, sailors and airmen where a little unruley at times......geeez. Polehawk, what I saw at Mr Tongs, with senior NCO's right there not doing anything but drinking and ignoring, makes me feel bad. They were Army and I am retired 20 year Vietnam vet, US Army. When you are in another country, in the military, you represent your company, the Armed Forces, and your Country, you are also a guest in the other country, so act as if you were the embassador of your country, and represent it with pride and honor.

Pop's

Sorry didn't mean to wave the Red, White and Blue...mates

Agree with you Pops. I was part of an occupying force and we behaved with more respect to the very people who a moment ago were trying to kill us than these lads do in a friendly country.
Must be very difficult for the modern day US military though. Any one with an ounce of brain must realise they are simply cannon fodder for the whims of corporate business and the feather headed president who is the Chief of Staff. So how can we critiscise them for bad behaviour when those above display a total lack of concern for their own countrymen.
I vowed never to say,"Things were different in my days" but here, I suppose thats what I am saying.Sorry.

I have learned through a veteran's forum that the obnoxious and drunken behavior by some military members has been noticed by influential people at Bangkok JUSMAG and they are keeping a watchful eye on it so the curfew might be just a hint of things to come. Apparently, some even worse incidents than those mentioned in this forum have occurred. The posts in this forum have also been noticed, I was told, so continue posting your observations of the loutish behavior, guys. I still think that the military services involved should be providing adequate forces of MPs, SPs and APs during this exercise to act as a deterrent to the bad apples who are a very small minority of the overall military.

During my years in Udon at the height of the Vietnam conflict when there were 5-10,000 Air Force, Army, Marines, Air America and other civilian contractors stationed here, you rarely heard of any incidents of this type occurring. Why? We weren't all choirboys but maybe we were indoctrinated and taught to respect the Thai people and their culture more than these guys are today. End of rant.

I great to hear that our posts on this forum has been noticed by those who really need to know. Mp. SP, and AP shouldn't have to be needed if the NCO's and Senior NCO's from the squad leaders to Sergeant Majors that are here take control of thier troops. Like I have said in other posts, I have seen NCO's doing nothing to keep thier troops under control. I think maybe JUSMAG needs to seek some of the expats here to give the briefing on how to act while they are GUESTS here, since expats know the town and it's people and have knowledge of what has happened in the time. It's really embarressing to have to explain to my friends who are locals here why they acted the way they did. JUSMAG if you read this Please brief your NCO's and troops on how to as as guests in this Land of Smiles or get one of us too brief them.

Pop's

They could start by putting them under canvas instead of the 1st class hotels they use where their loutish behaviour is more noticable.After all, they are supposed to be on a military excercise. Do they really expect to live this way in a battle zone?

They put them up in hotels?