Veteran correspondent Maxmilian Wechsler recalls some of his most interesting and exclusive assignments from the past two decades.
FROM THE YEAR 2005
A veteran of wars against Communists in Vietnam and Laos, His Excellency General Pichitr Kullavanijaya had sage advice for all Thais on the value of hard work, athletics and self-sufficiency
A veteran of wars against Communists in Vietnam and Laos, His Excellency General Pichitr Kullavanijaya had sage advice for all Thais on the value of hard work, athletics and self-sufficiency
 | Thanks to his distinguished military record, as well as his work on behalf of the Kingdom, there is scarcely a person in Thailand who doesn’t know the name of H.E. Gen Pichitr Kullavanijaya. He’s also well-known and respected abroad, mainly in the United States and in Israel. His achievements have resulted in his being granted the highest honour that any Thai citizen can achieve – appointment by His Majesty the King as Privy Councillor. Having the privilege to talk with the general for several hours, first at the makeshift boxing ring he established under the Ramindra-Ardnarong expressway and later over bowls of noodles at his residence, one cannot but sense his devotion to his country. |
The eldest of seven children of ordinary working-class parents, the general was instilled with a sense of purpose early in life. “My mother only finished high school and my father graduated from a commercial college. They told us children quite firmly: We will send you all to college so that you can have a good education and obtain a degree. You must work hard, and when you can stand on your own feet, you must help others to bring the utmost benefit for our country.”
Some of his proudest accomplishments are military campaigns against communists in Vietnam and Laos, and also at home in Thailand. He did a combat tour in Vietnam in 1967- 1968 with the first ‘Queens’s Cobra’ volunteer regiment, and served as the volunteer task force commander in Laos from 1971-1974.
“In Vietnam we had a lot of material, air support and other help from the United States, but in Laos, we received limited assistance and had to depend upon ourselves,” he said.
“We faced harsh conditions in both places, but it was invaluable experience because I could learn how the French and the American armies were defeated by the Vietnamese, who seemed to have not much. Their biggest assets were the vigour of their people, their use of pack animals for transportation of equipment and the use of tunnels. I studied their tactics and used them successfully to defeat the communist insurgents at Khao Kho in Petchabun province.”
After outlining his past achievements, the general turned to his current tireless campaign in an even longer war: the battle to save poor Thai children from narcotics. He explained that it is the economically disadvantaged youth who are the most vulnerable.
“In the old days children kept busy helping their parents by going to market, cooking, washing, and so father graduated from a commercial college. They told us children quite firmly: We will send you all to college so that you can have a good education and obtain a degree. You must work hard, and when you can stand on your own feet, you must help others to bring the utmost benefit for our country.”
Some of his proudest accomplishments are military campaigns against communists in Vietnam and Laos, and also at home in Thailand. He did a combat tour in Vietnam in 1967- 1968 with the first ‘Queens’s Cobra’ volunteer regiment, and served as the volunteer task force commander in Laos from 1971-1974.
Some of his proudest accomplishments are military campaigns against communists in Vietnam and Laos, and also at home in Thailand. He did a combat tour in Vietnam in 1967- 1968 with the first ‘Queens’s Cobra’ volunteer regiment, and served as the volunteer task force commander in Laos from 1971-1974.
“In Vietnam we had a lot of material, air support and other help from the United States, but in Laos, we received limited assistance and had to depend upon ourselves,” he said.
“We faced harsh conditions in both places, but it was invaluable experience because I could learn how the French and the American armies were defeated by the Vietnamese, who seemed to have not much. Their biggest assets were the vigour of their people, their use of pack animals for transportation of equipment and the use of tunnels. I studied their tactics and used them successfully to defeat the communist insurgents at Khao Kho in Petchabun province.”
After outlining his past achievements, the general turned to his current tireless campaign in an even longer war: the battle to save poor Thai children from narcotics. He explained that it is the economically disadvantaged youth who are the most vulnerable.
“In the old days children kept busy helping their parents by going to market, cooking, washing, and so father graduated from a commercial college. They told us children quite firmly: We will send you all to college so that you can have a good education and obtain a degree. You must work hard, and when you can stand on your own feet, you must help others to bring the utmost benefit for our country.”
Some of his proudest accomplishments are military campaigns against communists in Vietnam and Laos, and also at home in Thailand. He did a combat tour in Vietnam in 1967- 1968 with the first ‘Queens’s Cobra’ volunteer regiment, and served as the volunteer task force commander in Laos from 1971-1974.
“In Vietnam we had a lot of material, air support and other help from the United States, but in Laos, we received limited assistance and had to depend upon ourselves,” he said.
“We faced harsh conditions in both places, but it was invaluable experience because I could learn how the French and the American armies were defeated by the Vietnamese, who seemed to have not much. Their biggest assets were the vigour of their people, their use of pack animals for transportation of equipment and the use of tunnels. I studied their tactics and used them successfully to defeat the communist insurgents at Khao Kho in Petchabun province.”
After outlining his past achievements, the general turned to his current tireless campaign in an even longer war: the battle to save poor Thai children from narcotics. He explained that it is the economically disadvantaged youth who are the most vulnerable.
“In the old days children kept busy helping their parents by going to market, cooking, washing, and so on. But that is rare now. Lifestyles are very different and children have more free time. Many of them just watch television because they have nothing else to do. They have no access to sport facilities, so they get bored, and many of them turn to drugs and crime.
“I believe that the best way to keep youths away from drugs is to get them interested in sports like Muaythai, soccer and tennis. This has been my major preoccupation ever since the Muaythai Against Drugs campaign for children was started in 1999,” he said.
“Youngsters have a lot of energy and desire to challenge themselves. Would we rather have our kids test themselves in gangs or on the sport fields? Of course we would rather see them playing sports, but as a nation we do remarkably little to see that this happens,” he added.
On a trip to the US he was told that over 90% of children are engaged in some kind of sport. “Anyone from the president down can use public sport facilities almost everywhere free of charge. This is also more or less true in Australia and in many places in Europe. All you have to do is to bring your own boxing gloves or tennis rackets, etc.
“But in Thailand there are no free tennis courts. They are open to members only. The kids can’t play golf either because it is too expensive for them. We need to build sport facilities for youngsters and poor people, not just in Bangkok but in the provinces as well,” he declared.
“The high-ranking Thai government officials who play tennis and golf have never realised these facts. That’s why I have campaigned for a public tennis court in Bangkok with the cooperation of the Lions Club and the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration. The project was initiated about two years ago but actually was only set off in Lumpini Park recently due to various obstacles. I would like to see free tennis courts constructed in every district of Bangkok and all over the country,” the general insisted.
“We faced harsh conditions in both places, but it was invaluable experience because I could learn how the French and the American armies were defeated by the Vietnamese, who seemed to have not much. Their biggest assets were the vigour of their people, their use of pack animals for transportation of equipment and the use of tunnels. I studied their tactics and used them successfully to defeat the communist insurgents at Khao Kho in Petchabun province.”
After outlining his past achievements, the general turned to his current tireless campaign in an even longer war: the battle to save poor Thai children from narcotics. He explained that it is the economically disadvantaged youth who are the most vulnerable.
“In the old days children kept busy helping their parents by going to market, cooking, washing, and so on. But that is rare now. Lifestyles are very different and children have more free time. Many of them just watch television because they have nothing else to do. They have no access to sport facilities, so they get bored, and many of them turn to drugs and crime.
“I believe that the best way to keep youths away from drugs is to get them interested in sports like Muaythai, soccer and tennis. This has been my major preoccupation ever since the Muaythai Against Drugs campaign for children was started in 1999,” he said.
“Youngsters have a lot of energy and desire to challenge themselves. Would we rather have our kids test themselves in gangs or on the sport fields? Of course we would rather see them playing sports, but as a nation we do remarkably little to see that this happens,” he added.
On a trip to the US he was told that over 90% of children are engaged in some kind of sport. “Anyone from the president down can use public sport facilities almost everywhere free of charge. This is also more or less true in Australia and in many places in Europe. All you have to do is to bring your own boxing gloves or tennis rackets, etc.
“But in Thailand there are no free tennis courts. They are open to members only. The kids can’t play golf either because it is too expensive for them. We need to build sport facilities for youngsters and poor people, not just in Bangkok but in the provinces as well,” he declared.
“The high-ranking Thai government officials who play tennis and golf have never realised these facts. That’s why I have campaigned for a public tennis court in Bangkok with the cooperation of the Lions Club and the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration. The project was initiated about two years ago but actually was only set off in Lumpini Park recently due to various obstacles. I would like to see free tennis courts constructed in every district of Bangkok and all over the country,” the general insisted.
Muaythai campaign
Gen Pichitr wants to see children involved in a variety of sports, but his real passion is boxing. Upon graduating from the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1958, he was recognised as the best boxer in his class and presented with the David Marcus Award. It is his beloved native Muaythai that he has promoted vigorously among Thai youngsters. Although he has sought the assistance of the government with the campaign for the past six years, he has had to mostly manage on his own.
“The boxing ring was constructed on a vacant space under the Ramindra-Ardnarong expressway in Wang Tong Lang district in Bangkok after I had made a proposal six years ago to the local district chief. She responded positively and promised to organise it, so I began working on it.
“I showed the boxing ring to some high-ranking city and government officials, and one of them who liked the idea offered to allocate 30% of the approximately nine km-long stretch of free space under the expressway for other similar projects, while the rest (70%) would be used for parking lots.
“I was very disappointed by his attitude because it is public land. This is the way the authorities think,” the general complained. He also submitted other proposals six years ago to the Ministry of Education to help children but nothing has ever come of them.
“Luckily, one company from the Netherlands that produces powdered milk has offered me assistance, and some Thai businessmen are helping me as well. But still, I have had to pay for the projects from my own pocket during the past six years. However, I am not discouraged and I will keep on working with or without the government’s support,” said the general.
He has already completed the construction of boxing rings in Klong Toey district of Bangkok and in Pattaya City, as well as in Nonthaburi, Pathum Thani and Petchabun provinces. And if the children want to learn Muaythai in other places, he will arrange instructors for them.
One of his projects allows poor children to travel abroad to meet foreign children and to demonstrate the Thai culture, traditional music and boxing, as well as to make friends. “We’ve sent children to Australia, Finland and Poland already this year, and on December 15, eight youngsters aged 9-10 visited Xishuangbanna in Yunnan province in the People’s Republic of China for three days.”
Gen Pichitr wants to see children involved in a variety of sports, but his real passion is boxing. Upon graduating from the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1958, he was recognised as the best boxer in his class and presented with the David Marcus Award. It is his beloved native Muaythai that he has promoted vigorously among Thai youngsters. Although he has sought the assistance of the government with the campaign for the past six years, he has had to mostly manage on his own.
“The boxing ring was constructed on a vacant space under the Ramindra-Ardnarong expressway in Wang Tong Lang district in Bangkok after I had made a proposal six years ago to the local district chief. She responded positively and promised to organise it, so I began working on it.
“I showed the boxing ring to some high-ranking city and government officials, and one of them who liked the idea offered to allocate 30% of the approximately nine km-long stretch of free space under the expressway for other similar projects, while the rest (70%) would be used for parking lots.
“I was very disappointed by his attitude because it is public land. This is the way the authorities think,” the general complained. He also submitted other proposals six years ago to the Ministry of Education to help children but nothing has ever come of them.
“Luckily, one company from the Netherlands that produces powdered milk has offered me assistance, and some Thai businessmen are helping me as well. But still, I have had to pay for the projects from my own pocket during the past six years. However, I am not discouraged and I will keep on working with or without the government’s support,” said the general.
He has already completed the construction of boxing rings in Klong Toey district of Bangkok and in Pattaya City, as well as in Nonthaburi, Pathum Thani and Petchabun provinces. And if the children want to learn Muaythai in other places, he will arrange instructors for them.
One of his projects allows poor children to travel abroad to meet foreign children and to demonstrate the Thai culture, traditional music and boxing, as well as to make friends. “We’ve sent children to Australia, Finland and Poland already this year, and on December 15, eight youngsters aged 9-10 visited Xishuangbanna in Yunnan province in the People’s Republic of China for three days.”
Greed is not good
The general stressed many times that the biggest danger facing Thai youth is drugs, and that a war against them must be fought on three fronts: “First arrest and punish dealers to the full extent of law. Second, keep youngsters and poor people, who are the most vulnerable, entertained and enthused by sports and music, etc. Third, we must help addicts and re-integrate them back into society, so they have a chance to live a normal life.”
Gen Pichitr also had some advice for all Thai people:
“We should follow the policy of His Majesty the King in regard to a ‘sufficient economy’. Don’t be greedy, try to keep in good health and in sound mind, and earn a sufficient income to live a good life. You don’t have to accumulate great wealth. You need a good education and a job to establish yourself and your family and to help others. We could prosper more if everyone would conduct themselves as I suggest. Most of all, we have no need to grab as much wealth as possible for ourselves!”
The general said that we should adopt only positive practices and knowledge from other countries, and not copy everything. “It is unfortunate that many of our youngsters who go abroad don’t differentiate between what is good and what is bad.
“The introduction of luxury items to the Thai markets in past years, including mobile phones, has had a negative effect on our youth. While in the United States, I was told by Thais living there that those devices were forbidden in elementary schools, high schools and colleges, and if found, they would be confiscated.
“When we compare Thailand to quite new countries in Asia like Malaysia and Singapore, and even to places like Japan or South Korea, we discover that they are ahead of us because they have developed better qualities in their people! They look after them better than we do. In Thailand, we build high rise towers but neglect the quality of the man inside. Tall buildings don’t mean that we are prosperous. It is an illusion.”
The general stressed many times that the biggest danger facing Thai youth is drugs, and that a war against them must be fought on three fronts: “First arrest and punish dealers to the full extent of law. Second, keep youngsters and poor people, who are the most vulnerable, entertained and enthused by sports and music, etc. Third, we must help addicts and re-integrate them back into society, so they have a chance to live a normal life.”
Gen Pichitr also had some advice for all Thai people:
“We should follow the policy of His Majesty the King in regard to a ‘sufficient economy’. Don’t be greedy, try to keep in good health and in sound mind, and earn a sufficient income to live a good life. You don’t have to accumulate great wealth. You need a good education and a job to establish yourself and your family and to help others. We could prosper more if everyone would conduct themselves as I suggest. Most of all, we have no need to grab as much wealth as possible for ourselves!”
The general said that we should adopt only positive practices and knowledge from other countries, and not copy everything. “It is unfortunate that many of our youngsters who go abroad don’t differentiate between what is good and what is bad.
“The introduction of luxury items to the Thai markets in past years, including mobile phones, has had a negative effect on our youth. While in the United States, I was told by Thais living there that those devices were forbidden in elementary schools, high schools and colleges, and if found, they would be confiscated.
“When we compare Thailand to quite new countries in Asia like Malaysia and Singapore, and even to places like Japan or South Korea, we discover that they are ahead of us because they have developed better qualities in their people! They look after them better than we do. In Thailand, we build high rise towers but neglect the quality of the man inside. Tall buildings don’t mean that we are prosperous. It is an illusion.”
Behind the story:
H.E. Gen Pichitr Kullavanijaya, who was born in July 1932 in Bangkok, completed a high school and Pre-Army Cadet School, attended the Royal Chulachomklao Military Academy and subsequently graduated in 1958 from the United States Military Academy at West Point.
Upon returning to Thailand he was assigned to the Rangers in Lopburi province, followed by studies at the Command and General Staff College and the Special Warfare Centre. While serving in the Army, the general volunteered for the Thai task force in Vietnam, and later in Laos. Because of his experience in those two countries he was later assigned to fight communists in northern Thailand. The general went on to become Commander of the First Army, Assistant Chief of the Staff of the Royal Thai Army, Deputy Supreme Commander, and Deputy Permanent Secretary for Defence.
We became acquainted during National Day receptions. Gen Pichitr invited me to his house on Ramindra where I conducted the interview. His wife, Khunying Vimol Kullavanijaya, an Army Colonel, cooked food for us.
I met Gen Pichitr a few times at the boxing ring under the expressway. He would usually sit quietly by himself observing the young boxers and sometimes gave them instructions.
H.E. Gen Pichitr Kullavanijaya, who was born in July 1932 in Bangkok, completed a high school and Pre-Army Cadet School, attended the Royal Chulachomklao Military Academy and subsequently graduated in 1958 from the United States Military Academy at West Point.
Upon returning to Thailand he was assigned to the Rangers in Lopburi province, followed by studies at the Command and General Staff College and the Special Warfare Centre. While serving in the Army, the general volunteered for the Thai task force in Vietnam, and later in Laos. Because of his experience in those two countries he was later assigned to fight communists in northern Thailand. The general went on to become Commander of the First Army, Assistant Chief of the Staff of the Royal Thai Army, Deputy Supreme Commander, and Deputy Permanent Secretary for Defence.
We became acquainted during National Day receptions. Gen Pichitr invited me to his house on Ramindra where I conducted the interview. His wife, Khunying Vimol Kullavanijaya, an Army Colonel, cooked food for us.
I met Gen Pichitr a few times at the boxing ring under the expressway. He would usually sit quietly by himself observing the young boxers and sometimes gave them instructions.
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