The Thai ones were probably replacements for the aircraft
the Thais lost in their war with Vichy France. The Thais

The Royal Thai air force had some Curtiss 75 (P-36 type) Hawks,
perhaps with fixed landing gear. The Japanese shot down a few of these
when they moved into Thailand on Dec 7/8, and the survivors must have
been pretty weary by 1943.

were more or less under Japanese occupation, so probably had
no choice about where to buy replacement aircraft. Thailand
actually declared war against the US, but the US more or
less ignored that fact and never treated the Thais as
enemies.

The Thai ambassador in Washington simply declared himself the
representative of the Free Tais (well, whatever) and stayed in his
embassy throughout the war.

You have to admire a nation that resilient. Thailand is I believe the
only (or anyone one of the few) Asian nations that was never ruled by
a foreign power. Even the Japanese followed the niceties of being an
ally, not an occupier. By the summer of 1945, British agents were
operating more or less openly in Bangkok.


all the best -- Dan Ford
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