Shadows of Shelly

Brit - The Battles Never Ends 9c

NINTEEN

Brit - The Battles Never Ends

I have been elevated to Group Commander over three in-country squadrons. One in Chiang Mai, another at Ubon Ratchathani, and the third is on a small un-named island south of Phuket. We work beside all three Royal Thai military branches, the U. S. Navy and Marines. I am known as the boy Colonel. Most of our work is covert. Royal Thai Intelligence is integrated in everything we do.

The base Southeast of Phuket is where the Andaman Sea and the Thai Gulf blend together. The Royal Thai Navy operates two dozen PT boats renovated from the end of World War Two. They are used for search, rescue and patrol. Those seeking relief from China's Warlords and Chinese infiltrators both travel these waters. The spies often look like the poor refugees. Yet, they are usually dressed better and speak perfect Thai.

The refugees have a gaunt appearance. Their eyes glare with the lack of luster. The children, men and women stumble when walking. Their Chinese is broken, uneducated and labored.

Those seeking a better life travel on crude rafts, and half of them do not survive the trip. Thai border patrol and intelligence agents interview all immigrants and sift through all their belongings to discover those who are the bad and the good. The ones that they are not sure of receive further interrogation where they are held in a containment area. Those detained are treated fairly and fed good meals. The bad are eliminated.

Thais are peace-loving and fair people. The men seeking an improved life have several opportunities for employment. The Front-Line Thai Guard is the highest paid position. The next selections are those with academic or technical skills that can be used for training others. The last group are intense government labor teams like road construction, water improvement works, and farm laborer projects. All the plans have five years of supervised advancement programs that lead to Thai citizenship and employability.

The Conflict Arena

More of our missions are within Thailand. The Pink Handkerchief gang no longer wear a black suit. It seems like we eliminate one group of lawbreakers and another two appear. We need to find where their core leadership resides and get rid of them. We do not know how extensive the group is in Thailand. Every day whole villages disappear. Young women and girls are maimed, mutilated and murdered. They lay in decaying heaps. My limbs become rigid, and my face reddens from reports of the bombings. College and workers protests are the result of their propaganda.

There is a stench about them and the stares are demonic. The women who have been molested are hesitant in their gait, and the slightest noise causes them to cringe.

Joy was Extended to All

I was still meeting with the Institute of Concept and Design (ICD) a half a day a week. Four industrial complexes were completed. My body relaxed. Breathing became easier and deeper. It was not a cure for all the ailments in Issan.

However, there were steel mills, assembly plants and aluminum foundries created. Many jobs were directly established and many more indirectly. The income per family rose three times while expenses increased minimally.

Families are eating three meals a day. Children have sparkles on their faces. Men and women's shoulders are broader while exhibiting a bounce in the way they walk.

Roads are expanded to many communities, and expressways immerged across the entire nation. Bicycles and motor scooters are seen in areas where there were none previously. Homes were blessed with radios that were made locally and used by people who were just exposed to electricity. Tractors appeared in large numbers in rural localities. Motor scooters and Tuk Tuks were now made inside Thailand. The smiles of children increased nationally. Prosperity improved everywhere in Thailand.

Small parts and fabrication facilities sprang up in or near the steel mills and aluminum foundries. Women were behind men in salary and respect, although some ladies crossed over to traditionally male professions. Dealerships and sales outlets sprang up throughout Thailand. Women did dominate in these markets.

Dreariness decreased. Hope replaced despair. The population was travelling in their own country to explore its beauty. Houses were being built, repaired and painted. Diversified farming was going into effect. The government received increased revenues. It seemed like every part of the population was enjoying their lives in a fresh new approach.

My Quam Suk, Laam Kaa and my vision for a better northeast was surpassed by more than we expected. It was affecting every village in the entire nation. Each of us were bouncing in our walk. Our faces expressed a relaxed composure. The primary financial supporter, The Mothers of the Cradle, as a group only met with us monthly, but they were apprized on a weekly basis of our progress.

Mrs. Green was our major financial sponsor and attended more Thursday morning sessions than the others. However, their financial backing was on a regular basis. The government gave us tax relief for five years for our new major complexes. Nonetheless, sub-contractors, dealerships, stores and individual revenue increased substantially.

At times, I was called out to a rescue mission and was unable to attend. It was rare for the size of the mission to only require less than thirty men. As Group Executive officer, Lieutenant Colonel Pudd Fi would coordinate the mission with a squadron and flight commander.

Major Baxter P. Silverman (wife Barbara) is Commander of Squadron Three in my group. Captain Chris Boughman (wife Dak Akura and my adopted sister) is Executive Officer of the same unit. Both are my former friends from the Academy. I did not have any influence over their assignments. On the other hand, my sisters may have influenced Daddy. I do not know for sure, but I do know that they can get whatever they want out of him.

Baxter and Chris have leadership of my former group of ex-prisoners, Chinese turncoats and deserters from Vietnam – all of whom are working toward Thai citizenship. Both had to challenge the ten toughest fighters in their newly acquired unit. They alternated bouts. As a result each had to only fight five bruisers – one at a time.

The men of Squadron Three were in awe of their fighting ability. Baxter said, "Colonel Brit Matthews was our teacher and our mentor. He would not give us any slack but expected the best from us." Every man among those assembled rendered that discerning smile.