Camp Samae San.. US Army base built late 1960's in support of Thailand to keep it free of Communist

Offensive?

Camp Samae San was the epitome of an army shangra-la and the most sought after duty assignment in the world. This small post housed MP's. a transportation company, a few engineer companies back in the late 60's, and alot of headquarters clerks and support people. Not a big place at all. Water skiing, bowling, fantastic EM, officer, and NCO club system........all on the beach with plenty of women, cheap drinks, and risque shows on the weekends. A good size swimming pool across from the boathouse. Most people who were stationed here worked directly or indirectly at the deep water port in Sattahip which was Army run or the ammo docks in Vayama, south of Pattaya Beach. With a 4 or 5 day workweek, no formations, no drill or weapons firing, one can see why Samae San was a place where personell extended over and over again and when I was there in 73 - 74, anybody could extend up to 5 tours there before being reassigned. With Pattaya and Newland, the air force party town, close by.........and the beaches and Bangkok just under 2 hours away by bus, one can see why this was not just an assignment but a real get away complete with every vice known to man and all within the parameters of the US military. Now a Thai naval base. Halfway run down but still recognizable as far as buildings go. The army stockade was located here on the hillside and took some overflow when Long Bihn closed in VN. Also home of the grave diggers who came over from Hawaii to look for MIA remains in all of southeast asia. These were the Central Identification Labratory guys and they got here in 74 and left in 75 when the base was officially turned over to the Thais and all US presence was ordered out of the kingdom. October 75. The day the good life came to an end.................

The base housed not only U. S. Army units but also other U. S. military assets. The last U. S. Army forces were not off the base until early 1976. The United States Army continued to have a presence in Sattahip until July of 1976 at the deep water port, Sattahip Royal Thai Naval Depot.

If one follows the map to the deep water port outside of Sattahip a few kilo's away, one will see the tank farm (fuel storage) and the long dock walkway to where the ships unloaded. This too, was part of the military complex in that area. A huge ammo storage facility called Vayasa was north and west of Samae San. This ammo dump was inhabited by a small troop of baboons which could be seen scampering across the mowed fields seperating the ammo storage areas. This ammo was unloaded a short distance away at a dock called Vayama. Thai contractors handled half of the unloading and transportation and the army handled the rest. This ammo went straight to the dump by truck. The ammo was then trucked over to Utapao AFB for special delivery upon the sordid land of Cambodia next door via B52 or other aircraft.
A very pretty area in Thailand with small mountains running down to the coast on each side of Sattahip. The US Coast Guard had a LORAN station right next to Camp Sanae San (just immediately south) and had a personnel total of about 10 people. This looked on the surface to be a resort area and the military presence was very toned down and uniforms were not encouraged to be worn outside of the main gate when off duty. Out side of Utapao AFB was a town that housed workers at the base and also G.I.'s who shacked up with women lived there also. The biggest bar area was down the highway from Utapao 10 kilometers or so and was called 'Newland'. Newland ran a block on each side of the highway and was nothing but bars, strip clubs, one seedy hotel, and some houses. This was all built far away from the population center of Utapao town to keep the G.I.'s all in one place. Mainly air force personnel went there as it was closer to the air base than it was to Samae San. Scene of many fights and crazy bar happenings. Thai police, air police, and a once-in-a-while army MP cruise by were the norm on the streets. Packed like crazy on weekends as nobody worked the weekends at eiher base. Thai slaughterhouse at the edge of Newland and seemed to run during the night as one could be sleeping away with some Thai woman and then be woke up by a pig squealing its last lungfull of air. Not real nice sounds.
The average G.I. in the US Army felt he died and went to heaven when assigned there. Samae San had a gym fully stocked, pool, and a boathouse with water skiing. The clubs which can be seen on the beach had totally nude dancing on weekends until a change of command when the new one star general (General Day) brought his wife over to Samae San. Then it went to topless only and gradually went to wearing coverings over the nipple area. The club systems had a membership fee of $1 a month and that covered entrance. Local Thai women could get in free. Usually every other weekend, there was a 25 cent charge for one beer, then when you returned the empty you got a free beer. If you lost your beer empty or someone stole your beer or empty, then you had to start over again with another quarter. One could drink all night for 25 cents. Mixed drinks were 35 cents and the most expensive drink there was called a Zombie, which was a combination of 7 liquors stacked in one glass and usually reserved for promotion celebrations. A Zombie was one dollar and that was expensive back then. All beer were 25 cents on regular nights and cigatettes were 25 cents also or $2 a carton. This was from 1971 to 1975. Best years of my life.

Hi, I was stationed at Samae San from March 1973 to May 1974 with the 281st Military Police Company. Most of our duties weree physical security of the camp and the deep water port. Most of us tried drugs, especially marijuana called 'gan - shaat' in Thai and we generally called it 'gunshot'. It came rolled and twisted on a thin stick approx 8 inches long. These were sold for around $2US for twenty or if you bought one from a taxi driver it costs 15 cents each and one could get 3 joints easily from one stick. We had a connection with a mamasan in Kilosip and she charged us $1.45US for 20. Not a bad deal, eh?? Cheaper than smoking cigatettes and pot cmoking was generally accepted in all units but heroin was a no - no. The thais called heroin 'poom - cow' and that came in small vials that sold for $3US which was about a good 2 grams easily. An 8 ball of pure heroin cost $8 and $6 out in the country. We had bubble gum acid which had acid in the gum itself and came packaged with correct papering, ect. We also had mescaline which sold for $2US a hit and was quite good and more relaxing than regular acid. A rare treat was 'Buddha grass' that was good Thai weed steamed over a pot of boiling opium and then allowed to dry but was always a little pliable and spongy due to the opium stickyness. Those were the most expensive drug there and sold for $6 a pack that included 10 joints already rolled. Still a deal but I guess its all relative as we only made less than $150 every two weeks while in the damn army. I hope this clears up the drug questions. Lil Arl........the rock and roll MP

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To Lil Arl: You certainly know the scene around Camp Samae San. I was sent there in Jun 72 to work in the USO building as I worked in the Saigon USO prior. I ran the soft serve ice cream/sundae bar for 12 months and my shift was from 2 PM to 10 PM 4 days a week. Since I was an E5 (Specialist 5th class) I could pick my shift and had Friday, Saturday, and Sunday off. Samae San was the best place ever to be stationed and I did alot of water skiing while there. I know some of you say that a few places in Panama were the best but I would bet on Samae San being the best place with everything that I own. My son who is a marine (was a marine in the 90's) did a Cobra Gold exercise and took pictures in great detail of the camp. It is run by the Thai Navy now and is in disrepair in some areas. My beloved USO building was vacant and my barracks block was converted to a food store. The motor pools are now dusty lots and the pool is still open but long gone are the beachhouses and beach bar, also long gone are the clubs as they are vacant and all the glass is broke. Nicest buildings are the guard shacks at the main gate. One can GOOGLE the name and just click 'images' and you will see some photos. Take care everyone. Ron P

Was at utapao air base a kilo or so away. Married my best friend and lover, Noi, who is one of Thailands 3rd sex. Yes, I married a ladyboy and its has been 35 years now since we tied the knot at Pattaya Beach in a lavish ceremony. Wonderful memories of the Sattahip/Utapao/Samae San area and plan on going back this October to see the changes. We live in Cheyenne, Wyoming, USA and are both involved in alot of community services and charities. Nice website and comments above. Jim and Noi.

Hi, just dropped in to see the old haunt and these blogs bring back great memories. I envy you Jim as I dated and lived with a ladyboy for over two years and was the best time of my life. Seriously. Too bad this is still not a duty station. Royce from Chicago