Thailand survival scenario

J

Javahed

Joined
Oct 6, 1999
Messages
525
OK survivalists,

Here is the scenario for you. You are the medic on a 12-man team. Your job is to go into NW Thailand and teach a group of 30 or so Thai Guerillas various things. You specifically will be responsible for the health of the team, treating the Guerillas only after ensuring the health of the team. You will be given two Thai men to train as guerilla medics. You can only take in what you can carry in on your back (a 25 mile movement though the Jungle from where the bird drops you off). The nearest human settlement is about 35 miles away. You will be in the bush for 50 to 60 days. What are you going to bring?

Remember, cut off from the outside for the entire time. No vehical, and you only have what you can carry.

Dan


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Go Get 'em Gear
 
Didn't know we got Guerillas in the NW.
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Me, I'm surprised there's actually a 110 km diameter circle in Thailand without any settlements.
 
What to take... I assume you will have a pack of some kind... Since you are the medic, I'll ignore the medical-specific stuff...

1. A machete. Not sure what type (lighter or heavier). Would depend on the characteristic woods in the area.

2. Stout survival knife in the 5" range, maybe a Livesay Mod 131. Many other good choices of course.

3. SAK with saw and pliers

4. Fire starter and a few triox bars

5. Water purification straw, bottle, and/or iodine.

6. Opium pipe. Signals to the locals that you're just "one of the boys"...


 
Javahed:- Must admit that my knowledge in this field is limted.
So, we have ones in Lampang and Pai?
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Well it's in the N though, not NW.
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Javahed,
60 days in the jungle is a long time without major support.
50 (there and back) miles traveling off the beaten track, overland, is a long way.
The need not to be compromised will mean everything will take much longer and use up more energy.
You are getting to the level of diminishing returns as most of what you can carry will be for yours and the teams well being. If you have to carrying weapons then there is not going to be much room for anything else.

Your own water carrier and survival kit.
The Teams medical needs and water purifying system (you'll need gallons of the dam stuff per day and you will need to carry it).
Your own personal kit, clothing, spare boots, personal hygene, mosquito net, hammock and groundsheet.
Rations.

Then if you have any room/weight spare you might be able to take some basic medicines and teaching aids. Remember your Guerillas will only have access to local medical supplies; if they are capable of resupplying themselves at all. You can't expect to set up a whole Field Hospital.

Probably best to organise a supply drop once you have established more manpower and a secure area.

Make sure your whole team has taken all their jabs and are and continue to take their pills. Some climatisation wouldn't go amiss. The last thing you want is for the team to become the casualty.

This is not the "back of a fag (cigarette) packet" organisation expedition.

Best knives, other than a SAK, are probably what the locals are using.

I'm sure there are more up to date "jungle bunnies" out their who know their jungle stuff a whole lot better than I. I also thought Thailand was a busy place and well populated.



[This message has been edited by GREENJACKET (edited 02-23-2001).]
 
<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by Santi:
So, we have ones in Lampang and Pai?
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</font>
Click to expand...

Actually, it looks to be a Thai border patrol or SF unit that we'll be hooking up with.

That's right, it's an actual tasking I'm planning for. I decided to give this a try and utilize everyone on the forum to gather ideas. It's a small slice of Cobra Gold 2001. All the info I post here is open source cleared for public release. Since I have not received much in the way of mission specific info, I figured I'd see what ya'll would have to say. Thanks for the ideas so far and keep 'em coming.

Good news, the field time has been set to be from 25 to 40 days. Also, scratch the walk in, it's going to be a chopper ride in (I hope). Don't know if, later on, we'll have a re-supply bundle or not.

Many water sources are reported to be near the AO. We've been looking at inline water filters for our hydration systems, coupled with iodine tabs.

Locality is verified to be 30mi from anywhere. Plan is to send locals out for basic supplies, put that's going to be a bit of a tab. Hopefully an auxiliary force will be available to use for some sort of transport. Other than that, it's catch it and eat it time
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Shots are up to date and my medicine order went in so Doxy for everyone
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Premetherin treatments for uniforms and bug-nets are the plan.

If anyone has any info on the following info, please post it; snakes of northern Thailand, medicinal plants of northern Thailand, poisonous plants of northern Thailand, and what is running around in the woods that can eat us - and what can we catch and eat that's out there?

Santi,

Check out the opening ceremony if you get a chance. It's supposed to be a huge combined Thai/US Halo jump with a bunch of hoopla and fanfare, y'know, the kind of stuff the brass loves. Luckily we get to miss out on it. We're going to be a pretty insignificant part of the whole picture. I think it will be pretty heavily publicized over there.



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Go Get 'em Gear
 
Ahaa, top brass organised training. You can take the whole PX in with you
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Have a good time. Prepare yourself well for it and then work your socks off. Field training is the best so make the most of it.

One source of information is from your veterans. Someones been there before, and although places change they don't change that much. Once your ears have been burnt with a few red herrings and some war stories, you may find some excelent, useful, relevant information. You just need to be a bit selective. Worth a try.
 
I was in N. Thailand (Ching Mai) last winter. It's a mountainous jungle area, but it's very chilly in the nights and mornings this time of year. I wouldn't go out doors without a warm hat and thermo underwear.

I don't think there are any large critters there that will present a serious threat. There are some pythons, cobras, and domesticated elephants (I understand one Australian SAS patrol lost 3 guys to an elephant that stalked them for days). You'll also find banana trees, though they may not be in season. Lots of rivers and creeks, the fishing could be good.

There's a major tourism industry in the north, very popular for Japanese and South Koreans. Drug runners used to be active around the Golden Triangle. I don't know the situation now, but the Triangle is now a tourist attraction also.



[This message has been edited by tallwingedgoat (edited 02-27-2001).]
 
All,

Thank for the input. I had not put elephants down on the med hazard brief, but that is something to look out for. Talking to some of the others here, one guy was picked up and tossed by an elephant when their patrol spooked it in the night (in Maylasia). I'd like to avoid having a story like that
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Chang Mai will be in the neighborhood. Looking forward to doing some sightseeing before the fun starts.

Thanks again,

Dan

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Go Get 'em Gear
 
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