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Khattiya Sawasdipol (born 1951) (Thai: พลตรี ดร.ขัตติยะ สวัสดิผล), alias Sae Dang (เสธ.แดง), is a major general in the Royal Thai Army, assigned to the Internal Security Operations Command. He claims to have helped the United States spy on North Vietnam during the Vietnam War, and to have taken part in the CIA-financed "Secret War" against the communists in the Plain of Jars, in Laos. Khattiya disguised himself as a Muslim in order to infiltrate rebel groups in Aceh Indonesia.

He has written several best-sellers in the Thai language about his adventures in a series called Kom Sae Dang (คม...เสธ.แดง)^[1]. Khattiya frequently appears on television talk shows and has a cult of followers, achieving almost celebrity status. He came into conflict with the Thai police commander, General Seri Temiyavet, during the investigation of a large gambling den in 2006. General Seri filed a libel suit against Khattiya, who was arrested and sentenced to prison for four months. ^[2] Khattiya has since brought a 600 million Baht libel suit against Seri for defamation.

Khattiya made news on October 18, 2008, by announcing "he would mobilise government supporters against any military attempt to seize political power." Khattiya "said members of the pro-government Democratic Alliance against Dictatorship (DAAD) would use petrol bombs against tanks and military vehicles taking part in a coup attempt. ^[3]

Khattiya was reassigned as an aerobics teacher ^[4] by Gen. Anupong Paochinda, Thai Army commander. Khattiya responded by saying, "The army chief wants me to be a presenter leading aerobics dancers. I have prepared one dance. It's called the 'throwing-a-hand-grenade' dance."

References

External links

• FROM THE BARRACKS: 'Seh Daeng' - a clowning soldier not to be laughed at (retrieved 8:50 PM 11/27/2008). The article says that "his only daughter, Khattiyar, 27, ironically is an ardent supporter of the PAD.... But he was not prepared to go soft on the PAD - believing that one can have another daughter but a shattered nation cannot be rebuilt."
• Official website (Thai)