Thailand had a different outlook to many of its neighboring countries. It had never been under colonial rule and therefore did not have the anti-colonial antipathy towards the new perceived colonial conqueror – the United States. Instead Thailand saw the United States as the only power who could help stave off the seemingly relentless advance of communism. It was a monarchy with a government of both civilian and military participation and very strongly anti-communist. Geographically it held a strategic position with regard to the attempts to stem the communist spread throughout Southeast Asia. It shared a common border to the east with Laos and Cambodia and its airfields, from which American planes took off to bomb communist targets, were only 18 minutes flying time from North Vietnam.