| Operation Star | |
|---|---|
| Part of Laotian Civil War; Vietnam War supported by Operation Pony Express and Operation Hardnose | |
| Type | Military intelligence program |
| Location | Camp Siberia, Savannakhet Province, Laos |
| Planned | Royal Thai Government |
| Objective | Gather military intelligence; train irregulars |
| Date | Late 1965—early 1967 |
| Executed by | Royal Thai Special Forces, CIA, RTMC, BPP |
| Outcome | Active until early 1967 when subsumed by Operation Hardnose |
Operation Star was a highly classified military intelligence gathering program set up in late 1965 by the Royal Thai Government during the Vietnam War. It was co-located with the American Central Intelligence Agency's Operation Hardnose at Camp Siberia 26 kilometers northeast of Savannakhet, Laos. The operation was founded although American intelligence sources in the area already shared their results with the Thais. Royal Thai Special Forces assigned as instructors to Operation Hardnose were utilized as reconnaissance teams. In early 1967, the CIA eventually severed the Thai intelligence operation from the instructional duties for Lao irregular military troops.