Weren't those Cambodians?
I shall be known from now on as the Black Vegetable

That makes sense! I knew about the Soviets supplying their "red" buddies in Vietnam, but could not make out the ethnicity of those on board of the helicopter. Reminds me of Rambo II, when the Russians came in to question John Rambo via Soviet helicopters. Thanks for your help:)

I just rewatched this one after many years and if you watch closely, the guys in the whirlybird ain't Asians and that the helicopter was a Soviet military aircraft of the era. So my guess would be Soviet Spetsnaz goons.
"I like simple pleasures like butter in my ass and lollipops in my mouth." - Floyd Gondolli