Thailand’s Reconciliation with the French

Thailand’s Reconciliation with the French

H. M. Bao-Dai, the last Vietnamese Emperor

 of the Nguyen Dynasty

In the period after the coup d’etat in Thailand, on November 8, 1947 up to Thailand’s recognition of the French-sponsored Indo-Chinese Governments in February 1950, it marked Thailand’s reconciliation with France and brought an end Thailand’s open opposition to its position in Indo-China.

Internal politics were closely connected with foreign policy issues. Phibunsongram returned to power with a strong opposition from Allied Powers—Great Britain, United States of America, France and China. He again employed the tactics of playing off one side against the other to secure recognition for his regime from Western democratic states.

This led to Thailand’s acceptance of the recommendation of the Franco-Thai conciliation commission of June 1947 and its withdrawal from active assistance to Indo-Chinese nationalist movements. Finally, Thailand recognized the French-supported Governments in Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos in February 1950.

In recognizing the three French-sponsored Governments in Indo-China, Thailand had followed the lead of the United States and Great Britain, which were perceived by Phibunsonggram and his general as decisive source of countervailing power against Communist China.

In the light of his perception of Communist China’s threat, Phibunsonggram concluded that the fall of Indo-China would mean the fall of Thailand, as it had to the Japanese after December 1941. Accordingly, he wanted Great Britain and the United States to join with France in the defense of Indo-China against the Communist threat led by the Viet Minh and supported by China.