Indo-China-Thailand Territorial Dispute After the Pacific War

Indo-China-Thailand Territorial Dispute After the Pacific War

 After World War II the French Reurned to Indo-China and  There Was

The First Indo-China War Between France and Viet Minh

After the Pacific War, Thailand relations with France were subject to stress and strain as they had been in the prewar period. The object of contention was the territories acquired by Thailand in Indo-China before the outbreak of the Pacific War. The Gaullist French National Committee set up in Algiers refused to recognize the cession of these territories by the Vichy Government and the French demanded the restoration of the status quo ante; this the Thai governments resisted, and sporadic fighting broke out along the Mekong River in May 1946. Thailand appealed to the United Nations in response to the French military action, and in retaliation the French opposed the admission of Thailand to that organization. In view of the determination of the French coupled with the British and American pressure the Thai Government accepted their demands: the former frontier was restored but a mixed conciliation commission was appointed by the two Governments to consider whether it required any rectification.

Postwar Governments in Bangkok were not successful in retaining those territories because of the absence of external support. The relevant great Powers were limited in number to only Great Britain and the United States. Thailand did not attract support from either of them. Indeed they both insisted on Thailand returning the disputed territories to France. Moreover, although diplomatic relation between China and Thailand were established for the first time in Thai history, Sino-Thai relations were still cool which therefore ruled out the possibility of Thailand soliciting Chinese assistance. The Thais tried to attract Russian attention without success because the Communist power was much more interest in developing friendly relations with the new socialist government in France.

As the relevant great Powers were limited in number, the makers of Thai policy were provided with little chance of playing off one side against the other. In the prewar period, the Thais had sought to play off Great Britain against France whenever they were in dispute with the French. After the Second World War, however, Britain’s position in Thailand had suffered with its being cast in the role of an “oppressor” in demanding free rice in Thailand, and because of its decision to help the French get back the disputed territories unconditionally. Given the tension in Anglo-Thai relations, the Thais turned to the United States for assistance to counter French demands and pressure, but without success.