751G.92/158: Telegram
The Minister in Thailand (Grant) to the Secretary of State
[Received 10:25 p.m.]
15. In a conversation with the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs yesterday I tried to elicit information which would reveal the status of the hostilities between Thailand and Indo-China and also reason for the proclamation of martial law in an area covering approximately one third of the country and in which area there are several American missionaries who conduct hospitals and schools. The Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs was generally vague in his replies. He said martial law had been decreed because of “fifth column activities”. I then inquired if the nationals of foreign countries, Americans and Japanese for instance, may be involved and I referred to reports which were being circulated to the effect that 300 Japanese officers were already here. He admitted that some Japanese officers had arrived but only “to instruct the Thailandese” in the operation of the Japanese airplanes and that they were returning to Japan. I received the impression that the Foreign Office officials are sitting on the side lines more or less and that the military and the police are running the show.
I said to the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs that I hoped that hostilities could be avoided and further that it was my personal opinion that the suggestion of the French Chargé d’Affaires, mentioned in my telegram No. 12, January 8, 8 p.m., that the military forces of both the French and the Thailandese be withdrawn a certain distance from the frontier was a good one and should provide a “cooling off period” pending the effort to resume negotiations. I observed that it seemed to me that as long as hostile military forces were in contact with each other and the radio and press campaign was continued the possibility of resuming and carrying on peaceful negotiations was very remote. I made it clear that my remarks were personal and informal.