751G.92/147: Telegram
The Minister in Thailand ( Grant ) to the Secretary of State
[Received January 8—5:55 p.m.]
12. Monsieur Garreau, the French Chargé d’Affaires, had his first official contact with the Foreign Office today after waiting for 40 days. He stated to me this afternoon that he regards the situation as quite serious since a state of war which has become more intensified during the last few days exists at the frontier. The Government publicity department this afternoon announced that Cambodia and Cochin China would be bombed by Thai aircraft in retaliation against the French. Garreau said he was making arrangements to house at the French Legation some of the French refugees who have been ordered by the Thai Government to come to Bangkok as reported in my telegram number 7, January 7, noon.13
Garreau said he had proposed to the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs14 that an agreement be reached to provide that the military forces of each side be removed at sufficient distance from the frontier to prevent fighting pending the resumption of negotiations. He said the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs indicated that the Thai Government wanted the French to agree in principle to their proposal that the right bank of the Mekong River should be the boundary and that he had replied that this could not be accepted by the French although he had indicated that the French might possibly agree to have the subject on the commission’s agenda but not for settlement at this time.
Garreau said he was communicating this idea to his government. He reiterated to me this belief that the Japanese are urging a fight through militant pro-Japanese groups in the Thai army and navy and that the Prime Minister and his advisers of the Foreign Office are unable to stop it. He said the French were now attempting to ascertain in Tokyo the real Japanese designs in regard to the Thai-Indochina dispute after having rejected Japan’s offer to mediate.
[Page 8]Garreau said to me that he thought Manila would be the most suitable place for the meeting of the joint commission if and when agreement to resume negotiations is reached between the two governments.