751G.92/5–946
The Chargé in Siam (Yost) to the Secretary of State
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[Received May 11—10:04 a.m.]
498. Remytel 496, May 8. Siamese Govt requests that following message be transmitted urgently to French Govt.50 Same message also being transmitted by British Minister. Identical message being sent to AmConsul Saigon for d’Argenlieu.
Message follows:
“It was with deep concern that I received reports yesterday to the effect that cannon shots and machine gun first (sic) were fired by the French soldiers at Tha Khek on the town of Nakorn Phanom and Amphur Tha Uthen on the Siamese Bank, causing several deaths injuries and considerable damages to houses and buildings.
Today a further report has reached me to the following effect: On May 8 the Commissaire and French officers at Tha Khek, together with Captain Newman, an English officer, came to Nakorn Phanom and requested action on four points: 1. To deliver the person arrested at Amphur Tha Uthen. 2. To deliver property and firearms [Page 998] held at Tha Uthen. 3. To return 15 boats of Tha Khek. 4. To return 200 guns.
The Siamese authority asked for time to refer to the Ministry of Interior, but he received the reply that the Siamese authority was to reply by 1800 hours today, otherwise an attack would be made.
For the sake of peace and good neighbourly relations between our two countries, I appeal to you to do all you can to stop further military action, so that the matter may be settled by friendly negotiations.
Pridi Phanomyong, President of the Council of Ministers of Siam.”
- The Prime Minister’s message to the French Government was transmitted to Paris in Department’s telegram 2280, May 11, 1 p.m., and notification of this action was sent to Bangkok in telegram 387, May 13, 5 p.m.↩