751.92/5–2446: Telegram
The Chargé in Siam (Yost) to the Secretary of State
most immediate
[Received May 25—3:47 p.m.]
546. Foreign Minister called British Minister and myself urgently to Foreign Office this afternoon to report new incident on Indochina frontier. Early this morning between one and two hundred French troops crossed Mekong near Vientiane and occupied Thabor on Siamese side. Siamese resisted and there were undetermined number casualties to both Siamese and French, including dead and wounded among former. Siamese then withdrew leaving town to French. Later report says French appear to be preparing to withdraw to their own territory but have not yet done so. Reports do not indicate whether any Annamites or Laotians involved. Other reports state French planes flying over Nong Kai and Sakol Nakhorn.
Foreign Minister requested that British Minister and I inform our govts and expressed hope renewed representations might be made to French. Siamese Govt [feels] situation increasingly serious but is determined to follow peaceful policy. British Minister and I refered to D’Argenlieu’s assurances that French would take no forceful action except in reprisal for aggression from Siamese side and expressed view that present incident arose from local causes and did not result from orders from Saigon. Thompson quoted remark of Clarac to British Consul General, Saigon, that early rains would prevent any French military action in disputed territories.
Foreign Minister has informed press of latest incident and Siamese public opinion will undoubtedly be further excited. British Minister suggested desirability of presenting facts to world press. Foreign Minister referred to letter to UNO Secretary General62 carried by Konthi63 (mytel 533, May 2164) but said it is not to be presented until receipt of further instructions from him.
While realizing there is doubtless French excuse for present incident with which we are not familiar, we nevertheless recommend prompt representations to Paris and to French authorities Saigon. We do not feel there can be justification for invasion of Siamese territory and are certain continuation of these incidents will render more difficult settlement [Page 1003] of frontier question. Dept may also wish to instruct Saigon to urge Clarac to visit Bangkok (remytel 537, May 22).65
In view of repetition of incidents we feel we should withdraw recommendation that Dept discourage Konthi from presenting letter to UNO. (Mytel 533, May 21.)
- Trygve Lie.↩
- Konthi Suphamongkhon, Representative of the Siamese Minister for Foreign Affairs.↩
- Not printed; it recommended that the Department discourage Konthi Suphamongkhon from presenting to the United Nations the letter from the Siamese Government protesting against recent incidents on the Indochina frontier (751G.92/5–2146).↩
- Not printed.↩