THE PAN-THAI MOVEMENT

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP78-02771R000300340001-8
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 11
• Document Creation Date: November 11, 2016
• Document Release Date: July 29, 1998
• Sequence Number: 1
• Publication Date: August 1, 1953
• Content Type: REPORT

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Several items from recent Thai publications give the following
versions of the situation created by establishment of the new state in
Yunnan.
From the Weekly Press Summary of the Thai Press 22-28 February
1953:
"A New Thai State, " editorial
CPYRGHT
February 26
Sayamrat Weekly (Neutral)
From the New China News Agency comes the news
that a Thai Autonomous State has been created in Yunnan,
Southern China. There are forty-seven nationalities in
this new state, but the largest national group is the Thais,
who number about two hundred thousand. For this reason
the new state is called a Thai state to conform with the
racial name of the majority of the population. The Capital
City of the new state is the town of Cheli, and the first
prime minister of this state is a person name that is Thai
as Plack Phibunsongkram.
The main policy of the government of this state is
to get rid of American and Chinese Nationalist influences
within the state's own territories. The policy is both
natural and logical, since the policy of a newly created
red government must naturally be identical with that of
its red creator, and an "autonomous" state which is only
a small part of the Communist Empire cannot but reflect
the will of the dictator party. The creation of a new state
is in fact mere routine work behind the iron or bamboo
curtain. It can have no significance other than propaganda.
To give significance to Mao's new plaything is tanta-
mount to giving importance where importance is not due.
The word Thai is after all a racial name, and the Thai
people in Yunnan or elsewhere have as much right to it
as we have. Our racial pride should make us glad that
a new' Thai state has come into being, if only we could
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force ourselves to give credence to the word "autonomous"
which is laconically attached to the state name. For us
to be otherwise agitated by the birth of this new state is
to admit our own defeat by the communist propaganda wea-
pon, As China is a country that comprises many racial
groups, scattered over her vast regions, we may expect
in the future many more formation of new states under
different racial names. The time for us to be really
excited would be when Red China creates a new autonomous
state called America.
It is at a time like this that we look back upon the
name "Siam" with a sense of nostalgia. For this is indeed
a name that the communists cannot tamper with. The change,
however, has already been made, and the name of Thailand
has at last endeared itself to us through the process of con-
stant contact and acquired taste. We sincerely hope that
the government of Thailand will not follow the precedent of
changing the name of the "Peace Villa, " to avoid the repug-
nant Communist Peace Movement, and change the name of
the country back again to Siam. For that would indeed be
another mark added to the communist score board in this
deep-freeze war between opposite ideologies.
"Column for Reflection, " by "Thoert Tham"
CPYRGHT
February 28 Khao Phap Rai Wan
(police controlled)
We should be interested in the news reports of the
establishment of the "Free Thai State" in Yunnan, China.
We should study this move carefully. The establishment
of the Free Thai State has features along the lines of the
Soviet administration. China today has an administrative
regime along the same lines as the Soviet pattern and is
one of the patterns of the federation states. The adminis-
trative regime of many countries, such as the United
States and Switzerland, is like the pattern of the federated
states, but the Soviet Federation differs from the federa-
tion of the United States and Switzerland. Besides "federal
republics, " there are also "autonomous republics. "
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"autonomous regions" and "national territories. " All
these autonomous republics, regions and territories are
represented in the Soviet Government in the same way
that federal governments are represented in the national
or central government.
Hence, the establishment of this Free Thai State
may mean the establishment of the "Autonomous Repub-
lic of the Thai Nationality" in Yunnan. The administration
of this autonomous Thai republic must be under the con-
trol of the federal republic as well as the republic of the
Chinese people,
In "Today's Column" -- "White Thai, Red Thai," by "X-ray"
CPYRGHT
February 28 Kiattisak (nationalist)
On the establishment of the Free Thai State and
the formation of the Government of Chao Khun Sin, who
is Prime Minister, Field Marshal Phibun Songkram fore-
casted that political refugees from Thailand may join the
administration of this country. The Field Marshal's fore-
cast would be the same as the general forecast.. This is
very important for us to predict that when political refugees
from Thailand cooperate with the Free Thai Government,
the policy of the Free Thai Government can be antagonistic
also to the Government of Thailand, especially when this
state and this government are established and supported
by Mao Tze Tung. The Field Marshal stated that he has
referred this matter to the National Defense Council for
study and that steps must be taken to prepare for the ag-
gression of the Free Thai.
The Field Marshal further stated that this move
affects Thailand because our Constitution provides for
only one country. This causes the Field Marshal much
anxiety over whether future political developments would
take- the path of North Indochina and South Indochina; North
Burma and South Burma; North India and South India or not
depend on the role of the Government of Chao Khun Sin.
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One thing which cannot be avoided is that the world,
may, instead of calling us simply "Thai, " may call us
"White Thai" and "Red Thai" as China is called "Red China"
and "White China" or in the case of Korea, the Red and
White Koreas. (Summary)
"The Free Thai Government, " editorial
CPYRGHT
February 28 Nangsu Phim Chao
(police controlled)
There are news reports that a Free Thai Government
has been established in Sipsong Chuthai or in the province
which is under the sovereignty of China and under the sup-
port of Communist China. It can be considered the comedy
of the Communists because the country which has sovereignty
(Red China) over the minority group has established this
minority group into an independent country to create political
unrest in foreign countries. This move cannot but be called
an aggressive measure because it is not known that the
minority group (Free Thai) has resorted to arms to drive
the Chinese away in order to establish itself as an independent
state. If the Constitution of Red China provides for the minority
group to be an independent state, then the free state ought to
thank Red China and this measure would have no bearing on
Thailand.
Geographically the establishment of this Free Thai
State may be a disadvantage to Thailand because the boun-
daries are not adjoining one another. But if the Free Thai
State installed by the Reds want to join Thailand, then prior
consent must be sought through the National Assembly accord-
ing to the Constitution. According to the present Constitution
Thailand is one and indivisible. The present Thailand which
is recognized by international law is a genuine Thailand. No
one (by whatever means) can separate the administration of
Thailand into two or three states, and no country can divide
Thailand into two or three states. If such a step is taken,
whether by an individual or country, it means that the per-
son or country responsible must be definitely suppressed.
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Suppose the mentioned fake Thai state turns a com-
munist satellite and is given arms support by the commu-
nists to aggress against the Kingdom of Thailand, then a
foreign army is aggressing against the sovereignty of Thai-
land, and every Thai citizen should fight to suppress this
attack.
It is more of a joke if it is referred to as a govern-
ment without a country, because persons who organized
this fake government were not driven from Thailand when
they legally assumed power, but were driven out because
they were defeated by the force of a coup d'etat. The con-
dition of this government is not the same as the governments
without a country during World War II established in England
because their countries were at war with the enemy and they
had to retreat. Hence, the Free State in Red China has no
meaning to Thailand. (Condensed)
From the Weekly Press Summary of the Thai Press' 1-7 March 1953:
"Another Thailand for Choice, " by Kukrit Pramote
CPYRGHT
Sayamrat (neutral)
There is a rather exciting piece of news at the moment,
and because of it, if you should ask a strange question: 'Are
there two Thailands ? - the correct answer you would get
is "Right. "
For there-is this Thailand that we know as our coun-
try and there is the Thai Autonomous State just created in
Yunnan by the Chinese Government at Peking. Exciting, isn't
it? But let's not jump to conclusions and interpret the occur-
rence as something to our disadvantage. From the available
information concerning this new Thai land, I gather that it is
not unlike the situation in Chiengrai where, according to a
book written by an MP, the Thai live among scores of other
peoples. The same goes for China, but among those "other
peoples" in China, it seems the Thai, evidently descendants
of those who did not join our own forbears in their flight
from Chu Kad Ling, are the largest group.
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To set up a new state, calling it "autonomous" while
granting it no real freedom, is a most common form of
government practiced by the Soviet Union. The Peking
government, for all we know, is trying their best to sovi-
etize their country according to the Russian pattern. There
are many "autonomous" states in Russia, named after the
peoples who live there, theoretically free to choose their
own ways of life, but actually are under complete control
of the Kremlin or of Stalin himself. That Mao T se Tung
has established a new state within China can hardly be called
a surprising move.
Actually, the Thai State is the second one to emerge
behind the Bamboo Curtain, the first being Tibet. Mao
Tse Tung's reason for naming the state after us probably
lies in his desire to please the Thai people in south China,
rather than to plan an aggression against this "State of
Strange Autonomy" which is our home. The Thai people,
in whichever country they happen to find themselves, usually
have a way of holding on to the name Thai as something
greater than any doctrine. China has been trying for many
centuries to transform the Thai people into good Chinamen,
sometimes by persuasion, but the stubborn Thai have managed
to remain themselves and even continue to speak the language,
which can be easily understood by their brothers in this penin-
sula. To this day, they still call the Chinese their "guest"
who has come for a visit only to stay for good; they never
regard the Chinese as the owner of the land. Continental
China is not the only place where the Thai people may be
found. On the Island of Hainan, homes belonging to the Thai
occupy the middle part of the island, while the Hainan Chinese
live near the shore. We Thai in This Thailand are always im-
pressed by the fact that the Hainan Chinese can say "dee"
and not turning (it) into "lee" like other Chinese, and like
to think that the Thai in Hainan has had something to do with
this linguistic achievement, however minor it is.
Take for another example the case of the Thai people
living in Indochina. There is a region to the north of Hanoi,
a real "Muang Thai" it is, for the lot of Thai people living
there have made it so. Now, take Ho Chi Minh, no matter
what you say, the fact remains that he has won the respect
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of a large number of the Annamites. But one of the peoples
in Indochina who refuse to cooperate with him is the Thai.
In fact, they are quite actively helping the French fight
him and his Viet-Minh troops. This does not mean they
like being a French colony, but they do it because they do
not wish to be ruled by the Annamites. The Peking govern-
ment in Yunnan may have occasion to find this Thai trait
a serious stumbling block to their plans. An average Thai
anywhere will believe it when told he is "free" or "demo-
cratic, " but try to tell him he is a "communist" and yourll
run into trouble. He'll deny it with all his might, even
taking pains to have his denial recorded and broadcast.
The premier of this new free Thai State is Chao
Khun Sin, a true Thai name, as true as any around here
which have not been influenced by India. But let me hasten
to warn the readers not to let this name mislead them into
thinking that someone here in our midst has made good his
escape and joined the communists in establishing the new
government. Such a belief would be entirely unfounded and
would unnecessarily cause hard feelings among several
quarters. It is very logical that there should be leaders
with Thai names in a Thai community. Such names as Chao
Khun Sin, Chao Khun Keo, Chao Wanna and a host of others
are quite common not only in north Thailand, and north
Burma, but also in China itself. And if the premier's name
is Chao Khun Sin, we could guess what the names of the cabi-
net members would sound. like. The Minister of Finance,
for instance, might be someone named Chao Kampan, the
Minister of Education, Tao San Pom, the Minister of Economic
Affairs, Nan Bunkerd, and so forth. Such names as Boripan,
Phromyothi, or Worakan Bancha, probably would not appear
at all, being definitely Indian in origin and used widely only
by the Thai in this country. Should Chao Kbun Sin himself
ever come to take up residence here, he might after a cer-
tain period change his name to "Thanarat" or something
along the same line, But I don't think we have to worry
about that at the moment, or to fear that some Thai from
here has gone there to help in the making of the new state.
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Come to think of it, you cannot help feeling comfor-
table over the idea of having another state for the Thai
people. For there are some around here who subscribe to
the communist doctrine, some who do not like America,
some who do not like the present government, and even
some who do not like the Prime Minister Field Marshal
Phibun Songkram. Now these people should feel a sense
of relief, and exhilaration too, that there is a new Thailand
more "progressive" than the old, to which they could go if
they choose, There, one could freely become a communist
and nothing else. There the government has announced its
determination to get rid of every American influence. There
one finds an entirely new government headed by Chao Khun
Sin and not Field Marshal Plaek. As for those not quite so
"progressive,'' or those who like their steps forward and
backward in the manner of doing a samba, or still those who
do not dislike anyone and are loyal fans of the Field Marshal's
like this writer, they will very likely choose to remain here
and consider themselves lucky not to have to dodge bullets
whose source and destination would be unknown to them.
And as a Thai people, we should also be glad to know
that China has thought it necessary to create a state for the
Thai within its own boundaries. Such an action is a testi-
mony to the hardiness of the Thai race, an assurance that
no one may swallow with ease. We should (offer) our con-
gratulations and our best wishes to those Thai in that other
land, and be proud of them too, for although "autonomy"
and "freedom" are now but words for them; who can tell
whether one day they might not become truly autonomous
and free. When that day comes, let us be ready to welcome
them with both arms, for they will be Thai as we are Thai.
Political doctrines may be changed - democracy today,
communism tomorrow, and vice versa, but to be Thai is
to remain Thai, as the forefathers of Chao Khun Sin and
Field Marshal Plaek have been for six thousand years, and
as their children will be for all the years to come. It can't
be changed easily like a coat or a doctrine.
With this thought in mind, I wish there would be
more of these Thai Autonomous States - in Hainan, Indo-
china, north Burma, Assam and wherever there are Thai
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people living and working with the Thai spirit. Then per-
haps peace will come to this part of the world, for Thai
would not fight Thai, and perhaps in this Thailand, too,
there will be less struggling and killing for the sake of
power, for then the quota of premiership and other high
positions will be so enlarged as to satisfy more yearning
souls.
The articles demonstrate that the idea of a Greater Thailand is
not completely dead. Though this idea may exist at the present time
in the minds of some Thais, it seems unlikely that they will do anything
about it unless world conditions change sufficiently to warrant another
attempt. Even then, some outside stimulus, such as the Japanese pro-
vided in 1940, would probably be necessary.
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