Evening star., 1943-06-17
Thai Minister
Says Nation
Betrayed
People Dislike
Jap Overlords,
Pr0moj Declares
By Frances Lide.

His conviction that the Thailand
governments capitulation to Japan
was the work Of handful of Quis-
lings and in no way represents the
sentiment of the people was stressed
by the Thai Minister in a talk YES
terday before the Soroptimist Club
Of Washington.
Minister Pramoj went back 300
years in his talk to show that the
past relations between Thailand
formerly Siam and Japan have
not been happy. He recalled that
800 japanese were driven out of his
country because they were suspected
of plotting to overthrow the dynasty
three centuries ago.
AS evidence that the tradition of
dlstrust had continued, he pointed
out that when he was a boy, Thai
children were not permitted to eat
tidbits offered by Japanese hawkers.
My mother told me Japanese food
was poison" he said.
Even those few in Thailand who
personally admired the japanese
have seen enough of them recently
to change their minds, the Minister
continued.
Quoting mainly from reports
brought back by Americans, the
Minister cited several instances to
show that even though organized
resistance came to an end with the
capltulation of the government, the
people of Thailand have little wish
TO collaborate with the Japanese.
For instance, he said, the cultural
agreement between Japan and Thai
land, signed in December, 1912, has
been celebrated in Japan on numer-
Gus occasions, but has gone almost
unnoticed in his own country.
Questions asked in the Thai Ma
tional Assembly since the premier
capltulated show unmistakable signs
OF antagonism, the speaker con-
tinued.
AS a matter of fact, he declared,
when the premier surrendered to
the japanese he acted in violation
OF a law passed by the assembly
which called for resistance against
any invaders.
The Minister also held that the
declaration of war against the
United States and Great Britain
was not constitutional. And there
is no doubt in my mind" he as
serted, that it was against the
wishes of the people"
In this connection Mr.. Pramoi
quoted the former British Minister
to Bangkok, reading from a fore
word to a book written by a Thai
national and published recently,
The British Minister was quoted as
saying that he shared in the au-
thor's conviction that the Thai
people did not indorse the decla-
ration of war made by their gov
ernment against Great Britain and
the United States.
Minister Pramoj also speculated
ABOUT a report broadcast in Feb
ruary from Bangkok that the pre-
mler and his cabinet had resigned
POINTING out that the report had
never officially been confirmed. he
added: MY deduction is that the
news leaked out without KNOWLEDGE
or the japanese and has been
hushed up since because of the un-
favorable reaction it would have"
Speaking in fluent English, the
Minister prefaced his talk with a
brief description of his country. so
many people only know it as a
country where cats and twins come
from" he said with a smile.
About the size of Texas and with
population of 100000, Thailand
was until its capitulation to japan
the only independent country in
Southeast Asia, he pointed out.
Mrs. Isabel Peterson, who was in
charge Of the program, turned over
the introduction of the speaker to
John L. Waters, husband of one of
the club members. Miss Mildred
Clum, the president, opened the
meeting.