Kampuchea Bay Federation (6.0)

# Bay Federation

**The Bay Federation** (Thai: สหพันธ์อ่าว Khmer: សហព័ន្ធឈូងសមុទ្រ) is a country in Southeast Asia. It consists of two fully sovereign countries, the **Republic of Siam** and the **Republic of Kampuchea**, both residing around the coast of the Post-Diluvian Kampuchea Bay**.** No country currently shares a border with the Federation, with its closest neighbour, the Monastic State of Laos, separated by the Mekong River Delta.

The Bay Federation was founded after the passing of the Act of Union in 1974 by the Siamese National Assembly. A referendum officiated the Republic of Kampuchea's entry into the Federation, as the Republic had yet to hold its first elections.

The Bay Federation is a federal union. The bicameral Bay Parliament has two houses, the Senate and the Representative Assembly. The Senate is composed of 20 appointees each from the National Assembly of Siam and the National Assembly of Kampuchea. The Representative Assembly is elected via 100 single-seat constituencies and 12 multi-seat constituencies, the borders of which are a constant source of antagonism.

## History

The Great Flood of 1945 completely inundated the population centers of the countries of Kampuchea and Thailand. While more than two-thirds of Kampuchea completely vanished under the waters, Thailand had a large eastern region, Isan, which had recently ballooned in size after the Franco-Thai war left Kampuchea a rump state. This unfortunate inequality would have disastrous consequences for the peoples of Southeast Asia.

### Post-Diluvian Thailand

As the sea rose up into homes and cities and palaces, The Kong Thap Thai (EN: Royal Thai Armed Forces) quickly took charge of the Bangkok evacuation effort. Convoys ran every hour of every day collecting people from soon-to-be-underseas farms and villages and transporting them to squalid tent cities set up farther inland. Logistical constraints meant for the thousands transported via rail and truck, tens of thousands more had to make the trip on foot. The temporary settlements were a truly hellish place: mud streets, open sewage, starvation-level provisions, and rampant crime. Quite a few of them were constructed well below the eventual water line, with this optimism costing many lives.

As Thailand's capital sank below the waves, so did most of Kampuchea altogether. Phnom Penh in its entirety vanished in days while the outermost suburbs of Bangkok went un-submerged for weeks. Most Khmer people went north or south, neglecting the eastern highlands for the most part. A little less than half of Kampuchea's flood-refugees poured into Isan only miles ahead of the flood. Some managed to reach family in the Khmer villages. Others were welcomed to stay out of hospitality. But as more Khmer people arrived, the villages were already fuller than full, and they were forced to move inland.

The Khmer people formed traveling bands or convoys, nomadic communities that protected each other and allowed social bonds to remain after the vast dispossession of the flood. Eventually, these roaming bands found their way to the tent cities, which had continued to dilapidate and overflow. The Kong Thap Thai was already struggling to maintain order and expand housing with demand. When faced with this massive threat to the sparse order they'd carefully cultivated, their response was violent. More bullets were exchanged than words. The Khmer bands soon learned to completely avoid anywhere where the Kong Thap Thai was present. Their nomadic tendency continued.

Within weeks, the Kong Thap Thai soon officialized the policy that most units were already carrying out: Khmer bands were to be shot on sight. (September 1945). Killings increased dramatically. It would be several years before the Kong Thap Thai would realise that, despite their genocidal orders, almost as many Khmer resided in Isan as Tai peoples now. Eventually, most would settle down in the south, after finally being assured that the coast would stay where it was. However, a sizeable amount would remain interspersed throughout the Kong Thap Thai's area of control, living nomadically and becoming despised nuisances. Many came into the ownership of livestock (pigs or water buffalo mostly), usually less-than-legally. Others turned to crime completely, becoming roving bandits and often joining forces with Tai people forced to do the same.

Food stocks ran dry early in 1946. Mass starvation was inevitable. Furthering the disaster, crop failures during the harvest season assured that the famine continued into the next year. The Kong Thap Thai resorted to raids in the stateless Khmer southern region, pillaging and murdering for access to meager granaries. Mass unrest throughout the Kong Thap Thai's area of control led to the near-dissolution of the state-military complex, but it clung to existence. The 1947 harvest was bountiful despite the extinction of mechanized agriculture, and the military managed to turn their situation around. A severe manpower shortage finally brought to an end the genocidal policies of the Kong Thap Thai.

The Republic of Thailand was established in 1950. King Ananda Mahidol was never heard from after the floods began, leaving Prime Minister Plaek Phibunsongkhram in a position to formalize what had already been the de facto power relations during World War II. An assembly was re-established, composed entirely of 89 military appointees.

The Republic of Thailand fell into civil war only a year after its formation. The southern Khmer peoples resisted the reassertion of the Kong Thap Thai's control. Three warlords had already organized the region, and they began to wage war against the Republic. The Kong Thap Thai had long since lost much of its war-fighting ability, and the Khmer warlords made large inroads into the Republic's territory. Eventually, though, the front-lines stabilized, and the conflict became a quagmire. After three years, the conflict became unsustainable, and a renewed Thai offensive drove the warlords to the negotiating table (1954). The warlords were absorbed into the state. The Republic of Thailand became the Republic of Siam. The Assembly became fully elected.

In 1965, the Republic of Siam became aware of the existence of the Kingdom of Kampuchea. The Republic of Siam established a consulate with Kampuchea's position, and a telegraph line was ran across the bay, allowing instantaneous communication. Nominal trade ensued. The Republic of Siam, after surveying the Kingdom of Kampuchea, realised how feeble it had become. They rebuilt their military over the next decade and a half. In 1983, the Bay War began.

### Post-Diluvian Kampuchea

Only a few months after King Sihanouk was pressed into declaring independence from France, the sovereign land of Kampuchea began to disappear under the deluge. The country would never again return to French control, instead being doomed to a reversion of the pre-French status quo. Siamese domination would not come for decades, though.

Evacuation efforts focused on Phnom Penh. The King ordered that all vehicles were to be confiscated, along with gasoline reserves (although this order would go unheeded). Buffalo-drawn carriages were also employed. However, the royal plan fell through quickly. Kampuchea's nascent military was unprepared for national logistical coordination, and there was simply no force present otherwise that would be capable. Worsening the disaster, the incomplete refugee zones were below water almost immediately. The people were on their own.

Relatively few fled east, and those portions of the country would return to a stateless agrarian existence in only a few years. Roughly equivalent portions of the population fled south to the Krâvanh mountains and north to the Khmer-dominated territories ceded to Thailand in the Franco-Thai war. The remnants of the government and royalty of the Kingdom of Kampuchea would disappear from public existence, either joining their family and assimilating into the chaotic national flight or silently establishing mountain strongholds in the hopes of glorious reemergence.

There would be no shelter for the southern-bound refugees. They would be forced to quickly construct temporary housing from natural materials and without tools. Little agriculture occurred in the region before the flood, and the stores civilians brought did not last long. The winter of 1945 coincided with a famine wiping out more than three quarters of flood survivors on the newly-formed Isle of Krâvanh.

King Sihanouk revealed his presence on the Isle in March of 1946. He had made the decision to withhold the meager reserves of food until the population was such that it would be enough to feed the labourers of a harvest season. The Kampuchean remnant government restored to an extent the power dynamics that existed before French arrival. The corvee system was reestablished and the Kingdom auctioned off the rights to assert land ownership over several sections of the island, creating a neo-feudal system.

There was little opposition to royal control of the Isle. The National Assembly was never formally abolished, but the political elite that had brought it into existence was quite literally dead in the water. Only a few families of French administrators were on the isle, and they were in the process of adapting to village life. Within the royal faction, most people believed that now was the time for honest, unyielding cooperation. Something about the enormous loss that the nation had just endured stunned most everyone into a mournful silence. Stirring the pot in the hopes of personal gain would've been a grave sin.

The fortunate harvest seasons and quiet labours of the Kingdom from 1946 to 1951 soured very quickly. The 50s and 60s were mired by crop failures and peasant rebellions. King Sihanouk did his best to hold the kingdom together, but brief periods of anarchy were common. Batak missionaries arrived on the isle in '53 but went mostly unnoticed by the royalty. It wasn't until the 60s that the King did notice this strange religious undercurrent that had begun to dominate several coastal villages. Less than 5% of the country would convert, but they were tolerated due to their pro-government sentiments.

The Kingdom of Kampuchea first encountered the Republic of Siam in 1959. A trading relationship soon developed, with the Kingdom importing large volumes of rice in exchange for the isle's timber. This stabilized the country and allowed its economy to slowly begin specialize. King Sihanouk made multiple visits to the Republic of Siam in the 60s and 70s, and even went as far as the Monastic State of Laos in 1970 (ASK BOW FOR PERMISSION TO SAY THAT).

Unfortunately, King Sihanouk did not realise that the Republic of Siam was not to be trusted. Their imperialistic tendencies would soon prove to be his downfall.

### The Bay War

In June 1973, Siamese National Assembly approved a bill declaring war against the Kingdom of Kampuchea. This declaration was not transmitted to the Kampuchean Royal Court despite the presence of a reserved telegraph line. Gunboats and transport ships on the horizon were the first hint the Kampucheans got, but King Sihanouk was not properly informed in time to organize a national defence. The professional Kong Thap Syam devastated local peasant levies and quickly moved to seize Kampuchea's capital, Pailin. All military forces of the Kingdom were directed to its defence. The siege of Pailin was the only major battle of the Bay War and ended in a decisive Siamese victory. King Sihanouk formally surrendered on August 25th, 1973.

### Formation of the Bay Federation

> "Cambodia is a small country. And we should maintain it as a child. We will be its mother; its father will be Siam. When a child has trouble with its father, it can get rids of suffering by embracing its mother. When the child is unhappy with its mother, it can run to its father for support."
> - Emperor Gia Long
>
>

, president of Siam, met with Sihanouk in Pailin days after the surrender, and asked him to formally abolish the Kingdom of Kampuchea and endorse the creation of a republic. King Sihanouk reluctantly agreed, although he was still utterly confounded by 's motivations. The next few months were a flurry of activity. The Kong Thap Syam formalized its occupation of the Isle of Krâvanh and set to work in "modernization" efforts. In January, the Siamese National Assembly passed the Act of Union, which created a federation between the Republic of Siam and the Republic of Kamuchea, predicated on the approval of the act by a referendum in Kampuchea. A referendum of sorts was in fact carried out, although its veracity has been challenged quite literally ever since.

## Geography

The Isle of Krâvanh is a rugged, mountainous region with an impressive forest cover.

Siam exists mostly on a flat plain. Previously, the region existed with savannah like climate attributes. However, the Sea of Kampuchea has created the conditions for a much more pronounced monsoon season, allowing more water-dependent plants to prosper. The Republic of Siam's coast is in most places a sheer cliff face, making coastal living difficult.

## Politics and Government

Bay politics is dominated by bribery, gerrymandering, abuse of power, and deception. As the laws of the Federation have outwardly become more fair to the Republic of Kampuchea, their control of the government has been maintained via an expansion of extralegal tactics. The Federation deep state is large, and it involves interest groups ranging from far-right terrorists to the military to turncoat Kampuchean politicians.

### Legislative

The Bay Parliament was established by the 1974 Constitution promulgated by the Act of Union. However, its role has changed over time. The Bay Parliament was originally unicameral, solely consisting of what has now become known as the Representative Assembly. This provided complete control to Siam due to its much larger population. However, after a long-fought political battle, the Senate was created, introducing greater equity between the sister republics.

The Senate is almost fully populated by two parties.

The Representative Assembly is more diverse, making coalition-building a requirement for governmental control. Kampuchea's constituencies are all multi-member, allowing for greater diversity in election. The Communist Party prospers, but so does the Kampuchean Republican Party and the United Front. Siam's constituencies are split between The National Party, The Democrat Party, the United Front, and the League.

The military-loving National Party is primarily voted for by Tai conservatives, the big-tent Democrat Party has the support of Khmer peoples and Tai liberals, the United Front is backed by centrist pro-federation businessmen, and the League is comprised of Tai ultra-nationalists.

The National Assembly of Siam is a unicameral legislature. 100 councillors, primarily between the Democrat and National Party. League plays back-up for National and has significant ties, United Front is also important. Only the League Party is particularly anti-federation.

The National Assembly of Kampuchea is a unicameral assembly. 45 councillors PR instead of FPTP, primarily between the Kampuchean Republican Party, the anti-federation Royal Party, others include the Communist Party. Sipelebegu Party maybe? The Royal Party is a reactionary org advocating federal dissolution and the return of the Kampuchean monarchy. Has the support of the monarch's son. Avid anti-communist.

The Democrat Party and the Republican Party are very close in theoretical policy, with only geographic and ethnic differences distinguishing them.

The People's Party schismed very early on in Siam's history, after the military dictatorship took power Pridi led them. Etc.

The Communist Party was led by General Secretary Saloth Sâr until his assassination in 1984.

### Executive

The executives of Siam and Kampuchea have gradually been eroded in favour of a powerful President. Originally, the Bay Federation had no overarching head of state. The two presidents of Kampuchea and Siam were all that was present, but this caused serious problems (Kampuchea was too independent maybe? unruly towards the beginning, needed to be tamed). then came the reform period. bay parliament becomes bicameral, senate comes into existence and senate elects bay president, which was originally sort of weak, but checked the powers of the national presidents well enough.

### Judicial

The judicial branch plays an interesting balancing role throughout the Federation's government. They moderate corruption, progress, and power through their own strive for relevance.

Public executions for a variety of crimes considered "treasonous" were made prominent in the 50s civil war. This legacy still affects the outcome of trials. In times of instability public executions are often the first thing the republics result to.

## Economy

Kampuchea's economy is primarily reliant on imports, with its main export being the massive logging industry. However, the Republic of Siam has maintained an expanding industrial economy for decades.

## Culture

The Republic of Kampuchea's obsession with the submerged Angkor Wat led to a submersible expedition in the early 90s. Several awe-inspiring photographs from that expedition received a wide distribution, and are now present in homes across the federation.