10Thai Premier’s Verbal Commitment to Japan

Colonel Luang Kharb Kunjara

Thai Premire's agent sent to Singapore

Because of this domestic political pressure, the Thai Premier, who wished to retain power, became determined to deal more closely with Japan.

In exchange for support for Thailand’s irredentist policy in Indo-China, he made a verbal commitment to Japan on October 1, 1940 to the effect that Thailand would no longer pursue a policy of neutrality but would allow its territory to be used by Japan in the latter’s plan to attack Malaya and Burma via Thailand.

To balance this verbal commitment to Japan, the Thai Premier contrived a week later to employ Great Britain as countervailing power.

He sent a secret agent, Colonel Luang Kharb Kunjara, to Singapore to assure the British military authorities that Thailand would resist Japan should she attempt to attack Malaya and Burma via Thailand.