SIAM’S ARMAMENT.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 58, Issue 188, 23 May 1938, Page 5

SIAM’S ARMAMENT.

POTENTIAL MENACE. CATSPAW OF DICTATORS. LONDON, May 10. ■ Siam may be used as a catspaw by Japan, Germany and Italy and menace peace in the Pacific, according to a French expert. Colonel Fernand Bernard, ex-Presi-dent of the Franco-Siamese Boundary Commission, writing on Siamese Imperialism in the “Asiatic Review,” draws attention to Siam’s denunciation of the Franco-Siamese treaty and her piling up of armaments in the past 10 years. This; lie says, absorbs nearly one-tliird of the Budget. * . While there are only 25,000 troops in the whole of French Indo-Chinp, Siam has 60,000 on an active footing and can mobilise 300,000. She has also a strong air force. The author quotes the War Minister Manghibul, as praising Italy and Japan, especially the Abyssinian conquest, and as asserting that Siam is preparing for some unspecified action. Colonel Bernard relates this to a map published bv the Army Geographical Service which asserts the Siamese claim to the Shan States of Burma, Cambodia, and French Laos territory, comprising large parts of Tonquin and North Annam.

“We cannot hide from ourselves the fact that on the huge Pacific chessboard, Siam might be used as a pawn. Britain, Australia, New Zealand, Holland, the United States and Russia are all directly concerned in the risk of Siam proving to be a starting point in a general conflagration.”