Thailand: casualty

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32775, 27 November 1971, Page 5

Thailand: casualty

(By i

DAVID BARBER.

N.Z.P.A. staff correspondent.)

BANGKOK, Nov. 26. With little or no effort on its own behalf, China has claimed its first Asian victim since the diplomatic thaw, resulting in Peking’s admission to the United Nations, thrust it on to the world scene.

The casualty is Parliamentary democracy in Thailand, a fledgling of less than three years old, summarily smothered recently when the Armed Forces seized absolute power. The first answer to the question “What effect will Chinese membership of the United Nations have on its Asian neighbours?” came when Parliament, the Cabinet and the Constitution were scrapped and martial law declared. While there were a number of internal reasons behind the coup, which has plunged Thailand back into the direct-military-rule days of 1958 to 1968, it has become clear that China’s emergence into the outside world was one of the major factors.

CHINESE THREAT The military, lead by a former Prime Minister, FieldMarshal Thanom Kittikachom, took over, citing the changing international climate since Peking’s entry into the United Nations, as well as internal unrest, as a threat to the survival and independence of the country. The staunchly anti-Com-munist soldiers saw moves towards a rapproachement with Peking—led by the Foreign Minister (Mr Thanat Khoman) as a sign of weakness they could not afford with a continuing Communist insurgent threat throughout the country. They were particularly alarmed at the effect on the nation’s three million ethnic Chinese—nearly 10 per cent

of the population. “We are not sure which political doctrine they prefer,” Field Marshal Kittikachom has said. “If many of them are attracted to communism there would be plenty of trouble for the country, because the Communists have infiltrated and subverted every region.” Expressing concern over the Chinese Thais is like “swinging a bare foot in search of splinters,” one leading politician told me. “NO NEUTRALITY”

But the fact remains that Thailand’s military leaders—constantly prodded by up - and - coming uniformed “Young Turks” in this nation of generals and admirals—are as unwilling to flirt with a Communist China as they were prepared to put up with the politicians they saw hindering their chosen role.

The attitude towards china of Thailand, long seen by adherents of the domino theory as the next piece to fail to Communist pressure, might be vitally important to Asia.

Mr Thanat Khoman saw hope in China’s acceptance of a role in world affairs. His view, and his apparent sympathy with Malaysia’s proposal for a neutral SouthEast Asia guaranteed by the Major Powers. including China, was obviously partly responsible for last week’s coup.

But most observers agree

that Thailand’s new military junta will have to come to terms with China’s existence. Meanwhile, Peking, having reasserted its belief that revolution is the motto of the age, must be quietly gloating over the collapse of Westernstyle democracy in one of Asia’s most vociferously anti-Communist nations.