COUP D’ETAT PLAN

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20442, 31 December 1940, Page 5

COUP D’ETAT PLAN

JAPANESE PLOTTING THAILAND TERRITORY GUNS AND PLANES SENT FRENCH-SIAMESE WAR (Reed. Dec. 31, noon.) LONDON, Dec. 30. A message from Bangkok says that large-scale hostilities have flared up on the Indo-China frontier. The Thai High Command declared that the French force retreated after two clashes, leaving arms and ammunition. A Tokio message states that bitter fighting between Thailand and IndoChina border troops is continuing along the entire frontier. Authoritative circles in Hanoi allege that a Japanese plan has been disclosed for a coup d’etat in Thailand coincidental with increased Japanese pressure for bases in. southern IndoChina.

Four Japanese en route to Bangkok on a goodwill mission had been instructed to organise a coup d’etat through, the Thai Army, which received 33 bombers and 25 pursuit planes from Japan early in December. The Bangkok Maru is reported to be en route to Bangkok with 950 tons of munitions and guns. Another ship is sailing from Japan shortly carrying tanks. Japanese “tourists” to southern Indo-China are increasing and are rapidly seeking to penetrate the French military zones of Cambodia and Laos.