More Men for Singapore

Manawatu Times, Volume 66, Issue 186, 7 August 1941, Page 7

More Men for Singapore

LONDON, Aug. 5. Large reinforcements of British and Indian troops, B.A.F. personnel, naval ratings, marines, and engine-room artificers have arrived at Singapore from a British port via Bombay, where Indians, largely gunners, were picked up, says an agency message. The Maharajah of Patiala also was aboard on a tour of Indian troops at Malayan stations. Thai (Siamese) officials do not deny

that Japan is bringing pressure to bear for the granting of certain demands, savs the Bangkok correspondent of the Associated Press. The general impression is that Thailand is facing a momentous decision in her relations with Japan, Britain and the United States. It was officially announced in Bangkok to-day that tank headquarters for Thailand’s eastern armed forces had been established at Battambang, which is in the Cambodia area recently ceded hr Indo China and only 35 miles from Siemreap, at which Japanese forces were established yesterday. Contingents of Thai mechanised troops have already been dispatched to Battambang* j The correspondent reports that bauk- | ing circles in Bangkok have confirmed 'the previous Tokio announcement that three Thai banks have granted Tokio a credit of ten million bahts to finance Japanese trade with Thailand. The three banks are being assisted by Go>ernment funds. It was explained that the Thailand-Japan esc trade balance in recent months greatly favoured Thailand, which had been selling large quantities of rice, tin and rubber to Japan. A dispatch broadcast from Bangkok by the semiofficial Japanese Domei >iews Agency to-day said that Thailand had granted'diplomatic recognition to Manchukuo, to become effective on August 1. The Japanese Foreign Office made a similar announcement last Friday, but British sources denied that <t was true. However, the Domei Agency again announced it ‘to-dav. The publication of a telegram from the Prime Minister of Thailand, Pilml Ponggram. to the Premier of Mnnchil kuo officially confirms Thailand’s ie cognition of Manchukuo.