Office of the Historian

751G.00/7–653

Memorandum of Conversation, by the Officer in Charge of Thai and Malayan Affairs (Landon)1

confidential
[Washington,] July 6, 1953.

Subject:

  • Thai Government’s Views regarding Indochina.

Participants:

  • The Secretary of State
  • His Excellency, Pote Sarasin, Ambassador of Thailand
  • Mr. David P. Wainhouse—UNP
  • Mr. Kenneth P. Landon—PSA

The Thai Ambassador called on the Secretary and expressed the appreciation of the Thai Government for the opportunity to express its views on the question of Indochina which will be one of the topics for discussion at the forthcoming Ministers’ conference. He said that the Thai Government is anxious to see the three Associated States enjoy real and full independence at the earliest possible moment; that the immediate withdrawal of the French, however, would be unsatisfactory in view of inadequate regional arrangements or of a pact for collective security inasmuch as the three Associated States are not in a position to defend themselves; that although the United States Government is no doubt studying the question of regional collective security in southeast Asia it will be some time before a regional pact or arrangement can be achieved; that, therefore, the Thai Government makes the following practical suggestions for immediate action:

a.
That more troops of the Associated States be trained;
b.
That the United States give direct military and economic assistance to the three Associated States in addition to the aid and assistance given to the French;
c.
That the fullest possible measure of autonomy should now be granted to the three Associated States.

The Thai Ambassador adverted to the possible Thai case of threat to international peace before the United Nations Security Council and said that his Government believed that there are other urgent international questions of critical importance to be considered at the present time and that, therefore, the submission of this case should be deferred to a more favorable moment.

The Secretary expressed his appreciation for the Thai Government’s views regarding Indochina and assured the Ambassador that after the Ministers’ conference was held he would invite him to call in order to give him the substance of the discussion. In regard to the possible Thai case before the Security Council he remarked that doubtless what the Thai Government had in mind was to defer the matter not to a more favorable moment but to a more unfavorable moment, implying an occasion of renewed threat. The Thai Ambassador laughingly agreed.2 The Secretary then asked the Ambassador if his Government felt concerned about the Indochina situation and the Ambassador explained that his Government was, indeed, deeply concerned about the situation on its eastern borders.

[Here follows a brief account of discussion regarding the possible appointment of General William A. Donovan as United States Ambassador to Thailand.]

  1. This meeting was summarized in telegram 61 to Bangkok, July 9 (repeated to Saigon, Paris, and New York). (751G.00/7–953)↩
  2. Secretary Dulles discussed the subject with French Ambassador Bonnet on July 15. The Secretary’s memorandum of that conversation read in part as follows: “We had rather a stormy but altogether friendly talk, in which I again expressed my total inability to comprehend why the French so violently opposed Thailand’s having recourse to the protective machinery which was provided for it by the UN.” (751J.00/7–1553)↩