Thailand 1800

[Pierrot]

It's difficult to understand what's going on at the Cambodian border if you don't know what happen in S E Asia during the last 200 years. Unfortunately I'm no historian so I will just start the thread and let more knowledgeable people fill in the blanks.

In 1800 Siam was a very large kingdom. Then arrived the French in Indochine (Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia) and the British (Burma, Malay Peninsula). They agreed between themselves to keep Thailand as a buffer zone but grabbed large size of the country. If I remember well Thailand then lost more than one third of its territory. For example Angkor Wat and Penang were both part of the Kingdom of Siam before being annexed respectively by the French and the British. When the French left, they failed to clarify some points regarding the Thai/Cambodian border, hence the problems we have today.

An other consequence was the attitude of Thailand during the WWII. The allies asked for the Kingdom help, who then ask for the return of the stolen territories. When the allies refused, Thailand then decided not to take side (as far as I remember, they're never been allied with the Japanese, just neutral).

That's about all I remember from my school years, time to leave the real knowledgeable people correct my mistakes.

[Scott]

But before that time, the Khmer had a huge chunk of Thailand.

Rama V traded one part for another--one of the areas that was traded is now the disputed Preah Vihear temple.

[Pierrot]

But before that time, the Khmer had a huge chunk of Thailand.

But very, very long time ago.

Later deal were made with the French

[Groongthep]

An other consequence was the attitude of Thailand during the WWII. The allies asked for the Kingdom help, who then ask for the return of the stolen territories. When the allies refused, Thailand then decided not to take side (as far as I remember, they're never been allied with the Japanese, just neutral.

On December 21, 1941 the Thai government under prime minister Plaek Phibunsonkhram entered into a formal military alliance with Japan allowing them to launch attacks on Burma and Maylaysia ( then Malaya). On January 25, 1942 the Phibun government formally declared war on both Great Britain and the United States.

[technocracy]

Erm 100 years previous to your start point Thailand claimed a large portion of what was then Lan Xang aka Laos and is now known as Isan . . . the background of the majority of people living there is Laos.

What the French did was tell Thailand to keep its hands off anything East of the Mekong and formulated the Mekong as the border between the two countries. I believe at this point they had already over run Vieng Chan and beyond (stealing the Emerald Buddha whilst there).

Also around the time of claiming a large part of Laos at that time weren't that busy annexing Pattani as there own?

Edited July 19, 2008 by technocracy

[Pierrot]

An other consequence was the attitude of Thailand during the WWII. The allies asked for the Kingdom help, who then ask for the return of the stolen territories. When the allies refused, Thailand then decided not to take side (as far as I remember, they're never been allied with the Japanese, just neutral.

On December 21, 1941 the Thai government under prime minister Plaek Phibunsonkhram entered into a formal military alliance with Japan allowing them to launch attacks on Burma and Maylaysia ( then Malaya). On January 25, 1942 the Phibun government formally declared war on both Great Britain and the United States.

I never pretended to be an expert, so please, people with more accurate information, come forward.

[Pierrot]

On December 21, 1941 the Thai government under prime minister Plaek Phibunsonkhram entered into a formal military alliance with Japan allowing them to launch attacks on Burma and Maylaysia ( then Malaya). On January 25, 1942 the Phibun government formally declared war on both Great Britain and the United States.

Actually, this thread was partially an answer to a post in an other thread

QUOTE (Edonista @ 2008-07-19 10:22:02) I find it really hard to think of Thailand as a freedom champion. In WW2 Thais just bowed to the Japanese and joined them,later when the Allies won they just pretended that never happened (the Kingdom had been rewarded by the Japanese with various provinces from Cambodia, Burma and Malaysia).

Who can reply that ?

Edited July 19, 2008 by Pierrot