Medicine and Public Health in Chiang Mai during World War Two

Field Marshall Pibulsonggram became Prime Minister of Siam

Siam became Thailand, but not for long

World War II began in Europe. Thailand declared neutrality.

Thailand signed non-aggression pacts with Britain and France

A border dispute with the French began when Thai soldiers advanced into the border area of Battambong and Srisophon along the Cambodian frontier and also into Champasak. Fighting was limited to a small-scale bombing of military installations near the Thai-Indo-Chinese frontier.

Under Japanese mediation, a cease fire was declared to stop the fighting.

The Tokyo Convention, defining the new Thai-Cambodian border, ended hostilities between Thailand and colonial French Indo-China.

Japan started the war of Greater East Asia by an attack on Pearl Harbour on the island of Oaho in Hawaii.

Japan bombed the Philippines and Singapore and landing troops at Kota Bahru in North Malaysia and on the beaches at Prachuap Khiri Khan, Nakhon Si Thammarat and Songkla in the Gulf of Thailand. By sundown on December 8th, a cease-fire was declared between Thailand and Japan after Marshal Pibul’s Government accepted the Japanese demand for free passage through Thailand. The Japanese pledged that they would respect the sovereignty and independence of Thailand. Japanese troops occupied Bangkok.

American missionaries in Bangkok, fearing for their safety, fled to Northern Thailand

Japanese forces invaded Burma from Thailand

Thailand and Japan signed an alliance with a secret protocol wherein Japan agreed to help Thailand get back territories lost to Britain, and Thailand undertook to assist Japan in her war against America and Britain

360 British, Dutch and Americans were put into internment camps in Bangkok

As a result of the alliance made with Japan, Thailand declared war on America and Britain. The Seri Thai movement began in the U.S.A. and underground resistance began in Thailand. Allied bombings of Bangkok commenced.

Allied forces in Singapore surrendered to Japan

Dutch Java surrendered unconditionally to Japan

Rangoon, the capital of Burma, fell to Japan

The first air attack on Chiang Mai was made by the American Volunteer Group, the ‘Flying Tigers’

Japan gained undisputed possession of Burma

The first Allied prisoners of war arrived in Thailand and Burma to begin construction of the Thai-Burmese railway

The Thai-Burmese railway was completed and most Allied P.O.W.’s were moved to Kanchanaburi

The first large-scale bombing of Chiang Mai and Lampang occurred

Japanese Prime Minister Tojo and his cabinet were toppled in Japan

The Thai Prime Minister, Luang Pibulsonggram, was ousted by the Thai National Assembly

The last aerial attacks on Chiang Mai and Lampang occurred

There was a smallpox epidemic in Chiang Mai

Germany surrendered and the war in Europe was over

After the dropping of nuclear bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan surrendered and the war in Greater East Asia was over

Mr. James Byrnes, the American State Secretary, announced that the Thai declaration of war was null and void as Thailand had been forced to make it against their will. Consequently a peace treaty between Thailand and America was not necessary.

The first contingent of British soldiers arrived at Don Muang to round up the remaining Japanese military and release Allied P.O.W.s

Shortages of medicine, clothing and other basic supplies became most acute in Northern Thailand. The black market in vital supplies sent prices soaring. There were simultaneous epidemics of malaria, typhoid, tuberculosis and scabies.

The Thai Government deemed it a necessity to please the Allies, and therefore reverted back to the old name of Siam

The ‘Formal Agreement for the termination of the State of War between Siam and Great Britain and India’ was signed in Singapore. In this agreement, Thailand was to hand back to Britain territories and property that had belonged to Britain before the war, and pay ‘war damages’. Thailand would give one and a half million tons of rice to Britain – free of charge, and pay compensation for properties seized from Britain during the war. However, as the Thai Government did not own rice it could not supply it free to Britain. In a revised agreement of May 1946, Britain agreed to buy rice at £12 a ton. This price increased to £24 a ton by the end of 1946. Even at £24 a ton this price was still below the black market price.

To fully comply with the Formal Agreement, in October 1946 Thailand paid £1.5 million for the part of the Thai-Burmese railway, the ‘Death Railway’, that was within Thailand and in January 1954 paid £5,224,220 to Britain, Australia and India in full settlement of the outstanding Commonwealth war claims.

The first major relief supplies of medicine, food and clothing reached Northern Thailand

Thailand became a member of the United Nations

Marshal Pibul became Prime Minister again

An announcement was made that Thailand would henceforth be the official name of the country