3 - Chamkat and the Allies

Summary

In Bangkok, Regent Pridi Phanomyong, Premier Phibun's chief political rival, had also taken note of the early 1943 shift of momentum in the war. This encouraged him to attempt to make contact with the Allies and develop a plan to escape from the country to organize a Thai government-in-exile. Pridi's initiative further intensified the internal political divisions and personal rivalries within the Free Thai movement and sparked a scramble for position by the Allied intelligence agencies.

Over a year earlier, on 8 December 1942, immediately after the Japanese army had arrived, Pridi had discussed the potential for resistance with some of his followers who had congregated at his residence. They discussed forming a secret organization to oppose the Japanese and to inform the Allies of the true sentiments of the Thai people. They considered retreating to northern Thailand in order to create an anti-Japanese base area.

After the meeting broke up at 11 p.m., Luang Kat Songkhram, father of OSS Free Thai officer Karun Kengradomying, appeared at Pridi's house. Pridi and Kat discussed the possibility of leaving Bangkok to rally Thai troops in the North. Kat offered to go to Nakhon Sawan by boat to investigate the possibility of seizing the northern railway line, but the Japanese moved too quickly to make this feasible. Pridi decided to lie low for the time being.