BRITAIN & THAILAND

Wairarapa Times-Age, 19 September 1941, Page 5

BRITAIN & THAILAND

RELATIONS INCREASINGLY FRIENDLY STATEMENT BY SIR ROBERT BROOK E-POPHAM. FINE WAR EFFORT IN DUTCH INDIES. (Bv Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) SINGAPORE. September 18. “Our relations with Thailand are increasingly more friendly, said the British Commander-in-Chief, Far East, Air Chief Marshal Sir Robert Brooke-Popham, in an interview. “The Thais have begun to realise that we are their real friends and are looking to us for help and to some extent for advice. Recently they sent army and air force officers to Malaya, which action I do not think they would have taken three months ago. They are growing more independent, realising that it is too uncomfortable to be too dependent economically and financially on Japan.” Sir Robert paid a tribute to the Netherlands East Indies war effort, which he saw at first, hand last week. “They are determined to resist any attack and are ready to put up a real fight,” he said. “I am satisfied that they will meet with strength any challenge to their independence.” A Batavia report says industrialisation of the Netherlands East Indies has been greatly stimulated as a result of the war and of the economic measures against Japan. It is learned that negotiations are going on with the United States and London concerning the delivery of tools and material.

Samarang, Middle Java's ship-build-ing yard, which starts in 1942, will turn out four 10,000-ton ships yearly. Newly-established spinning mills will soon be operating and will help to replace Japanese textiles. At Sourabaya a factory is now manufacturing matches which will partly replace Japanese matches. JAPANESE GOLD SHIPMENT TO THAILAND. INSIDIOUS TRADE METHODS. NEW YORK. September 17. The “New York Times” special correspondent, Mr F. Tillman, cables from Bangkok that, contrary to expectations, authoritative sources reveal that the fl list shipment of gold valued at 15,000,000 ticals, against which Thailand has agreed to give Japan a credit of 25,000,000 ticals, has left Japan. This is considered to indicate that Thailand has taken a strong line in her economic dealing with Japan. Recently the Japanese have made wholesale purchase in Thailand of minerals, rice, and rubber, taking nearly all the Thai output of rubber and wolfram and one-quarter of the tin production, whereas a year ago Singapore took virtually the total production of these items. The Japanese are paying Thailand from 30 to 100 per cent above the world market prices, apparently for political rather than business reasons. The Japanese, using finances which are apparently inexhaustible, are at present active in southern Thailand attempting to buy tin mines, while in Bangkok real estate is being acquired at sellers’ prices. Foreign observers believe that the Japanese aim to dislocate the Thai economy and strike at Thai morale by methods borrowed from Germany’s book.