INTERNMENT CAMP

Wairarapa Times-Age, 15 January 1943, Page 4

INTERNMENT CAMP

CONDITIONS IN THAILAND. ADEQUATE FOOD SUPPLIES. Reasonable treatment and adequate food were being given last year to European prisoners in the internment camp established at Bangkok, Thailand, by the Japanese, according to a description prepared by a repatriated internee, Mr F. A. P. Skivington, of Sydney, and forwarded to Dr. H. A. Edmonds, of St. Heliers, whose son, Mr H. A. Edmonds, is one of several New Zealanders detained there. Mr Skivington states that the round-ing-up of British, American, Dutch and other nationals began a few days after the Japanese occupation in December, 1941, and they were guarded not by Japanese, but by Thais. After some time a camp was established in the permanent buildings of the University of Moral and Political Science, near the Royal landing on the Chao Phya River. It was one of the coolest spots in Bangkok and the prisoners generally kept very fit. In January last there were 280 internees and the number was increased from time to time as tin miners and others from outlying districts were brought in. Some of these had been rather roughly handled by the Japanese who arrested them, but the Thai guards to whom they were handed over were uniformly well disposed. Breakfast was a scanty meal of bread and coffee, which some people were able to supplement with bacon and eggs. Lunch consisted of boiled or roast buffalo, sweet potatoes, rice and “musical” beans (runner beans which had been dipped in hot water and squeaked round the teeth). The evening meal was almost the same as lunch, with the addition of good soup. It should not be thought that the diet was inadequate, because, although most people lost a good deal of condition, everyone was able to buy fruit, vegetables, eggs and other foods through a camp shop run with the assistance of a Eurasian woman who did the outside purchasing. Anyone entirely without funds was advanced the equivalent of £2 10s a month.