The Anglo-Thai Non-Aggression Pact was concluded in

Bangkok Bangkok, officially known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon and colloquially as Krung Thep, is the capital and most populous city of Thailand. The city occupies in the Chao Phraya River delta in central Thailand and has an estimated populati ...

on 12 June 1940 between the governments of the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the European mainland, continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...

and the

Kingdom of Thailand Thailand ( ), historically known as Siam () and officially the Kingdom of Thailand, is a country in Southeast Asia, located at the centre of the Indochinese Peninsula, spanning , with a population of almost 70 million. The country is bo ...

. It was concluded as part of the British policy, which was to refrain from resisting by force the actions of the Japanese Empire in

East Asia East Asia is the eastern region of Asia, which is defined in both Geography, geographical and culture, ethno-cultural terms. The modern State (polity), states of East Asia include China, Japan, Mongolia, North Korea, South Korea, and Taiwan. ...

, as Thailand was about to become Japan's ally. Ratifications were exchanged in

on 31 August 1940, and the pact became effective on the same day. It was designated to remain in force for five years, unless it was extended. The pact was registered in ''League of Nations Treaty Series'' on 6 June 1941. In spite of the pact, Thailand declared war on the United Kingdom on 25 January 1942.

Background

Following the Japanese invasion of China in 1937, British policy in East Asia was in a state of confusion. The British government opposed Japanese expansionist policies, but at this point was not in a position to take up arms against the Japanese actions, especially following the Tientsin Incident. As a result, it developed a policy of not recognizing legally the changes made by Japanese actions, but at the same time refraining from antagonizing the Japanese government by actual resistance. This policy became evident in the so-called Craigie-Arita formula of July 1939, by which the British government refrained from open opposition to Japanese military actions in China. This situation continued following the outbreak of the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposi ...

in Europe in September 1939. On 18 July 1940 the British government accepted the Japanese demands for closing the

Burma Road The Burma Road () was a road linking Burma (now known as Myanmar) with southwest China. Its terminals were Kunming, Yunnan, and Lashio, Burma. It was built while Burma was a British colony to convey supplies to China during the Second Sino ...

for three months to prevent war supplies to China.Churchill's announcement in Parliament about agreement to close the Burma Road
/ref> In addition, the government of Thailand was now becoming aligned with the Japanese Empire. During the battle of France (May–June 1940), the British government became extremely cautious in this policy, and concluded that pact with Bangkok so as not to antagonize Tokyo.

Terms

Article 1 stipulated the British and Thai governments would not resort to war against each other. Article 2 provided for the termination of the pact if the British or the Thai governments committed an act of aggression against a third party. Article 3 annulled any previous obligation by the British or the Thai governments to assist a third party in a war against another. Article 4 stipulated that nothing in the pact annulled legal obligations that arose from the

Covenant of the League of Nations The Covenant of the League of Nations was the charter of the League of Nations. It was signed on 28 June 1919 as Part I of the Treaty of Versailles, and became effective together with the rest of the Treaty on 10 January 1920. Creation Early d ...

. Article 5 had the two governments undertake not to disrupt each other's control over its territories. Article 6 provided for the ratification of the pact.

References

External links

Text of the non-aggression pact

Announcement in the British Parliament about the conclusion of the treaty
{{DEFAULTSORT:British-Thai Non-Aggression Pact Treaties concluded in 1940 Bilateral treaties of the United Kingdom Treaties of Thailand 1940 in Thailand World War II treaties Thailand–United Kingdom relations Non-aggression pacts

Background

Terms

See also

References

External links