In September 1948, a Thai military mission was invited to visit French Indo-China. The mission was headed by General Kacgsonggram, the Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Army, who was also the head of the extremist military party. In an official announcement, the main aims of the missions were (1) to restore friendly relations between the two countries, (2) to co-operate with each other in suppressing robbery and banditry in the frontier areas, and (3) to maintain peace and order on the border of mutual benefit.
The French no doubt hoped that as a result of the visit the Thais would be willing to be more co-operative in curbing the activities of the Vietnamese and other Free Indo-Chinese elements in Thailand
For the Thais, a growing fear of the Chinese Communists during 1948 was an additional motive inducing the Thai Government to send a goodwill mission to Saigon . The Thais feared that the whole of China would go Communist and that Thailand would be threatened with Communists externally as well as the danger from Chinese Communist residents in Thailand
Their intention was therefore to improve relations with French Indo-China which the Thais now regarded as a buffer state in its entirety.
Free Thais’ opinion at home reacted unfavorably to this move and suspected that the Indo-Chinese authorities would try to persuade the Thai Government to adopt a more reactionary policy in dealing with the various “Free” Indo-Chinese elements, which had hitherto been openly unmolested on Thai soil and which enjoyed the private, if not the official sympathy, of the Thai authorities.
Despite this opposition at home the Thai military mission went to Saigon . During their week’s stay in Indo-China, the mission was received by senior French officials including the High Commissioner.
They were conducted on tour of inspections of naval, military and air bases, and were shown various demonstrations, including one by parachute troops. Entertainment was also lavish, and all activities were punctuated liberally “Champagnes Saigon for a week, General Kachsonggram would perhaps become less likely in the future to encourage anti-French feeling.
Military co-operation on the frontier was also discussed with the object of preventing the Indo-Chinese resistance groups from taking refuge across the Thai border when pursued by French troops. There were also talks of a very general nature on possible measures against the Communist menace in South-East Asia .
In fact, the French invited General Kachsonggram to co-operate in suppressing those Vietnamese, Cambodians and Laotians who, if Communist led, were fighting for their independence. The French, in making this request, thought that they could get the same degree of co-operation from the Thais in their fight against the Viet Minh, as Great Britain
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