The Journal of the Siam Society Vol. LXIV, Part 1-2, 1976 - Khamkoo

KING PRAJADHIPOK AND THE APPLE CART 29
In mid-October, the Siamese Consul in London, R.D. Craig, told
Orde that the King had telegraphed his abdication to the Regent. 'The
King wishes to remain in England, and to live an entirely quiet life here.
He is anxious to ~now whether he would be allowed to live here. I told
Mr. Craig that I could not imagine there would be any difficulty.' 'It is
a pity we spent so much time and money on this poor little man', the
Foreign Secretary, Sir John Simon, cruelly commented. 'Will there be
any political reactions?' Orde thought that there might be an interregnum,
since the King bad no son. Possibly 'republican and quasicommunist
elements' would 'get the upper band.. . . This would be
unfortunate and not free from repercussions on foreign policy, since the
radical elements in the Siamese Government are critical of the employment
of foreign advisers, anxious to try risky experiments with Siamese
currency (against which the present British Financial Adviser has stood
firm), and [may] possibly yield to the blandishments of Japan, who has
recently been paying particular attention to Siam and encouraging the
thought of herself as a protector of an Asiatic people against European
exploiters.• But this was 'perhaps the most remote possibility'. Harrison
thought the army would prevent the· proclamation of a republic; but
Randall suggested that 'the coming into power of Left politicians (with
pro-Japanese sympathies)' was 'not to be entirely discounted'. 92
Crosby then telegraphed that tbe abdication was not definite.
The Siamese Minister in Paris was being sent to interview the King, and
later the government would probably send over an emissary to England
who would 'endeavour to dissuade His Majesty from abdicating'.9 3
Already the King's secretary bad told Special Branch officers that there
might be 'reprisals' if the King refused to return to Siam. The proposed
emissaries were said to be Luang Pradit and Luang Tbamrong Nawaswasdi.
The secretary said that the King did not wish to see them, and
indeed was in some apprehension of them. The recent assassination of
King Alexander in Marseilles came to mind, and the Home Office asked
if the emissaries should be allowed to land in England. Harrison thought
Luang Pradit an unlikely emissary and an unlikely assassin. He could
92) Minute by Orde, 16 October 1934, and others attached, F.O. 371/18208
(F6130/L15/40).
93) Telegram, 25 October 1934, No. 49, F.O. 371/18208 (F6326/ll5/40).