Sakai Posted April 27, 2009 Report Share Posted April 27, 2009 Thanks, will have to dig that a bit. Did not know there was a POW camp at Thammasat University, any researches/studies published about it please? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flashermac Posted April 27, 2009 Report Share Posted April 27, 2009 Gerald Sparrow wrote sort of a memoir, called "Land of the Moonflower". This is the only first hand source I've found by an internee. From his discriptions, I'd say the camp was over the area where the underground car park is now. Ironic that an internment camp was with a stone's throw of the headquarters of the Free Thai movement in the Thammasat "dome building". I've read a book on the American trained Free Thais that includes a description of a visit to "Ruth" (Pridi Phanomyong) at Thammasat. The British brigadier could actually recognise the voices of friends in the camp, but didn't dare let them know he was there. That was in the sumer of 1945. I met Sir James Holt, who had been interned here too. However, he didn't want to talk about those years. Just called them a total waste of his time. Sparrow said more or less the same thing, being very critical of the British ambassador who told them to stay put. Sparrow felt the Brits could all have reached Burma, thence India - and not had to waste four years being interned. (The British ambassador was repatriated, since he was a diplomat!) Link Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sakai Posted April 27, 2009 Report Share Posted April 27, 2009 Thanks for the link. Will read the book. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flashermac Posted April 27, 2009 Report Share Posted April 27, 2009 p.s. Another internment camp was a Vajiravudh College, the beautiful boys' school patterned by Rama VI on Eton. Sparrow says a big Allied victory party was held there right after the Japanese surrender. All the Allied flags were on display, along with the old White Elephant flag of Siam (one not tainted by Pibunsongkram's fraternising with Japan). Know about this one? Seri Thai Park http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_Thai_Movement Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sakai Posted April 27, 2009 Report Share Posted April 27, 2009 Yes I went there many years ago with a Bg who wanted to show me how beautiful this park is. Didn't know there was an internment camp at Vajiravudh College Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flashermac Posted April 27, 2009 Report Share Posted April 27, 2009 http://www.armed-guard.com/ag87.html If I remember right, Udom Patpong was one of the US trained Free Thai officers. He was dropped into Thailand as a radio operator. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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