Международная научная конференция ЮВА в СПбГУ-65

Международная научная конференция, посвященная 65-й годовщине начала изучения языков ЮВА в нашей стране 348 P. Charoenpacharaporn Thailand’s commitment to SEATO and discuss the issue of perceived Chinese Communist infiltration in the Northern provinces, overseas Chinese dual nationality, and the alleged PRC government support to Pridi Panomyong, Phibun’s political rival, who was in exile in China [Waithayakorn 2011: 61]. Phibun personally paid for a delegation of Thai journalists to cover the conference [Fineman 1997: 213]. Never before had a group as large as twenty-two Thai newsmen gone abroad for one event. As the fact that Thailand sent a delegation to Bandung had not yet fulfilled Nehru’s ambition, he tried to further engage the Thai representative with his ‘positive engagement with China’at his own cost. First, Nehru nominated Prince Wan, the head of the Thai delegation, to be elected as rapporteur of the political committee, although the Thai delegates intended to attend Bandung as participants. It proved to be a key position to the success of the Conference since the Prince had to convince Zhou in a lengthy debate to endorse the ten principles in the final communique of the Bandung Conference. Zhou finally agreed to the wordings. Furthermore, Nehru arranged a private dinner for Prince Wan and Zhou Enlai so that they could discuss Phibun’s points of concern regarding the PRC [ Bangkok Post , 21 April 1955]. First, it was about the dual-nationality which three-million Chinese immigrants in Thailand enjoyed that caused the Thai Government’s wariness about the Chinese immigrants’ loyalty. Zhou promised the PRC would cancel Chinese nationality for the overseas Chinese in Thailand, similarly to what he had just agreed with the Indonesian Government. Secondly, Prince Wan asked Zhou to clarify the PRC’s involvement in the Independent Tai guerrilla movement in Yunnan, which Zhou denied. Thirdly, Prince Wan inquired about Pridi’s political exile in China. Zhou explained that although Pridi currently held the status of political refugee in the PRC, he was no longer permitted to be involved in political activities against the Government of Thailand [Waithayakorn 2011: 61]. Moreover, Zhou invited Prince Wan to see the situation in the PRC for himself.