CO537-3705 — Page 82

93

Cypher/OTP

POLITICAL DISTRIBUTION

FROM BANGKOK TO FOREIGN OFFICE

Mr. Thompson

No. 52

22nd January, 1948.

Repeated to Singapore

Nanking Hong Kong

D. 7.46 p.m. 23rd January, 1948. R. 8.45 p.m. 23rd January, 1948.

Addressed to Foreign Office telegram No. 52 of January 22nd repeated to Nanking, Singapore and Hong Kong.

Local Chinese press and especially those papers supporting Kuomintang have commented pretty violently on Kowloon and Canton incidents with a good deal of vicious drivel about re-birth of British imperialism, the brutality of Hong Kong Government, the need for Nanking to adopt a strong attitude to be supported if necessary by anti- British boycotts, and so forth.

2. It is possible but I think unlikely that there might be some form of Anti-British demonstration locally particularly during the Chinese New Year celebrations,

but the Siamese will no doubt take any necessary precautions. Counsellor will have a word with the Police on the subject.

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