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Salient. Official Newspaper of Victoria University of Wellington Students Association. Vol. 40 Number 4. March 21 1977

The invasion and exploitation of Imperialism

The invasion and exploitation of Imperialism.

The decades following the second World War, the international political situation marked the American influence controlled and penetrated into the Asia region, until their gradual decline. In Asia, on the the one hand, American imperialism took advantages of the decline of the British and French influence after the war, extended her colonialization and spheres of influence; on the other hand, the victories of the struggles of the Asian people greatly altered the situation in Asia. In order to maintain her benefit in Asia, United States imposed the policy of encircle China set up military bases in Japan South Korea Taiwan, Philippines. Indonesia, Vietnam Laos and Thailand, endeavouring in using bribery, infiltrations to control and back up the regime of these countries.

Owing to Thailand's strategic position United States gradually strengthened her infiltration. She aided the 1957 coup d'etat and established the pro-American regime. Furthermore she tried to extend her influence to the whole of the Indo-China Peninsula. From 1950 onwards, Thailand and America had signed a series of unequal treaties: "agreement of military aid", agreement of economic aid" and 'agreement of friendly economic cooperation". From 1950 to the June of 1971, the military aids that States had given to Thai land amounted to more than two hundred billion baht (about ten billion U.S. dollars). Besides, the States had used more than 200 billion baht for constructing more than 60 military bases and other military set-up in Thailand, including 5 large scale air bases and about 30 auxillary airports, 11 camps, 10 marine bases and 4 missile sites, 2 radar stations. Further still they had constructed a ten thousand miles highway network, linking American bases and the way to neighbouring countries of Thai. More than ¾ of the air crafts bombing Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia took off from these airports in Thai. The Utapao base, 90 miles south of Bangkok is the place where the famous B-52 bombers attacked Vietnam night and day. The Americans had turned Thailand into a stepping stone for invading the countries in Indo-China.

The US has established in Thailand a military 'advisory group' consisted of three thousand men, these are U.S. military advisers in the Defence Dept. Further still there are public security adviser' in the police system. The U.S. soldiers stationed in Thailand had come up to 50,000. There 'advisers' and soldiers have political privileges. Thailand had followed the American policy for a long period of time. In 1954, Thai joined the Southeast Asia Treaty Organisation (SFATO) and the headquarters was in Bangkok.

Photo of people carrying a bloodied body

Photo of heavily armed soldiers

Economically, Thailand suffered miserably from the plundering and exploitation of foreign capitals. In order to reciprocate to the American military assistance, Thailand was bound to implement her economic 'duties' prescribed on the treaty. By these 'duties', Thailand had virtually become a dumping place for the American goods and supplier of the strategic materials (like rubber and tungsten) needed by the American. From 19501970, there was a deficit of Thailand trade of 187 billion bahts (nearly equivalent to 9 billion U.S. $) with America. Foreign capital mainly American and Japanese, exploited the cheap labour of Thailand through private investment and multinational corporations. Besides they had lucrative profits. They also plundered the national resources (including petroleum, tin and rubber) of Thailand. Through various types of un-equal trade treaties, they ruthlessly expanded their business, and gave striking blows to the industry and commerce of Thai national bourgeoisie. According to unofficial statistics, America had been nibbling away more than 60 billion bahts of profits from Thailand annually, which was more than her assistance to Thanom Government. The Thai ruling class, who for their own sake, were hands-in gloves with the American imperialists. They had betrayed the national sovereignty and debased Thailand to a neo-colony under American control and intervention.

Thailand, rich in natural resources is famous for "fish found in water rice found in fields". Paddi is one of the four main exports, amounting to more than one thousand four hundred tons annually. 80% of the population are farmers. Although they are the chief producers of the financial resources of Thailand, they are always in starvation and poverty, and are under the severe suppression of the feudal authority and the heavy exploitation of the land-lords.

According to the statistics of the Thai Government, farmers occupying little or no land accounted for 85% of the total number of farmers. Although the legitimate highest rent is 25% of the harvest more than half of the farmers have to give about 30% to 55% of the harvest as rent, and some in the central Thailand have to give 80%. This interest of the rent high as 100% to 300%. Very often the farmers have to sell their children to pay for the rent. According to the material issued by the Thailand Government, the yield per acre is only 240 kilo grammes. The income of the farmer is the lowest among all the average income of every farmer is only 1000 bahts (about 250 Hong Kong dollars), equivalent to only 40% of the annual income of the average Thai citizen, also equal to 1/8 of the annual income of the average citizen in the Thai cities. There are enormous differences between the urban and the rural area.

In a country where paddi is the main export, the paddi-rice growers worked hard labours for the whole year round. However, their lives are so bitter, they are always on the verge of starvation and poverty. But the Thailand Government sees nothing of this. They only levied heavy taxes on the Thai people. The poverty and suppression in the rural area forced the farmers to find their livings in the urban areas. They settled in the slum-areas at the verge of the cities, as part time workers, coolies, non technical works. Some families even have to sell their daughters as prostitutes to maintain their livings.

The cities are places where the workers concentrate, especially Bangkok city. Among the 1.7 million labourers in the country, about 1.3 million are industrial workers. The Thai industrial workers have been leading miserable lives. A majority of them had to work 12 to 20 hours for an extremely low wage. Generally, the male workers can get only 10 to 15 bahts (approximately 50c to 80c US) while the female workers can get only halt as much. The working conditions are extremely poor. There was no welfare system. The government sided with the bourgeoisie in forbidding the workers to strike.

Cartoon of a worker with wide brimmed hat sitting next to their tools

Workers in a field

Since October 1973, when the three tyrants were ousted, the workers and peasants movement began to flourish. The student movement also began to integrate with the peasant and worker movement.

The setting up of the regional peasant associations further promoted the organisation of the peasants to fight for their interest and to struggle against the local bullies and bad gentry. The worker movement also surged vigorously. In 1974, there were 357 strikes and 106,000 workers had participated. In the former stage, the strikes were mainly aimed at increasing wages and improvement of welfare. Yet in the later stage, workers also participated actively in campaigns against the tyrannical order of Praprass and Thanom. Yet struggles had only begun.